I Know What You Did Last Summer

On July 4, 1996, in the small town of Southport, North Carolina, a group of friends found themselves caught in a horrifying and life-changing event. Julie James (jennifer-love-hewitt) and her friends—Ray Bronson (freddie-prinze-jr), Helen Shivers, and Barry Cox—were driving home from a beach trip when they accidentally struck a pedestrian with their car. Fearing the consequences, they made a split-second decision to hide the incident, with Barry and Helen attempting to dispose of the body in the water. Things took a darker turn when the pedestrian unexpectedly woke up and clung to Helen as they tried to flee. Barry, panicked, pushed him into the water, and the group agreed to keep their secret, swearing never to speak of the event again.

A year passes, and Julie (jennifer-love-hewitt) returns home from college, only to find that her friends have all gone their separate ways, hindered by the trauma of that night. Soon after, she receives a chilling note reading, “I know what you did last summer”, which incites a wave of fear and suspicion among the friends. Julie, along with Helen (madelyn-cline) and Barry (todd-giebenhain), tries to uncover who is behind this threat.

Their investigation leads them to Ray (freddie-prinze-jr), who claims he also received a mysterious letter. The group quickly realizes that their dangerous secret may be catching up with them, especially when Max, one of their friends, is brutally murdered by a figure dressed in a raincoat wielding a hook. This killer terrorizes the town, ambushing Barry later that night by stealing and driving off in his car.

As tension escalates, Julie delves into local newspaper archives and links their accident to a man named David Egan. She and Helen visit David’s sister, Missy, who reveals that David supposedly committed suicide out of guilt for a tragic accident involving his girlfriend, Susie Willis. However, beneath the surface lies a darker truth—Ben Willis, Susie’s father, was involved, and Julie (jennifer-love-hewitt) discovers that the man they ran over was actually Ben seeking revenge. The story thickens as Helen witnesses Barry being murdered at a pageant, and she herself is stalked and slain by the same relentless killer.

The terror continues as Helen’s sister, Elsa, is killed at their family store. Julie eventually uncovers the horrifying reality: Ben Willis remains alive and is hunting them in retribution for past actions. Ben is revealed to be the fisherman who had earlier saved and later targeted them, driven by the desire for revenge. The climax unfolds on Ben’s boat where Julie finds the bodies of Helen and Barry stashed away. Ray, who confesses to having posed as David’s friend out of guilt, fights to save Julie. In a tense confrontation, Ray severs Ben’s hand using the rigging, pushing him overboard and ending his rampage.

In a bittersweet resolution, Julie (jennifer-love-hewitt) and Ray (freddie-prinze-jr) reconcile, relieved to have survived and to be free from the shadows of past guilt. Yet, the story hints that peace may be temporary. A year later, in Boston, Julie begins a new chapter—only to be haunted once more when she notices the words “I still know” written in steam on her shower door, just before a shadowy figure crashes through. The chilling reminder that some secrets never stay buried leaves viewers questioning if the nightmare truly ends.

Last Updated: July 16, 2025 at 07:58