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Plot Summary

Hit by Lightning (2014) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2014 · 89 min · English
JustWatch #10,874 11
Directed by
Ricky Blitt

Ricky Miller's search for love through online dating leads him to Danita, a mysterious and alluring woman. As their relationship deepens, Danita asks Ricky to commit a shocking crime: kill her husband, a crime novelist with a troubled history. Torn between his feelings for Danita and his conscience, Ricky must confront the moral implications of her request and the secrets that lie beneath their passionate connection.

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 Hit by Lightning
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Hit by Lightning (2014)

Where can you watch Hit by Lightning? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Fawesome, Hoopla and Tubi TV: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Hit by Lightning: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Hit by Lightning (2014) 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.

Ricky, a restaurant manager in his forties, finds himself entrenched in a monotonous existence, punctuated only by the relentless nudging of his best friend, Seth. Both men, sharing a passion for cats and cheering on their favorite hockey team from Ricky’s couch, face similar challenges in their love lives, making their bond even stronger.

Seth persists in convincing Ricky to step outside of his comfort zone, leading them to masquerade as aspiring filmmakers in search of actresses. Their adventure brings them to the wedding of a single classmate, where Ricky fervently pleads with the universe to intervene and deliver his perfect partner before fate intervenes cruelly.

The very next day, while perusing a pop-up ad for E-Happily, Ricky takes the plunge and registers on the online dating platform. The subsequent morning brings an unexpected surprise: the restaurant's young busboy shares a heartwarming tale of how he found love through the same website. Encouraged by this, Ricky excitedly mentions a potential match named Danita, though he sheepishly admits to having no idea what she looks like.

Curiosity piqued, Seth accompanies Ricky to meet Danita at the restaurant. Their initial encounter flourishes with shared humor, a mutual love for cats, and their enthusiasm for hockey. Their chemistry is electric, and after a delightful evening together, Danita confesses that Ricky's authenticity and vulnerability drew her in.

Ricky can hardly contain his excitement when he shares stories of Danita's enchanting presence with Seth. However, self-doubt emerges as Seth emphasizes the gulf between them, calling her a perfect ten while labeling Ricky a mere four. This disparity leads Ricky to fret about Danita possibly hiding a significant flaw. Their lunch meeting spirals into chaos when Danita, overwhelmed, rushes out, shaken by Ricky's insistence on her perfection.

In the following ten days, Ricky is engulfed in gloom, while Seth endeavors to coax him back into the dating scene. Just when hope seems lost, Danita reaches out to him, unveiling a harsh reality: she is trapped in a nine-year marriage with an abusive and obsessive husband.

Their paths cross again at an outdoor film screening in a cemetery, where Danita, emotionally drained, admits to Ricky that she was attracted to his honesty. She reveals her desperate need to escape her toxic marriage, which leads to a reckless but bold decision: they must eliminate her husband to pursue their love freely.

Convinced of the necessity of this plan, Ricky discusses the scenario with Seth, who suggests rewatching Body Heat for insights. As their investigation into Danita's husband, Ben, ramps up, Seth uncovers patterns in Ben and Danita's dining habits, revealing that they are regular patrons of a local restaurant chain. At a book signing event for Ben, Ricky is caught off guard when Ben invites him and Seth to join their table, offering to read Ricky's unpublished novel.

Amidst this growing intrigue, Seth finds his own unexpected success in the world of online dating through E-Happily, culminating in his engagement. In an unintended twist of fate, Danita shows up at Ricky's place, admitting that she initially sought to manipulate him for her own agenda but has since developed genuine feelings for him. Touched by her confession, Ricky demands that she pledge on the life of one of her cats that her love is real.

As they hatch a plan to have Ricky infiltrate their home under the guise of Ben reviewing his manuscript, Danita reveals a chilling truth: the plot is based on Ben’s true story of murdering his first wife. Following a tense dinner, Ben takes them on a fateful ride to the cemetery where they first bonded over Body Heat.

