Marilyn

Synopsis

MARILYN LOGGINS (early 20s) is a ghost who died in the 1950s and haunts her old apartment, now occupied by JOEL and ELLEN SIKES (early 30s). She spends her day gossiping with DORA (60s), another ghost of the building. Marilyn knows Ellen is cheating on Joel and feels bad for him; Dora warns Marilyn not to develop feelings for Joel. There's a third ghost on an upper floor, but he's apparently violent and Marilyn and Dora have never met him.

BEN TURNER (25), a tenant in the building, can hear and see the ghosts, but he refuses to talk to Marilyn, since he's been treated like a crazy person his whole life because he can see ghosts. The only person sympathetic to Ben is Joel.

Marilyn finds out that Ellen and her boyfriend, TYLER (early 20s), are purposefully messing with Joel's sleep to stress him out. Then Ellen plans to slip him a drug that makes it look like he has a heart attack, so she can collect on Joel's life insurance. Marilyn asks Ben to warn Joel.

Joel is skeptical of Ben's warning, but he starts to become suspicious of Ellen. Ellen gaslights Joel into thinking he's being paranoid. An angry Marilyn manages to touch Ellen. The next day, Marilyn sees Ellen inject something into Joel's coffee. While trying to stop him from drinking it, Marilyn slaps the mug out of his hand. She tells Dora that she is able to connect to the living world when her emotions are running high.

Marilyn finds out she is able to enter Ellen's body. That night, she possesses Ellen and starts having sex with Joel. She falls out of Ellen's body in the middle of it. Ellen wakes up and accuses Joel of violating her. Marilyn is disgusted with herself and commiserates with Dora. They talk about their lives. Marilyn wonders if her husband, GEORGE, had a good life after her accidental death. Dora spent her days in a hippie commune but ended up dying alone anyway.

Ellen sabotages Joel's work, making him doubt his sanity. She also has Tyler rig up their stove to electrocute Joel. Joel is knocked unconscious. Marilyn revives Joel and is able to speak to his spirit briefly. Joel finally believes Ben.

Marilyn talks to Joel via Ben and asks him to find her husband. Joel finds a George Loggins of the right age living at a hospice nearby. Marilyn possesses Ellen again so she can go to the hospice to see George. At the hospice, George asks for Marilyn's forgiveness. It is revealed that George killed Marilyn and made it look like an accident because he regretted their marriage but wanted to avoid the scandal of a divorce. Marilyn snaps out of Ellen's body in shock. However, she eventually makes peace with it. Dora suggests it's time for them to move on, but Marilyn insists on staying until she knows Joel is safe. Joel asks Ellen for a separation. Ellen moves out. Inspired by his initiative, Marilyn and Dora decide to check out the angry ghost upstairs. They find out he's just a gamer, TONY (20s), who died in the apartment and now spends his time yelling at his roommate, JIMMY (20s), while Jimmy plays video games.

Ellen brings Tyler back to the apartment to "finish the job". Marilyn possesses Ellen and kicks Tyler out. She then visits George and forgives him, before turning Ellen in to the police. This takes too much out of Marilyn and she starts to fade away. Dora reminds Marilyn of their promise to leave together. Marilyn revives. Upon seeing that Joel is safe, Marilyn finally disappears with Dora.

Ben and Joel continue to hang out, and Ben also joins an online gaming community. Joel gets divorced from Ellen and meets his new neighbor, HEATHER (30s), who reminds him of Marilyn.