Ned Rifle

Ned Rifle

Year: 2015

Runtime: 85 min

Language: English

Director: Hal Hartley

Drama

The film follows Ned Rifle, the son of Henry Fool and Fay Grim, as he seeks revenge for his parents' complicated past. His quest is interrupted when he encounters a mysterious woman who challenges his plans and alters his perspective on family and forgiveness. The encounter forces him to confront his own emotional turmoil and reconsider his path.

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Ned Rifle (2015) – Full Plot Summary & Ending Explained

Read the complete plot breakdown of Ned Rifle (2015), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.

As 18-year-old Ned embarks on a journey to escape his overbearing Christian upbringing, he becomes utterly fixated on seeking revenge against his estranged father, Henry. During a tumultuous meeting with his mother, Fay, who is serving a life sentence for her own controversial actions, Ned is directed to reach out to his uncle Simon, a writer based in New York. Little does Ned know, a broke postgraduate named Susan is also looking to contact Simon; she hopes to glean insights from him for her writing aspirations and possibly even work on a literary project of her own. However, Susan harbors her own darker ambitions, which involve confronting Henry about a painful chapter from their shared past.

By an unusual stroke of fate, both Ned and Susan find themselves in Seattle, each drawn by their personal quests to locate Henry. At first, Ned is hesitant to join forces with Susan, preferring to pursue his vendetta in solitude. Yet, he ultimately relents and agrees to a temporary alliance. The duo’s investigation leads them to a specialized clinic where Henry resides, now a shadow of his former self, having lost much of his mental acuity while attempting to lead a peaceful life surrounded by literature—a stark contrast to the chaotic life he once led.

With Susan’s strategic nudging, Ned stands on the brink of confronting his father. However, a shocking revelation from Susan is set to upend everything they’ve planned together. In a dramatic twist, she discloses that she was the 13-year-old victim of Henry’s heinous actions, a trauma that resulted in his seven-year prison sentence. Now, with her desire for closure at the forefront, Susan chooses to take fate into her own hands, culminating in the cold-blooded act of ending Henry’s life in a motel room.

Meanwhile, Ned, in a frantic pursuit, tracks the pair, his emotions erupting in a fit of rage and confusion upon discovering their dark escapade. The tension escalates tragically in a confrontation between him and Susan, culminating in her untimely death at Ned’s hands. As dawn breaks over the motel parking lot, the scene is set for a dramatic and heartbreaking confrontation with law enforcement, as armed police are ready to apprehend Ned and hold him accountable for the havoc wrought in the wake of his long-sought vengeance.

Last Updated: November 19, 2024 at 20:23

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Movies about confronting a dark family legacy like Ned Rifle

Characters confronting the sins of their parents in a cycle of violence.If you were captivated by Ned Rifle's journey of revenge and moral conflict stemming from his parents' past, this thread gathers similar movies. These stories focus on characters grappling with a violent or traumatic family inheritance, leading to bleak and emotionally heavy outcomes.

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The narrative often begins with a protagonist discovering or being consumed by the crimes and failures of their parents. Their quest for answers, justice, or revenge becomes a destructive path that forces them to face their own demons, frequently ending in tragedy rather than catharsis.

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These movies are grouped by their shared focus on the destructive weight of family history, a dark and intense tone, and a steady pacing that builds towards an inevitable, often sad, confrontation. The emotional core is consistently heavy, centered on themes of legacy, violence, and moral ambiguity.

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Stories in this thread follow a linear, character-centric path. The protagonist's singular motivation—be it revenge, justice, or obsession—drives the plot forward with a grim inevitability. The narrative structure is designed to explore their psychological unraveling, culminating in a climax that confirms the tragic nature of their journey.

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These films share a high-intensity, heavy emotional weight, and a consistently dark tone. They are united by a steady pacing that builds tension methodically towards a tragic conclusion, creating a cohesive experience of grim storytelling and profound character tragedy.

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Ned Rifle

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