‘Chestnut’ Ending Explained & Movie Recap: Did Annie Leave Philadelphia?

Chestnut is a sad love story that trudges between friendship and love and how it is essential to create boundaries. It is rare to find stories such as this about a woman wanting to pursue love because she had not experienced a feeling like this before. 

Spoilers Ahead

Why was Annie hesitant to leave Philly?

Annie was a young graduate from Philadelphia. She had a degree in finance, and she had landed a good job in Los Angeles, California. However, she was still attached to the life she led in Philadelphia, and there were a few months left before she could join her new place of work. Her father lived in New York City, and she planned to spend her last months alone in the city. Philadelphia was almost like home to her, which is why she was hesitating heading to a new city on the other side of the country.

Where did she meet Tyler?

Annie met Tyler and her boyfriend, Danny, at a bar. Annie and Tyler instantly hit it off, and the former figured the couple might be okay with having another person in their relationship. Annie and Tyler had begun to hang out more often, which led them to text each other regularly. Tyler and Annie made many moves toward each other, and it felt like Danny was either ignoring it or was okay with his girlfriend seeking love outside of their relationship. Annie had begun to hang out with Tyler and Danny’s other friends as well, which essentially made her part of their group. A few days later, Danny ran into Annie at an open mic, and he was moved by her poetry. Danny had begun to give Annie some attention, but she only had eyes for Tyler. 

Did Tyler and Annie kiss?

Tyler invited Annie to a small party, which was an exclusive one, and she felt special. Annie and Tyler eventually kissed each other. The kiss meant more to Annie than Tyler, as the former wanted to talk about her feelings. Tyler, on the other hand, ran away from talking about emotions and feelings and chose to keep Annie at bay whenever she tried to get too close.

Were Annie and Danny in love?

Annie and Tyler headed to another club one night, where they ended up kissing once again. Annie noticed Tyler was seducing another friend as well, and she soon understood Tyler may be enjoying the attention she was receiving from Annie, but she wasn’t willing to talk about matters of the heart. There was a time when Annie did ask Tyler to join her in Los Angeles and make the big move. Annie was keen to have Tyler by her side. It was obvious the love Annie had was one-sided, as Tyler was not willing to have this conversation. A dejected Annie met up with Danny, and they opened up about their ideas of love, commitment, and relationship. The two also spoke about the relationship they shared with their fathers. Annie was in love with Tyler, and this was the kind of conversation she had hoped to have with her. After having conversed with Danny, it felt like he was in love with her, and they kissed briefly. Annie was not sure if she wanted to pursue the couple because she did not want to complicate things between the three. 

Danny was indeed attracted to Annie, but she moved away at the right time. However, the next night, Annie requested that he help her move her couch. This was just an excuse to get him into her apartment, maybe to get to talking to each other about their feelings. Annie was possibly on the verge of changing her mind about Tyler and wanting to be with Danny, who had feelings for her. Their conversation was cut short when Tyler showed up and noticed there was an intimate moment between Annie and Danny. Tyler was upset, and Danny had to leave the bar to pacify his girlfriend. 

What did Tyler finally confess?

Annie felt abandoned, as Danny never showed up to help her. Annie figured out where she stood when it came to the relationship she shared with the couple. She had an intuition about what the couple might be up to, but she would not move away without finding closure. Annie had planned to stay back in Philadelphia, as she was in love with them and wanted to see where the relationship would move forward. They seemed like they might be a polyamorous couples who were willing to bring in a third person to enhance their intimacy and relationship. This was all in Annie’s mind, and she had not discussed with any of them how she fit into their relationship. With both Tyler and Danny abandoning her and not finding time to provide her with answers, Annie went to the bar they were regulars at. She found Tyler outside the bar and confessed her love. 

Tyler was not surprised, but she had to be honest with Annie about how she felt. She revealed she loved Annie as a friend, and the reason she approached her at the bar initially was to make Danny jealous. Tyler was head over heels in love with Danny, and she was somehow not able to communicate the same. Annie was heartbroken, and to make it worse, Danny tried to justify his action of not turning up to help her. Annie now knew the couple would always prioritize each other, and she was just a small part of their relationship. Annie was not sure if she could bear their relationship. She had a strong feeling her heart was headed towards severe distress, and it was not worth it.

Did Annie leave Philadelphia?

Annie walked away from Tyler and Danny in no time and prioritized her upcoming job in Los Angeles. She planned to spend the last few days of her break in New York before joining her new place of work. Annie was happy with the decision she made. The heartbreak gave her the jolt required to get out of Philadelphia and seek a life in another city. Los Angeles might give her a new start and help her move on. 

Annie met Tyler one last time before moving out to New York. Tyler was happy for Annie, and she showed no feelings other than the friendship they shared all this time. Annie was also unperturbed by Tyler’s nonchalant reaction to knowing she was moving away from Philadelphia. Tyer probably wanted the best for Annie, as she was clear about her feelings. She was happy that Anie was taking the first step towards moving on. Tyler, however, did come across as a selfish person who used Annie’s feelings to further her agenda. Instead of talking about what she wanted from Annie, she led her on and broke her heart. Annie, however, was in no mood to relapse into her former mood and was happy to have met Tyler one last time. 

Chestnut ended with Annie stopping by Danny and Tyler’s new restaurant. She and Danny shared one last glance, and it felt like this was the closure she needed to move on. Danny, however, looked upset, and we believe he may have loved Annie, but his current relationship status with Tyler made him back off. Annie drove away to her new life, leaving everything from the past behind her.