Cloud Atlas

Timothy Cavendish wakes in a daze, finding himself connected to a feeding IV. He doesn’t have his full memory back and soon drifts back into unconsciousness. It takes a couple days before he’s more lucid. Mrs. Judd informs him he’s had a stroke. Timothy describes the process of putting himself back together as a task of “Tolstoyan” proportions. He realizes that no one other than Denholme knows he’s in Aurora House, and so he’s on his own to escape.

Miserable in his confinement, Timothy tries to find some escapism by reading Half-Lives. He imagines himself publishing the book and seeing it at convenience store checkout lines. He intends to make some edits, however, such as removing the hippie idea that Luisa Rey is a reincarnated version of Robert Frobisher. But he has to stop editing when he realizes his manuscript runs out of pages right after Luisa’s car drives off a bridge.

Ernie Blacksmith and Veronica Costello are two other patients at Aurora House. Ernie is a Scottish man who finds ways to smuggle in alcohol, and he and Veronica both tolerate Timothy’s grumpiness. Ernie used to repair boilers and was a locksmith too. Timothy tells them about his past as a publisher. While Ernie and Veronica seem skeptical about some details, they listen attentively. While they’re talking, Ernie happens to mention how Mr. Hotchkiss, the son of the one of Aurora House’s residents, always leaves his keys in the ignition to his vehicle when he comes to visit his mother.

Timothy devises his first escape plan. He sneaks over to the phone and calls his publishing company (which goes to voicemail), then his sister-in-law, asking to speak to Denholme. He learns from her that Denholme is dead and that he missed the funeral. Before he can figure out what’s going on, Mrs. Noakes cuts his line.

Later, during a breakfast, while Timothy is still reeling from Denholme’s death, Mrs. Noakes say she’s disappointed to announce that there is a thief in Aurora House. As a result, she puts Timothy on probation. Timothy bides his time playing cards with Ernie and Veronica. Timothy complains that Ernie has become a quitter, afraid to see the outside world again. Ernie, however, claims he has a perfect plan and could escape any time he wants to. Ernie leaves, angry with Timothy.

It’s the week of Christmas, and Ernie remains angry with Timothy, while Veronica has sympathy for Timothy but stays with Ernie. Timothy fantasizes about meeting the author of Half-Lives and getting to read the rest of it. The Christmas meal is disappointing. Timothy considers dropping his grudge against Ernie but doesn’t. Instead, he tries to get the reverend (who is there for Christmas mass) involved in a scheme to get out of Aurora House. He asks for the reverend’s help in sending out a letter to his sister, slipping a note into the reverend’s pocket.

Timothy dreams about seeing Ursula when he’s out. But he’s disappointed when he wakes up on Christmas and finds his letter all torn up, apparently intercepted by Mrs. Noakes. Timothy feels like giving up.

On Boxing Day, Timothy, Ernie, and Veronica finally all reconcile. Timothy puts aside his pride to apologize, and Ernie, after some hesitation, invites him to join an escape plan that he has hatched with Veronica. The plan takes place in two days, on the 28th, when Mrs. Judd will be away with her nieces.

The 28th comes. Timothy sets the plan in motion by using a stolen cell phone to call Mr. Hotchkiss and tell him his mother is seriously ill, convincing Mr. Hotchkiss to come right away. The second step involves Ernie reporting to Mrs. Noakes that Timothy has died. They stage a fake dead Timothy with pillows under a blanket. Timothy’s room has an external lock, so they trap Mrs. Noakes inside when she comes to check on the supposed body.

Mr. Hotchkiss arrives with his wife at reception and is angry that he can’t see his mother yet. Veronica pretends to be a friend of his mother and invites him in past reception, saying the doctor is busy. Ernie and Timothy get into the car, but Ernie realizes there’s no key—Mrs. Hotchkiss took the keys in. Just then, Veronica comes out with some keys that she got from Mrs. Hotchkiss. People realize what’s going on, and Mr. Hotchkiss comes back and bangs on the car window. But Timothy starts the ignition and drives off.

Timothy says he’ll distract their pursuers so that Ernie can get out and pick the lock on the gate. But Ernie says they only have one option: to ram the gate head on. He lied about being able to pick an electric lock and always planned on ramming their way out—he just didn’t want Timothy to panic. Veronica finds it all thrilling. Timothy aims the car toward the gate and accelerates. The car smashes through, and then Timothy slams the brakes.  The car stops safely on the other side of the gate.

Timothy knows his way around, so he navigates with no problem. He, Ernie, and Veronica make their way to a gas station next to a pub. They park in the pub (so no one sees the car at the gas station), and Ernie goes to get a can of gas. Then they all enter the pub, which is packed with people wildly cheering for a soccer match of England vs. Scotland, and they check their map. While they’re inside, they see Mr. Hotchkiss and other people from Aurora House outside.

There’s no escape, but the Scottish Ernie gets up and says that some Englishmen have come in to take his rights away. The Scottish soccer fans turn off the TV and face the intruders. Mr. Hotchkiss says something rude to them, and someone knocks his tooth out. Ernie, Veronica, and Timothy make an escape and drive away.

Timothy, Ernie, and Veronica make it to Glasgow, where Ernie has Mr. Hotchkiss’s car scrapped. In Glasgow, Timothy parts ways with Ernie and Veronica. Timothy tries to contact his old secretary, who fills him in on what happened. Dermot’s brothers tore apart his publishing company after he failed to provide the money. The destruction was caught on video, and the secretary made a deal with the brothers: in exchange for not sending out the video and giving the brothers a share of future royalties, the brothers will give up on trying to get Timothy. Best of all, a Hollywood studio has optioned Knuckle Sandwich.

Timothy ponders his future. He figures that if Dermot can write a bestseller, maybe Timothy can too. He also sends an email to the author of Half-Lives to try to get the rest of the manuscript. Timothy returns to his work and tries to avoid becoming prematurely “Undead,” like a nursing home resident.