6 Years is a 2015 American romantic drama film written and directed by Hannah Fidell and starring Taissa Farmiga, Ben Rosenfield, Lindsay Burdge, Joshua Leonard, Peter Vack, and Dana Wheeler-Nicholson. Filmmakers Mark and Jay Duplass served as executive producers under their Duplass Brothers Productions banner. The film depicts two weeks in the relationship of college students Melanie Clark and Dan Mercer, as their 6-year romance turns violent.
The film had its world premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival on March 14, 2015, and its European premiere at the Champs-Élysées Film Festival on June 13, 2015. 6 Years was released on video on demand platforms on August 18, 2015, by The Orchard, and was made available worldwide on Netflix on September 8, 2015.
Plot
A young couple, Melanie Clark and Daniel Mercer, experience joyful moments in their relationship, including having passionate sex. After a house party one night, Mel drives to Dan's house drunk. Berating her for being reckless, Dan tries to force Mel to stay the night. Mel reacts angrily and pushes him into a dresser, causing Dan to sustain a head wound. At the emergency room, Dan lies about how he got the injury, covering for Mel.
Dan interns at Austin-based record label Topo Records. His co-worker Amanda notices his injury; she points out how different the situation would look if it had happened to Mel and not him. Mel starts a job as a teaching assistant to Ms. Anders at an elementary school. One night, her friends ask how she and Dan keep things fresh, and Jessica suggests they should watch pornography. Dan later catches Mel watching a porn film.
The next day, they go for lunch with Dan's mother Joanne. Before Mel arrives, Joanne tells Dan that she and his dad will pay his rent if he chooses to move to New York City. A few nights later, Mel and Dan go to a pool party thrown by Mark. After Mel leaves, Dan kisses Amanda on an impulse. He apologizes, and they agree it is best to stay friends.
The next morning, Dan goes to Mel's house and she notices his odd behavior. He denies there's anything wrong. That night, Mel borrows Dan's phone at a party and sees a text from Amanda talking about their kiss. They break out into a physical fight, and, in an attempt to subdue Mel's lashing out, Dan holds her to the ground. The police show up and misunderstand the situation because Mel stays silent when Dan asks her to explain the situation to them. When she refuses to do so, the police arrest him. Dan is released the next morning, but refuses to speak to Mel.
Jason and Mark offer Dan a job at Topo Records' new office in Brooklyn. To celebrate, he goes to a bar with Amanda. She apologizes for sending him the text, and Dan informs her that he and Mel are on a break. Meanwhile, Mel attends a party with her friends, where she meets Will. After becoming intoxicated, Jessica and Will take her home. Jessica goes back to the party, but Will stays behind and attempts to rape Mel while she is semiconscious; she pushes him off and he leaves.
Mel tells Dan about Will and tearfully asks him to hold her. The two then go to Houston to help Mel's mother move out of her childhood home. While there, Dan visits his mom, who encourages him to go to New York. Later, Dan tells Mel about his job offer and she accuses him of only thinking of himself. He, in turn, calls her needy and Mel orders him to leave. Mel then worries that she has messed the relationship up for good. Her roommate Becca suggests that she should sleep on it and give Dan time to cool off.
Back at Dan's house, he and Amanda have sex. The next morning, Mel arrives to apologize and catches Amanda leaving. In the ensuing argument, Mel throws a glass across the room and Dan throws a punch at her, but diverts in the end thinking better of it, causing him to slam his hand into the wall. She pushes Dan into the broken shards, injuring his foot. At the hospital, Dan tells Mel he's sorry and that he no longer wants to go to New York and wants to stay with her. Mel tells Dan that she thinks he should take the job and move to New York. Dan rejects that suggestion and says he wants to stay. Mel tells Dan that she loves him but it doesn't feel right. Dan tells Mel that he doesn't want to break up but she then asks Dan to look her in the eyes and tell her that he loves her and wants to spend the rest of his life with her. Dan is unable to and instead says he's sorry. Mel says okay and with that, reality starts to set in that their 6 year relationship is finished.