In a harrowing confrontation, Ricky, pushed to the edge by Ben's verbal abuse, ultimately resorts to violence, shooting him dead. Seth arrives quickly to help dispose of the body, leading to a series of clandestine meetings held within the shadows of a Catholic church over the next two weeks until Danita suddenly disappears.

Nine months later, a twist of fate occurs as Ricky's cousin in law enforcement reveals a serial killer has confessed to Ben’s murder. Just when he thinks closure is within reach, Danita reemerges at the cemetery during a Body Heat screening, explaining that her absence was due to the relentless pursuit from law enforcement. As they reconnect, the couple finds solace in their harrowing past and embarks on a new chapter of their lives while participating in a testimony for E-Happily, celebrating their strange yet beautiful love story.

Last updated: November 19, 2024 at 18:28

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Plot questions answered

Hit by Lightning Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Hit by Lightning (2014): 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 Danita ask Ricky to kill her husband?

Danita reveals she has been trapped in a nine-year abusive and obsessive marriage to Ben. Desperate to escape and start a new life with Ricky, she proposes killing her husband as the only way to free herself. Her desperation is rooted in the toxic nature of her marriage and her urgent need for escape.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Danita tells Ricky about her abusive marriage after he expresses doubt about their relationship.

  • danita
  • ben
  • abusive husband
  • murder plot
  • escape marriage
Q2

How does Ricky end up killing Ben?

During a tense dinner at Ben's house, Ben verbally abuses both Danita and Ricky, pushing Ricky to his breaking point. In a moment of desperation and rage, Ricky shoots Ben dead. This violent act marks a turning point from Ricky's previously mundane life into the world of crime.

Foreshadowing: The plan was for Ricky to infiltrate the home under the guise of Ben reviewing his manuscript, which escalates into the confrontation.

  • ricky
  • ben
  • shooting
  • murder
  • confrontation
Q3

Why does Seth help Ricky dispose of Ben's body?

Seth remains loyal to Ricky throughout the entire ordeal, even after learning about the murder. Though he initially suggests rewatching Body Heat for insights, he stands by his best friend during the aftermath, helping dispose of the body and meeting at secret locations including a Catholic church over two weeks.

Foreshadowing: Seth has been Ricky's supportive best friend since the beginning, encouraging him to pursue dating and standing by him through every challenge.

  • seth
  • ricky
  • body disposal
  • catholic church
  • best friend
Q4

What happens to Danita after Ben's murder?

After helping Ricky kill Ben, Danita suddenly disappears without a trace. She reappears nine months later at the cemetery during another Body Heat screening, explaining that her absence was due to being pursued by law enforcement. She had to hide from the police investigation into Ben's death.

Foreshadowing: Danita's sudden disappearance shocks Ricky, leaving him to navigate the aftermath alone while fearing discovery.

  • danita
  • disappearance
  • police
  • chase
  • nine months
Q5

Why does a serial killer confess to killing Ben?

Nine months after Ben's murder, Ricky learns that a serial killer has confessed to killing Ben. This twist clears Ricky and Danita of the crime, though it creates an unexpected resolution to their legal danger. The serial killer's confession provides them with an unlikely form of closure.

Foreshadowing: This revelation comes just as Ricky begins to believe he might face arrest for the crime.

  • serial killer
  • confession
  • ben murder
  • cleared
  • twist
Q6

What is the significance of the cemetery meetings?

The cemetery is where Ricky and Danita first connected during an outdoor film screening of Body Heat, a film about a murder plot. They return to the cemetery multiple times throughout the film - first for their initial romantic encounter, then after Ben's murder, and finally for their reunion. The location becomes symbolic of their dark romance.

Foreshadowing: The first cemetery screening establishes the setting and the film Body Heat which influences their later actions.

  • cemetery
  • body heat
  • screening
  • first date
  • reunion
Q7

What is Ben's true crime history?

Danita reveals to Ricky that Ben's crime novel is based on his true story of murdering his first wife. This disturbing revelation explains Ben's violent nature and adds depth to the danger Danita has been living with. It also provides context for why Ben is comfortable with the dark themes in his writing.

