In 1856 Schoharie County, New York, Abigail and Dyer live an isolated life in the country working as farmers. They are both devastated by the recent loss of their young daughter Nellie.
A new similarly childless couple moves in beside them. Abigail is immediately entranced by Tallie, the wife, and the two women form a quick and deep friendship. Abigail confides to Tallie that her marriage with Dyer is based on practicality, not romance, while Tallie reveals that her husband Finney can be quarrelsome and controlling.
For Abigail's birthday Tallie buys her an atlas that she had longed for. When Tallie is returning home from the birthday visit she is caught in a storm that nearly kills her. Her husband takes her away to recuperate, and when she returns, it is spring and Tallie resumes her visits to Abigail.
Eventually Tallie reveals to Abigail that she only dreams of being with her. Abigail feels similarly and the two kiss. They begin a sexual affair. Dyer, who has become increasingly emotional since their child's death, is upset about the time that Abigail spends with Tallie. Tallie's husband becomes similarly jealous of the hours she is spending away from him. Abigail expresses concern about Finney telling Tallie of many husbands poisoning their wives in the county.
Finney eventually asks Abigail and Dyer to dinner where he uncomfortably brings up their lost child and Abigail notices bruises on Tallie's neck. Finney tells a morbid story about holding his disobedient dog outside until it froze to death. Afterwards Tallie doesn't visit for a week. Abigail finally goes in search of her and finds her rented house empty with only a bloody kerchief left behind. Though she suspects foul play, she eventually receives a letter from Tallie informing her she has moved 85 miles away to the Skaneateles area of Onondaga County.
Abigail insists on going to see Tallie and Dyer reluctantly complies. However by the time they arrive Tallie is dead. Finney claims it is from diphtheria. A flashback reveals Tallie and Abigail having sex; another flashback shows Finney holding and dancing with Tallie until she collapses.
Abigail returns to her life on the farm. She and Dyer continue to work together but are still emotionally estranged. To comfort herself, Abigail imagines murdering Finney one day and tries to picture Nellie and Tallie comforting one another in the afterlife. When Dyer asks her to imagine anything she can do to ease their longing, Abigail begins to imagine Tallie in his place.
British composer Daniel Blumberg was commissioned to compose music for the film.[1] He collaborated with avant-garde musicians including Peter Brötzmann, Josephine Foster and Steve Noble on the score, and enlisted Scott Walker producer Peter Walsh to co-produce.[8]
The World to Come holds a 74% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 149 reviews, with an average of 6.7/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "The World to Come is made from ingredients that will be familiar to fans of period forbidden romance movies, but they're given fresh life thanks to an excellent cast."[15] On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 73 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "generally positive" reviews.[16]
In June 2025, IndieWire ranked the film at number 69 on its list of "The 100 Best Movies of the 2020s (So Far)".[17]
↑ Richardson, Hollie; Wong, Henry; Virtue, Graeme; Wardell, Simon (March 6, 2022). "TV tonight". The Guardian. Retrieved March 7, 2022. The World to Come, 12.20pm, 8pm Sky Cinema Premiere
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