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Hickey (2017) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Hickey (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 85 min · English
Directed by
Alex Grossman

Troy Doherty plays a lovable underdog who finds himself in a frantic race against time. He must pull off an extraordinary feat within 24 hours to save the struggling store where he works and, hopefully, win the girl he's been pining for. It's a comedic story about perseverance and taking a chance on what you want most.

Comedy Cast, crew & box office
On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (6)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Hickey (2017)

Where can you watch Hickey? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Hoopla, Amazon MX Player and Amazon Prime Video Free: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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6 main characters · contains spoilers

Hickey Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Hickey (2017), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Ryan Chess (Troy Doherty)

    Although he is as sharp with numbers as he is awkward with conversations with girls, Ryan is intensely loyal to his friends and coworkers. He approaches life with a strategic, brain-first mindset and believes he can outmaneuver problems with clever plans. Faced with Carly's potential departure and the store's closure, he dares to take big risks to prove his worth and win her heart.

    • 🎯 Goal-oriented
    • 💡 Clever
    • ❤️ Hopeless romantic

  • Carly Alvarez (Flavia Watson)

    Vivacious and social, Carly is Ryan’s crush and a key employee whose connection to Brady adds tension to the plot. She’s drawn to Ryan’s intelligence and genuine care, even as she weighs a move to MIT. Her experiences with past relationships color her decisions, but she remains open to a real partnership.

    • ✨ Charismatic
    • 💃 Free-spirited
    • 🧭 Open-minded

  • Jeremy (Zedrick Restauro)

    Ryan’s best friend and loyal ally, Jeremy provides comic relief and practical support. He believes in Ryan’s plan and helps brainstorm and execute the scheme to save the store. His friendship offers steady, candid advice and unwavering backing when risks run high.

    • 🤝 Loyal friend
    • 🧠 Quick thinker
    • 😂 Comic relief

  • Ellen (Raychel Diane Weiner)

    A dependable co-worker who helps hold the team together with pragmatism and warmth. Ellen keeps morale up and offers sensible suggestions to navigate the store’s crisis. Her empathy strengthens the group’s resolve to protect their workplace.

    • 💬 Pragmatic
    • 💪 Supportive
    • 🫶 Caring

  • Gary (Ross Mackenzie)

    The staff’s lighthearted member who adds humor and practical support to the plan. Gary’s humor helps diffuse tension while he stays loyal to the team. He contributes to the effort with steady, if sometimes goofy, determination.

    • 😂 Comic relief
    • 🤝 Loyal
    • 🧭 Practical

  • Brady (Alex Ashbaugh)

    The handsome regional manager whose outward charm hides ulterior motives. Brady arrives with the sense that he is there to help but intends to roll up the store for his own advantage. The plan to outmaneuver him becomes a central test of the protagonists’ cunning and integrity.

    • 🕵️ Villain
    • 💼 Ambitious
    • 🧐 Deceptive

Last updated: February 17, 2026 at 17:01

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Setting

Where and When Does Hickey Take Place?

The setting of Hickey (2017): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Summer

The story unfolds over the last days of summer, with the deadline to save the store looming as the season ends. The heat and long days heighten tension as friendships, ambitions, and romance collide. The time frame anchors the characters’ urgency to act before it’s too late.

Location

The local store where Ryan works

The local store serves as the film’s central stage, a everyday workplace that also functions as a social hub for staff and customers. Its looming closure puts everyone on edge and turns ordinary shifts into a race against the clock. The setting emphasizes close-knit community ties and the high stakes of keeping a small business alive.

  • 🏬 Local store
  • 🏘️ Small-town setting
  • 🤝 Community hub

Last updated: February 17, 2026 at 17:01

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3 major themes

Hickey Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Hickey (2017) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Romance

    A romance unfolds under extraordinary circumstances as Ryan crafts a plan to win Carly’s heart. The pair navigate flirtation, trust, and vulnerability while the store’s fate hangs in the balance. Love becomes a motivating force that grows as Ryan’s brains and sincerity surface.

  • Urgency

    The imminent end-of-day closure creates relentless pressure to improvise a winning deal. The staff band together, risking embarrassment and heartbreak, to save their workplace. Every decision is framed by the ticking clock and the need to act quickly.

  • Revelation

    A hidden motive behind Brady’s arrival is exposed, turning a simple store sale into a battle of wits. Ryan’s strategic thinking leads to uncovering the villain and shifting the balance of power. The confrontation tests loyalty and reveals who deserves trust.

Last updated: February 17, 2026 at 17:01

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Character & theme questions

Hickey Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Hickey (2017): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is Hickey set?

The movie takes place in a small-town setting centered around a local store that serves as both a workplace and a community hub. The store's impending closure creates tension among the staff and customers who rely on it.

  • setting
  • small town
  • local store
  • community
Q2

When does Hickey take place?

The story unfolds during the last days of summer, with the pressure of the store's deadline coinciding with the end of the season. The summer heat and long days amplify the urgency as characters race against time.

