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A Nice Girl Like You (2020) movie poster

Plot Summary

A Nice Girl Like You (2020) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2020 · 94 min · English
Echo score 40
Directed by
Chris Riedell, Nick Riedell
Starring
Lucy Hale, Adhir Kalyan, Jackie Cruz, Leah McKendrick, Jina Panebianco, Leonidas Gulaptis
Budget
$2.3M

Following a difficult and damaging relationship, a gifted violinist seeks to reclaim her joy and creativity. She begins a journey filled with unexpected experiences as she strives to overcome her inhibitions and find her voice, both as a musician and as an individual.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like A Nice Girl Like You
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch A Nice Girl Like You (2020)

Where can you watch A Nice Girl Like You? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Tubi TV, Amazon Video and Apple TV Store: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in A Nice Girl Like You: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of A Nice Girl Like You (2020) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Lucy Neal, portrayed by Lucy Hale, faces a significant challenge in her relationship with her boyfriend Jeff, played by Stephen Friedrich, as her inability to express intimacy leads to disappointment. One night, while Jeff is asleep, Lucy sneaks a look at his laptop and discovers that he has been watching porn. This revelation triggers a heated argument, in which Jeff unhelpfully compares porn stars to Lucy and her group of violinists, ultimately leading to their breakup. As Jeff moves out, Lucy finds herself drowning in confusion and sadness.

For comfort, Lucy turns to her violinist friends—Nessa (Jackie Cruz), Priscilla (Mindy Cohn), and Paul (Adhir Kalyan)—but during a wedding performance, her emotional pain bubbles over. Overwhelmed, she confesses to her friends that Jeff left her due to her failure to fulfill his desires. Struggling to understand men who indulge in pornography or frequent strip clubs, just like Paul does, Lucy is encouraged by her friends to take proactive measures. In response, she devises an intriguing sex list to tackle her intimacy issues. This list includes challenging tasks like watching 25 porn films, visiting a sex store, reading erotica, exploring a strip club, and even consulting a sex expert.

At a wedding, after drinking too much, Lucy vents her frustration aloud about saying the word "cock" in a public setting, which catches the attention of Grant (Leonidas Gulaptis). He approaches her to offer comfort, leading to a friendly exchange that helps her regain her composure. Embarking on her list, Lucy starts with movie marathons and erotic novels at home. The following day, her friends visit, but instead of wallowing in misery, Lucy invites them to a sex shop, where her paths cross again with Grant.

Their chemistry grows as they engage in playful banter at the store, and Lucy feels a budding attraction to him. Later that evening, she accompanies Paul to a strip club where she is captivated by the performances on stage, but things take an awkward turn when she attempts to tip a dancer with her meager funds, resulting in both of them being escorted out.

Soon after, Lucy's group performs at another event, where an unexpected wardrobe malfunction involving her vagina beads complicates matters more. During this event, Grant approaches her and asks for a dance, culminating in an embarrassing yet exhilarating public display of emotion. Following this intimate moment, Grant invites her for dinner, a proposition Lucy eagerly accepts.

However, when Lucy encounters Jeff again, he harshly grades her sexual performance in bed with a "D," further complicating her self-esteem issues. In a quest for self-improvement, she attends a sex seminar, while also preparing for an upcoming audition with the philharmonic orchestra.

Lucy’s dinner date with Grant unfolds into another adventure when they attend a live taping of Dr. Becker's talk show—thanks to tickets from Priscilla. Here, the renowned sex expert, Madam Swarovska, addresses Lucy’s lack of experience in a candid manner, urging Grant to take the lead in opening her up to new sexual experiences.

After another rendezvous, things get uncomfortable when Grant discovers the amount of sexual paraphernalia scattered throughout Lucy's bedroom, leading to his hasty exit. Lucy, feeling embarrassed, decides to rid herself of all those items as she continues to focus on her violin practice for her audition.

As the days progress, Lucy learns of Jeff's impending marriage, prompting her to agree to perform at his wedding—a decision motivated by her desire to confront her past. Meanwhile, she joins Paul on a spontaneous trip to Vegas, aiming to fulfill her brothel visit goal. However, Paul backs out, leaving Lucy undeterred despite the brothel's refusal to accommodate women.

During another night out at a bar, Lucy finds herself unexpectedly signed up for a talent show, and to her surprise, she plays the violin passionately, impressing the audience. As she reconnects with Grant, they realize the misunderstanding that strained their earlier connection and decide to reignite their romance. Finally, Lucy receives disappointing news regarding her audition, yet she finds solace in the joy of her relationship with Grant.

At Jeff's wedding, in a bold move, Lucy hires Honey, a well-known porn star, to surprise Jeff, knowing his interest in her. When Jeff spots Honey, he panics, fearing his new wife will notice her, prompting his hasty retreat. In the end, Lucy embraces her newfound relationship with Grant, daring to explore the last item on her list together.

Last updated: October 27, 2024 at 16:31

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Plot questions answered

A Nice Girl Like You Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about A Nice Girl Like You (2020): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why does Lucy create a sex list after her breakup?

After discovering her boyfriend Jeff watching porn and being compared to porn stars during their argument, Lucy feels inadequate about her intimacy skills. Her friends encourage her to take proactive steps to overcome her inhibitions, prompting her to create a list of experiences, including watching porn, visiting a sex store, and exploring a strip club, to gain confidence and understand her own sexuality.

  • sex list
  • intimacy issues
  • breakup
  • self-discovery
  • Lucy Neal
Q2

Why does Lucy agree to perform at Jeff's wedding?

