“What Happened to Monday” is a dystopian science fiction thriller where seven identical sisters must avoid government execution in a world with a strict one-child policy. They assume a single identity, each taking turns going out on different days of the week, but their secret is threatened when one of them, Monday, goes missing.
In a more detailed explanation, “What Happened to Monday” is set in a not-so-distant future where overpopulation has forced governments to implement a strict one-child policy. The Child Allocation Bureau, led by Nicolette Cayman (played by Glenn Close), enforces this policy ruthlessly, cryogenically freezing excess children to be awoken in a future with more resources.
The seven sisters, named after the days of the week, are hidden from the government by their grandfather (Willem Dafoe) after their mother dies in childbirth. They live a covert existence, sharing a single identity—Karen Settman. Each sister is allowed to go outside on the day of the week they are named after, posing as Karen. Inside their apartment, they share what they’ve learned so they can maintain the facade.
The plot thickens when Monday, who is responsible for maintaining their shared identity at her job, does not return home. The sisters must find out what happened to her without revealing themselves to the authorities. As they investigate, they uncover a conspiracy that goes much deeper than they ever imagined.
The film explores themes of identity, survival, and the ethical implications of population control. It is a suspenseful story that combines elements of action, drama, and mystery, leading to a series of twists and turns as the sisters unravel the truth behind Monday’s disappearance and the dark secrets of the government’s population control methods.