  • summer
  • time period
  • deadline
  • timing
Q3

What is the main conflict in Hickey?

The central conflict revolves around saving the struggling local store from closure within 24 hours. Ryan must pull off an extraordinary feat to keep the business open while also trying to win over his coworker Carly.

  • store closure
  • conflict
  • 24 hours
  • deadline
Q4

What are the main themes in Hickey?

The film explores three key themes: romance, as Ryan pursues Carly under pressure; urgency, as the 24-hour deadline forces quick decisions; and revelation, as hidden motives behind the store's sale are uncovered.

  • themes
  • romance
  • urgency
  • revelation
Q5

Who is Ryan in Hickey?

Ryan Chess is the film's protagonist, an intelligent but socially awkward young man who works at the store. He uses his strategic, brain-first approach to life, believing he can solve problems with clever plans rather than brute force.

  • ryan
  • protagonist
  • main character
  • chess
Q6

Who is Carly in Hickey?

Carly Alvarez is Ryan's love interest and a key employee at the store. She is vivacious and social, drawn to Ryan's intelligence and genuine care, though she faces a decision about potentially moving to MIT.

  • carly
  • love interest
  • alvarez
  • romance
Q7

Who is Brady in Hickey?

Brady is the handsome regional manager who arrives with an appearance of helpfulness but harbors ulterior motives. He intends to roll up the store for his own advantage, making him the film's antagonist.

  • brady
  • antagonist
  • villain
  • regional manager
Q8

Why is the store important in Hickey?

The local store functions as more than a workplace, it is a social hub that binds the small community together. Its closure threatens not just jobs but the relationships and connections formed within its walls.

  • store
  • community
  • small business
  • hub
Q9

Is Hickey a romantic comedy?

Yes, Hickey is a romantic comedy centered on an underdog protagonist who must save his workplace and win his crush's heart. The film balances romantic tension with comedic moments from the supporting cast.

  • romantic comedy
  • comedy
  • genre
  • underdog
Q10

What is the underdog theme in Hickey?

Ryan embodies the classic underdog, he is awkward socially but clever intellectually, taking big risks to prove his worth. He must outmaneuver more powerful forces (the store's corporate closure) to achieve his goals.

  • underdog
  • theme
  • proving worth
  • risk taking

Movie threads

More Movies Like Hickey, by Mood & Story

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

Frantic Race Against Time Comedies like Hickey

Characters face a frantic, time-sensitive mission to achieve their most important goal. If you enjoyed the high-energy 24-hour scramble in Hickey, you'll love these other movies. This list features comedies and lighthearted stories where characters are in a frantic race against the clock to save the day, win the girl, or achieve a personal goal.

  • frantic
  • urgent
  • time pressure
  • high-energy
  • suspenseful
  • comedic
  • Tone: frantic, hopeful, comedic
  • Pacing: fast, urgent
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread unfold under the pressure of a strict deadline. The narrative is driven by a series of escalating obstacles and frantic attempts to overcome them, keeping the pace fast and the stakes feeling immediate and personal.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a core structure defined by a time-sensitive mission. They create a specific blend of comedy and tension, driven by fast pacing and a clear, urgent goal that keeps the audience engaged from start to finish.

Hickey movie poster

Hickey

2017
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2021
Rally Road Racers movie poster

Rally Road Racers

2023
Work It movie poster

Work It

2020
Grand Prix of Europe movie poster

Grand Prix of Europe

2025
Heaven Can Wait movie poster

Heaven Can Wait

1978
Starstruck movie poster

Starstruck

1982
Man Up movie poster

Man Up

2015

Charming Underdog Stories like Hickey

Endearing characters overcome self-doubt and obstacles to achieve an improbable win. Love rooting for the underdog? If you liked the charming and determined hero in Hickey, explore these movies about lovable characters proving their worth. Find similar coming-of-age tales and comedic stories of personal growth and unlikely success.

  • underdog
  • hopeful
  • uplifting
  • youthful
  • coming of age
  • personal growth
  • Tone: hopeful, uplifting, comedic
  • Pacing: fast, steady
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a character who starts from a position of perceived inadequacy. Through a series of comedic and heartfelt events, they must overcome external challenges and internal insecurities to achieve a goal that validates their worth, often leading to both professional and romantic success.

Why they belong together: These movies are connected by their focus on the underdog arc. They share a hopeful tone and light emotional weight, blending comedy with themes of personal growth, friendship, and the triumph of perseverance, creating a consistently uplifting and satisfying experience.

Bring It On: All or Nothing movie poster

Bring It On: All or Nothing

2006
Little Giants movie poster

Little Giants

1994
16-love movie poster

16-love

2012
Fired Up! movie poster

Fired Up!

2017
The Gutter movie poster

The Gutter

2024
Cadet Kelly movie poster

Cadet Kelly

2002
Necessary Roughness movie poster

Necessary Roughness

1991
What a Life movie poster

What a Life

1939

Every angle

Hickey (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Hickey in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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