Lucy decides to perform at Jeff's wedding as a way to confront her past and demonstrate how much she's grown since their breakup. It's a symbolic moment for her to face the person who made her feel inadequate and prove to herself that she's moved forward.

  • Jeff's wedding
  • performance
  • closure
  • confrontation
Q3

Why does Lucy hire Honey the porn star at Jeff's wedding?

Lucy hires Honey, a well-known porn star, as a bold payback tactic. Knowing Jeff's fascination with porn stars from discovering his laptop, she orchestrates Honey's appearance to cause chaos on Jeff's wedding day, creating a dramatic moment that satisfies her sense of justice and closure.

  • Honey porn star
  • Jeff
  • revenge
  • wedding prank
Q4

Why does Grant leave after seeing the items in Lucy's bedroom?

After spending the night together, Grant discovers the numerous sex toys and paraphernalia Lucy accumulated from her sex list scattered throughout her bedroom. Feeling overwhelmed and possibly judged by what he sees as excessive, he leaves abruptly, leaving Lucy embarrassed and determined to discard all the items.

  • Grant
  • bedroom
  • sex toys
  • embarrassment
  • relationship
Q5

Why does Lucy receive disappointing news about her audition?

Despite her dedication to practicing for her Philharmonic orchestra audition while working through her personal issues, Lucy receives disappointing news about the result. This setback, however, doesn't derail her overall growth journey as she finds solace in her developing relationship with Grant.

  • audition
  • Philharmonic
  • disappointment
  • violin
Q6

How does Lucy meet Grant at the wedding?

Lucy meets Grant at a wedding where she's had too much to drink and loudly complains about saying the word "cock" in public. Grant approaches her to offer comfort during her embarrassing moment, and they strike up a conversation that leads to their first connection.

  • Grant
  • meeting
  • wedding
  • comfort
  • connection
Q7

What causes Lucy's wardrobe malfunction during the performance?

During a performance with her violin group, Lucy experiences an unexpected wardrobe malfunction when her "vagina beads", an item from her sex list, becomes visible or causes an issue with her clothing. This embarrassing moment draws attention just as Grant approaches her to ask for a dance.

  • wardrobe malfunction
  • vagina beads
  • performance
  • embarrassment
Q8

Why does Jeff give Lucy a "D" grade for their intimate moments?

When Lucy runs into Jeff after their breakup, he callously rates her sexual performance as a "D," further damaging her self-esteem. This harsh judgment motivates Lucy to continue her journey of self-improvement and contributes to her decision to attend a sex seminar.

  • Jeff
  • D grade
  • sexual performance
  • self-esteem
Q9

What happens with the last item on Lucy's sex list?

At the end of the movie, Lucy and Grant together explore the final item on her sex list, symbolizing her complete journey from insecurity to self-acceptance. This intimate moment represents her growth and her new, confident approach to relationships and sexuality.

  • sex list
  • final item
  • Grant
  • acceptance
  • intimacy
Q10

Why does Lucy struggle with intimacy in her relationship?

Lucy struggles with intimacy due to her inability to express herself physically and emotionally, which leads to Jeff's disappointment. After discovering his porn use and his hurtful comparison between her and porn stars, she develops severe insecurities about her sexual capabilities, prompting her entire self-improvement journey.

  • intimacy issues
  • insecurity
  • relationship problems
  • self-worth

Movie threads

More Movies Like A Nice Girl Like You, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes A Nice Girl Like You tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Awkward Self-Discovery Comedies like A Nice Girl Like You

Characters embrace cringe-worthy moments on a playful quest to find their true selves. If you enjoyed the cringe-worthy humor and heartfelt journey in A Nice Girl Like You, you'll love these movies about characters finding themselves through awkward experiences. This collection features similar feel-good comedies centered on self-improvement quests, playful tones, and ultimately uplifting endings.

  • awkward
  • uplifting
  • playful
  • candid
  • self-discovery
  • cringe-comedy
  • Tone: light, playful, uplifting
  • Pacing: steady, episodic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a linear, character-driven quest where the protagonist tackles a specific self-improvement goal, often embodied in a checklist or series of challenges. The plot is propelled by social encounters and situations designed to push the character's boundaries, using humor derived from awkwardness and public humiliation to explore themes of insecurity and growth.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a core focus on using lighthearted comedy to frame the journey of self-discovery. They possess a steady pacing, a playful tone that keeps emotional weight light, and a consistent pattern of finding humor and ultimately empowerment in situations of social awkwardness and personal vulnerability.

Movies about Breakup Reinvention like A Nice Girl Like You

After a relationship ends, a character rebuilds their life and identity through a new challenge. Fans of A Nice Girl Like You will enjoy these stories of post-breakup renewal. Discover similar films where characters overcome heartache by embarking on a journey of self-improvement, often with a playful or comedic tone, strong female friendships, and a feel-good conclusion.

  • breakup recovery
  • self-improvement
  • female friendship
  • new beginnings
  • hopeful
  • romantic
  • Tone: hopeful, light, romantic
  • Pacing: steady, forward-moving
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The story begins with the emotional fallout of a breakup, which spurs the protagonist into action. They adopt a goal-oriented approach to healing, which structures the plot. This quest introduces them to new people and situations that challenge their old self-perceptions, facilitating growth and often leading to a new, more fulfilling romantic possibility as a result of their personal transformation.

Why they belong together: These films are connected by the central theme of using a breakup as a springboard for positive change. They typically feature a straightforward narrative arc focused on recovery, a blend of romance and comedy, and a tone that balances the pain of loss with the hopefulness of building a new, better life.

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Every angle

A Nice Girl Like You (2020) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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