The Rule of Jenny Pin is one of those horror films that sneaks up on you. At first, it feels like a quirky drama about aging. Then a creepy puppet shows up, a deranged old man starts stalking the halls, and suddenly we’re deep into psychological horror territory.
This one’s weird, sad, and at times unexpectedly funny, all while peeling back the horror of growing old, being forgotten, and losing control.
Below, I’ll break down the movie from start to finish, highlight what’s going on with Dave and that twisted doll, and explain what the ending actually means.
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So, Who’s in The Rule of Jenny Pin (2024)?
- Geoffrey Rush as Judge Stefan Mortensen
A retired judge struggling with the aftereffects of a stroke, drawn into the bizarre horrors of a care home.
- John Lithgow as Dave Crealy
A fellow resident who controls a disturbing puppet named Jenny Pin, at the center of the chaos.
- George Henare as Tony Garfield
A former rugby player and Mortensen’s roommate, who slowly realizes something is very wrong.
- Nathaniel Lees as Sonny Ausage
A caretaker at the facility who tries to keep order while everything unravels.
- Thomas Sainsbury as Carer Mike
Another staff member, caught between responsibility and fear.
- Ian Mune as Howie Wicker
A paranoid resident with a tragic backstory that may hold clues.
- Irene Wood as Olive Shaw
A mysterious woman whose presence grows increasingly unsettling.
- Maaka Pohatu as Dr. Neels
The facility’s doctor, whose intentions aren’t always clear.
- Bruce Phillips as Peter Llewyn
One of the residents, slowly unraveling under the weight of the puppet’s influence.
- Holly Shanahan as Madeline Shepard
A young staff member who starts seeing things she can’t explain.
What You Should Know About The Rule of Jenny Pin
Director: James Ashcroft, the filmmaker behind Coming Home in the Dark, delivers another slow-burn nightmare filled with dread and atmosphere.
Writers: James Ashcroft and Eli Kent, adapting a short story by Owen Marshall. They twist it into a disturbing story about aging, isolation, and control.
Runtime: 104 minutes
Genre: Psychological horror with some thriller elements. More creepy and unsettling than full-on gory.
Language: English
Country: New Zealand
Budget: Around $6 million
Box Office: About $647,000 worldwide (limited release)
Production: Made by Light in the Dark Productions and Blueskin Films
Distributed by: Galaxy Pictures
Release Dates:
- US: March 7, 2025
- New Zealand: March 20, 2025
- Streaming: Landed on Shudder and AMC+ on March 28, 2025
The Rule of Jenny Pin: How Judge Stefon Lost Everything
We first meet Judge Stefon doing what he does best. He’s sharp, smug, and completely in control, the kind of guy who sees guilt in everyone and isn’t afraid to rub it in. When a mother tries thanking him for sentencing her criminal son, he turns that moment into a lecture on cowardice. Cold, brutal, and honestly, kind of fascinating to watch.
Then his body gives out. Right there in court, he collapses. And that’s the last time we see him with any power.
Next thing we know, he’s stuck in a care home, barely able to move or speak. His sharp mind is still ticking, but now he’s trapped inside a failing body that no one takes seriously. No one cares who he was, and no one’s interested in listening now.
The contrast is harsh. His roommate Tony gets sweet calls from grandkids and thoughtful gifts. Meanwhile, Stefon sits alone, ignored and underestimated. The facility feels more like a prison than a place for healing. He tries to assert himself, but no one listens.
This part of the movie is where the real horror starts. It’s not about monsters or jump scares, but about the slow nightmare of being trapped inside your own body while the world keeps moving.
Who Really Rules? Dave, Jenny Pin, and the Puppet’s Power Trip
Enter Dave, an unhinged resident who carries around a doll named Jenny Pin. At first, you might think it’s just part of his dementia. But nope. This guy knows exactly what he’s doing.
Jenny becomes a tool of domination. She talks in a high-pitched baby voice, and Dave uses her to humiliate and control the other residents. It starts off weird. Then it gets cruel. Verbal abuse. Physical threats. Midnight assaults. And the staff does nothing.
Even worse, Stefon tries to speak up, but no one believes him. The nurses brush him off. The manager thinks he’s confused. Dave keeps smiling and terrorizing. He’s not hiding in the shadows. He’s the center of attention.
This whole stretch turns the movie into a power struggle, with Jenny Pin as the twisted symbol of it all. Dave doesn’t need weapons. He has a puppet and silence.
The Blips, the Breakdowns, and the Loss of Control
Stefon isn’t just battling Dave. He’s battling himself. His body is failing. His memory is slipping. He starts having what the movie calls “blips” — strange time jumps, lapses in memory, weird hallucinations.
During his medical tests, he starts forgetting simple words and can’t even draw a basic clock anymore. The judge who once commanded a courtroom is now losing his grip on reality.
Dave takes full advantage. He gaslights Stefon, beats him, mocks him, and turns every weakness into a weapon. The emergency button in Stefon’s room? Disconnected. The staff? Still useless. The only person who might help — Tony — is too afraid.
This is where the film leans into psychological horror. The fear doesn’t come from the puppet. It comes from knowing something is wrong and having no one believe you.
Taking Down Dave: The Puppet’s Reign Comes to an End
Eventually, Stefon reaches his breaking point. He decides to stop waiting for help and fight back. With Tony’s quiet support, he sets a plan in motion.
It starts by sabotaging Dave’s inhalers, quietly emptying them one by one. Then, during one of Dave’s unhinged public performances, the moment comes. He starts wheezing. He reaches for relief. Nothing works.
No one moves to help him. Everyone watches. He stumbles, gasps, and collapses. But of course, that’s not the final act.
Later, Dave returns for more chaos. Only this time, Stefon and Tony are ready. They ambush him in the laundry room. It’s ugly. It’s desperate. But they win. Dave is finally dead.
They burn Jenny Pin, watching the plastic melt away. And just like that, the nightmare ends. For the first time in the movie, there’s peace.
The Ending of The Rule of Jenny Pin Explained
So what does it all mean?
Yes, Dave is gone, and Jenny Pin is destroyed. But the story doesn’t end on a happy note. We get one last image of Pluto the cat, a recurring symbol of death, staring directly at Stefon.
That’s the final punch. Stefon’s body is still breaking down. His mind is fading. And Pluto has always shown up before someone dies.
But even though his end is coming, there’s something different now. He found meaning again. He formed a bond with Tony. He stood up to evil. He mattered. That wasn’t true when he arrived.
The burning doll isn’t just about destroying Dave. It’s about killing the fear, the control, and the silence that ruled that place. In the end, Stefon doesn’t win in the traditional sense, but he reclaims a piece of himself.
And that matters.