Foreshadowing: During their investigation, Seth uncovers patterns in Ben and Danita's habits, but the true extent of Ben's criminal past comes directly from Danita.

  • ben
  • first wife
  • murder
  • true crime
  • novel
Q8

Why does Ricky demand Danita swear on her cat's life?

After Danita admits she initially planned to manipulate Ricky into killing her husband but developed genuine feelings for him, Ricky is emotionally conflicted. He demands she pledge on the life of one of her cats that her love is real - a test of her sincerity given the seriousness of what they've done together.

Foreshadowing: Both characters share a love for cats from their first meeting, making this a meaningful test within their relationship.

  • ricky
  • danita
  • cat pledge
  • love confession
  • manipulation
Q9

What happens to Seth on E-Happily?

While Ricky pursues his complicated relationship with Danita, Seth finds his own unexpected success in online dating through E-Happily. He eventually becomes engaged, representing the contrast between Ricky's turbulent romance and Seth's more conventional dating journey.

Foreshadowing: Seth's positive experience with E-Happily contrasts with Ricky's more dangerous involvement.

  • seth
  • ehappily
  • engagement
  • online dating
  • success
Q10

How does Ricky's life change after meeting Danita?

Ricky transforms from a lonely restaurant manager stuck in a monotonous routine to someone capable of murder. His journey takes him from desperate pleas at a wedding for love, through an online dating site, into a criminal conspiracy, and finally to a bittersweet reunion with Danita after everything they've survived together.

Foreshadowing: Ricky's initial plea at the wedding for the universe to deliver his perfect partner sets the stage for his radical life change.

  • ricky
  • transformation
  • life change
  • journey
  • romance crime

Movie threads

More Movies Like Hit by Lightning, by Mood & Story

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

Movies about dangerous love triangles and murder plots like Hit by Lightning

Where the desperate pursuit of love leads to a deadly criminal conspiracy. If you liked the manipulative romance and criminal tension in Hit by Lightning, explore these films where toxic relationships lead to murder-for-hire schemes and desperate acts. These movies merge romance with crime, featuring characters trapped in a web of passion, lies, and moral compromise.

  • obsessive
  • manipulative
  • suspenseful
  • desperate
  • anxious
  • grim
  • Tone: dark, suspenseful, manipulative
  • Pacing: steady, methodical escalation
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a character's entry into a seemingly perfect relationship that quickly reveals a darker agenda. The lover's true motive—often escape from a terrible situation—involves convincing the protagonist to commit murder. The plot builds steadily as the plan is hatched, leading to a tense execution and fraught aftermath.

Why they belong together: They are grouped by their core premise: a romance that is inextricably linked to a criminal plot, usually murder. The shared experience is one of suspense, moral unease, and the dark exploration of how far people will go for love, blending heavy emotional weight with crime thriller mechanics.

Darkly humorous crime thrillers with moral dilemmas like Hit by Lightning

Thrillers where grim situations are punctuated by awkward, ironic humor. Fans of Hit by Lightning's blend of suspense and dark comedy will appreciate these films. They balance heavy themes like murder and manipulation with moments of awkward, situational humor, creating a uniquely bittersweet and gripping tone that is both entertaining and emotionally weighty.

  • darkly humorous
  • anxious
  • suspenseful
  • grim
  • cathartic
  • ironic
  • Tone: dark, grim, darkly humorous
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The journey typically follows an ordinary, perhaps somewhat hapless, individual who gets in over their head in a criminal situation. The narrative juxtaposes high-stakes, intense scenes with moments of comic relief derived from the character's awkwardness, the absurdity of the plot, or ironic dialogue, leading to a tonally complex experience.

Why they belong together: These films share a specific tonal blend: they are fundamentally dark stories but use humor as a release valve or a tool for characterization. This creates a cohesive vibe where the viewer is simultaneously tense and amused, reflecting the messy, ironic reality of life even in dire circumstances.

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Every angle

Hit by Lightning (2014) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Hit by Lightning 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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