Heavy

In rural Upstate New York, Victor Modino tends the grill at Pete and Dolly's, a small roadhouse run by his ailing mother and the memory of his late father. Dolly's health struggles cast a shadow over the place, and a new waitress named Callie joins the staff. Callie’s quiet presence and earnest curiosity quickly catch Victor's attention, unsettling the established dynamic with Delores. The kitchen's familiar rhythm begins to shift as Callie settles in.

Dolly collapses from a heart attack and is rushed to the hospital. Victor tells Delores and Callie that Dolly is undergoing minor surgery, trying to spare them anxiety. The family crisis deepens the already-tense atmosphere in the kitchen. The hospital visit becomes the center of daily concerns at the roadhouse.

Several days later, Dolly dies while Victor is eating lunch in the hospital cafeteria. He chooses not to reveal her death to Delores, Callie, or others, and keeps running the restaurant as if nothing changed. Grief drives him to binge-eating, a coping ritual that hollows out the kitchen and his self-control. The loss lingers as a silent wound inside him.

Delores grows suspicious about Dolly's extended absence and starts treating Callie coldly. She attacks Callie’s inexperience and tries to milk jealousy in the kitchen. She also begins making advances toward Victor, exploiting the power imbalance for her own gratification. The roadhouse's atmosphere thickens with tension and unspoken resentments.

Callie is drawn to Victor's cooking prowess and suggests he enroll in culinary school. She encourages him to attend the Culinary Institute of America, imagining a future beyond the roadhouse. Victor weighs the idea, but Dolly and Delores dismiss it as impractical. The spark between Callie and Victor grows, while doubts linger in his mind.

One night, Callie argues with her boyfriend Jeff and lashes out at Delores in front of customers. The confrontation spills into the dining room, heightening the restaurant's volatile mood. Later, Delores's alcoholic friend Leo assaults Victor for not taking Delores's side. The incident leaves Victor shaken and more insulated in his grief.

Callie ends up stranded at the restaurant, and Victor drives her home. They pull over at an airfield to watch airplanes descend, a moment that stirs unexpected emotion between them. They share a tentative kiss, but Callie pulls away, unsure of what she wants. The moment marks a fragile turning point in both their lives.

Callie asks Victor to take her to visit Dolly in the hospital, and Victor cannot bring himself to confess that Dolly has died. He agrees to take her to the hospital, clinging to a fragile lie. The next morning, Callie comes by to go with him to the hospital, only to find Victor leading her to the cemetery.

Leo and Delores learn from a hospital employee that Dolly had died weeks ago. They berate Victor for keeping the truth from them, and the two depart in anger while Victor stays alone in the roadhouse. The revelation shatters any remaining pretenses and accelerates his descent into rage.

Overwhelmed by grief and guilt, Victor trash-talks behind the counter and hurls objects in a rare outburst. The violence of his emotions mirrors the collapse of his orderly routine. He begins to confront the emptiness that has settled over the kitchen and his life.

Callie arrives for a final chat with Victor, accompanied by Jeff, to announce she's quitting and to collect her last paycheck. They share a quiet goodbye; she reveals plans to return to college but promises to visit him someday. The moment hints at endings and possible new beginnings.

In the film’s closing scenes, Victor begins to emerge from Dolly’s death. He stops binge eating, starts cleaning the neglected kitchen, and even summons the nerve to speak with Darlene, a grocery cashier who shows interest in him. The early spark of a new life flickers into view.