Shy college freshman Devon Weisz hopes to reinvent herself at Walton University and eagerly asks the confident Celeste to be her honor student dorm roommate. Initially, the two get along well, planning a spring break trip together and bonding over campus life. However, tensions steadily mount as small frictions give way to betrayal.
Devon writes a paper for a supposedly sick Celeste only to find her healthy and celebrating while breaking Devon's project. A disastrous Thanksgiving visit to Devon's family follows, where Celeste charms Devon's parents yet subtly undermines Devon after a deep-fried turkey explodes. Back on campus, Celeste's behavior turns aggressively malicious.
She exposes Devon's antidepressant prescription, steals her clothes, and reads a cruel poem about Devon's anxiety in class. When Alex, Devon's younger brother, visits and gets sick from MDMA provided by Celeste, the tension reaches a breaking point. During spring break, Celeste crosses a final line by making out with Michael, Devon's TA and love interest, driving Devon to seek immediate revenge.
Devon and Celeste's escalating passive-aggressive feud culminates in an accidental fire that destroys their entire dorm.
Celeste admits she fabricated her background to feel likable while hiding a painful family reality involving her mother and a recent divorce.
The conflict resolves with unexpected consequences, including Devon serving prison time before starting a successful design firm with her cellmate.
Dean Robyn Schilling's framing narrative suggests that college roommate disputes, no matter how severe, can eventually find resolution.
Seeking retaliation, Devon uses a fake ID to discover the truth about her roommate: Celeste is not impoverished as she claimed, but is actually the daughter of John, the CEO of Staples Inc. Armed with this knowledge, Devon and Alex plot to expose Celeste's lies and background during Devon's WaltonCon presentation aimed at improving campus life. In response, Celeste moves out of their shared room and retaliates by outing Alex to his high school through a fake prom proposal directed at his crush Peter.
Devon tracks Celeste down to Robyn's room, leading to a physical confrontation. During the fight, Celeste drops the devastating revelation that she had been hooking up with Michael for months prior to spring break. Blinded by fury, Devon grabs Robyn's blowtorch to burn Celeste's possessions, but the fire quickly gets out of hand and accidentally burns down the entire dorm building.
As emergency services, including police, firefighters, and ambulances, evacuate the campus, John arrives alongside Katie to confront his daughter. John asks Celeste where she plans to attend college next, and she insists on entering a rehabilitation facility for PTSD, a term John mistakenly equates to a venereal disease. The framing narrative then returns to Dean Robyn Schilling finishing her cautionary story for Luna and Auguste, leading the two fighting roommates to reconcile.
Robyn then details the subsequent fates of everyone involved. Celeste suffers two more expulsions, gets financially cut off by her father, and eventually finds employment at a Staples store. Michael attempts to open a failing restaurant venture named Miguel's.
Devon receives a two-month prison sentence for the arson, during which she forms a deep bond with her cellmate Louise; following their release, the pair establish an architectural and design firm together in New York City. Finally, Alex decides to skip college altogether and becomes engaged to Peter.
What does the ending of Roommates mean?
One reading of the ending of Roommates is that it explores the destructive nature of deception and insecurity. Both Devon and Celeste wear masks to mask their underlying anxieties about fitting in, which ultimately fuels their mutual hostility. Celeste invents a false persona of hardship to gain sympathy and likability, while Devon struggles with her introversion and fear of inadequacy.
Their inability to communicate honestly transforms minor college friction into a catastrophic feud ending in literal destruction. The resolution suggests that true connection requires vulnerability rather than retaliation. Furthermore, the framing device of Dean Robyn Schilling sharing past dorm drama implies that college rivalries, while seemingly monumental in the moment, are common and can eventually yield strange paths to personal growth and reconciliation, as seen with Luna and Auguste.
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Where to watch Roommates
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Netflix
Listed for region IN. Availability varies by country.
Roommates ending FAQ
Why does Devon burn down the dorm in Roommates?
Devon uses Robyn's blowtorch to burn Celeste's possessions in retaliation during a furious physical fight. The flames quickly spin out of control, unintentionally causing the entire building to burn down amidst their chaotic confrontation.
What is the truth about Celeste's family background?
Celeste lies about being poor to gain sympathy. In reality, her father John is the CEO of Staples Inc., and she grew up in a wealthy mansion before her parents divorced and her mother developed Alzheimer's.
What happens to Devon after the dorm fire?
Following the campus evacuation and police involvement, Devon is sentenced to two months in prison for arson. While incarcerated, she becomes best friends with her cellmate Louise, and they later open a New York design firm.
Does Michael stay with Devon?
No, Michael does not stay with Devon. It is revealed that Celeste had been hooking up with Michael for months before spring break, and Michael later attempts to open a failed restaurant called Miguel's.
Why does Dean Robyn Schilling tell Devon and Celeste her story?
Dean Robyn Schilling shares her past story with Luna and Auguste when they feud, hoping to prove that college roommate disagreements can always be worse and to inspire them to work out their differences.
Where can I watch Roommates?
Stream: Netflix. Availability listed for region IN and varies by country.
Movie
★ 8.5
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