Year: 2016
Runtime: 97 min
Language: English
Director: Justin Lerner
When his mysterious cousin Alexis arrives, Davis Green's life is upended, revealing hidden secrets from his family’s history. Defying his father's cautions, he travels to rural New York, where he finds himself entangled in a web of unspoken desires and deeply rooted family conflicts. Davis must confront a painful truth that risks tearing his family apart and reshaping his understanding of his own past.
Warning: spoilers below!
Haven’t seen The Automatic Hate yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!
Read the complete plot breakdown of The Automatic Hate (2016), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
In the midst of a tumultuous relationship with Cassie, Boston chef Davis Green finds his world turned upside down when a mysterious woman unexpectedly follows him home from the bar. This enigmatic figure introduces herself as Alexis Green, claiming to be his cousin—a revelation that sends shockwaves through Davis’ understanding of his family tree. This encounter leaves Davis feeling increasingly uneasy and uncertain, especially after Cassie witnesses their conversation and insists that Alexis leave.
In search of solace, Davis immerses himself in the world of behavioral psychology, attending a lecture by his father, Ronald Green, where he grapples with the age-old debate of nature versus nurture. However, his efforts to connect with his parents are met with resistance. Ronald dismissively declines Davis’s offer to cook for them, prompting him to delve into his father’s belongings, where he discovers a photograph hinting at the existence of a long-lost sibling.
Driven by curiosity, Davis decides to investigate further and follows Alexis’s cryptic clues to upstate New York. There, he meets her two sisters, who greet him with a blend of warmth and caution. As they explore their shared family history, Davis learns of the complicated relationships each sister has had with a local man, characterized by a prominent braided beard, which leads to a tense confrontation.
As tensions simmer, Davis becomes more entwined in Alexis’s life, staying the night and finding comfort in her presence. However, when Aunt Josh reveals knowledge of the family’s secrets, Davis is forced to confront the truth about his own identity. Amidst a whirlwind of emotions, he asks Alexis to take him into town, embarking on a journey that challenges everything he believed about himself and his role in the family.
During a heart-to-heart, Alexis confronts Davis about the true nature of his departure, probing him with insightful questions that hint at a mutual attraction. Taken aback, Davis reveals that Cassie’s recent confession of terminating their pregnancy has thrown him into turmoil. While acknowledging the undeniable chemistry with Alexis, he insists it isn’t the cause of his leaving. Nevertheless, Alexis’s persistence leads Davis to explore the mysterious hunting lodge, showcasing their mutual curiosity.
As they uncover family secrets, the bond between Davis and Alexis deepens as they stumble upon 16mm footage of their fathers with a young woman, eliciting mutual attraction. The moment is interrupted by Cassie’s arrival in New York with heartbreaking news: Davis’s grandfather has passed away.
In the aftermath, the trio gathers in Boston for a funeral fraught with emotional tension. Alexis and Cassie engage in power struggles, each vying for Davis’s attention. However, when Alexis tempts him with the thrill of secrecy, it triggers Davis’s anger, leading to a harsh confrontation.
A tense dinner follows, with everyone struggling to find common ground amidst their simmering conflicts. As they gather around the meal Davis has prepared, familial animosities momentarily fade as the men are encouraged to share a plate. But when Alexis reveals a bracelet discovered at her father’s lodge, it ignites another explosive confrontation, resulting in a brutal fistfight between Josh and Ronald.
After this clash, Davis seizes the moment to establish his dominance by punching Alexis, leaving her humiliated. Cassie exits Boston silently, leaving Davis, Josh, and Alexis to confront the aftermath of their revelations.
In the days that follow, Davis is pulled into Josh’s cycle of grief as they work together to lay their grandfather to rest. During their task, Josh discloses the tragic details of Rebecca, their sister who died under a shroud of guilt, further deepening the rift between the brothers as each blames the other for her death.
Ronald’s scathing evaluation of Josh’s family as “mentally ill” resonates with Davis, fostering a growing revulsion towards them. Yet, in a moment of clarity alone with Alexis, he reveals his feelings with a tender kiss before urging her to leave.
Meanwhile, Cassie patiently listens as Davis admits his feelings for her, accepting him back into their relationship without condition. As this turbulent narrative unfolds, Davis is left to ponder the complexities of loyalty and love, along with the devastating consequences that emerge when one dares to uncover deeply buried truths.
Last Updated: November 17, 2024 at 21:56
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Stories where buried family histories resurface with dangerous and confusing consequences.If you liked the tense uncovering of family secrets and forbidden attraction in The Automatic Hate, these movies explore similar themes. Discover other dramatic stories where buried histories, identity crises, and uncomfortable desires come to light, challenging family bonds and personal understanding.
The narrative follows a protagonist discovering a hidden branch of their family or a shocking secret that recontextualizes their past. This discovery often triggers a journey, both physical and emotional, leading to confrontations with older generations and encounters with forbidden or complicated attractions. The journey is less about action and more about emotional reckoning and moral ambiguity.
These films are grouped together because they share a core focus on the explosive nature of family secrets, particularly those involving taboo desires or blurred family lines. They create a specific, uncomfortable mood of tense discovery and share a heavy emotional weight as characters grapple with the collapse of their understood reality.
Character journeys where the truth is uncovered, but healing comes at a cost.For viewers who appreciated the emotionally heavy and bittersweet ending of The Automatic Hate, this list features similar films. These stories follow characters confronting difficult truths that reshape their world, leading to conclusions that are neither fully happy nor sad, but complex and resonant.
The story arc involves a quest for truth that is ultimately successful, but the knowledge gained forces difficult choices and personal sacrifices. The ending seldom provides a clean, happy resolution; instead, it offers a fragile new equilibrium. Characters are left somewhat wiser but also scarred, having traded innocence for a more burdensome understanding.
These movies are united by their specific emotional payoff: a bittersweet ending that follows a heavy dramatic journey. They share a moderate-to-high complexity in character relationships and a steady pacing that allows the emotional weight to build. The primary connection is the shared feeling of having faced the truth, with all its devastating and liberating consequences.
Don't stop at just watching — explore The Automatic Hate in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Automatic Hate is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of The Automatic Hate with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape The Automatic Hate. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of The Automatic Hate that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about The Automatic Hate: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.
Discover movies like The Automatic Hate that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.
The Automatic Hate (2016) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline
The Automatic Hate (2016) Movie Characters, Themes & Settings
The Automatic Hate (2016) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow
Movies Like The Automatic Hate – Similar Titles You’ll Enjoy
I'll Show You Mine (2023) Full Summary & Key Details
Lovers of Hate (2011) Plot Summary & Ending Explained
Autoerotic (2011) Detailed Story Recap
Inheritance (2017) Spoiler-Packed Plot Recap
Family Idiots (2018) Spoiler-Packed Plot Recap
The Cousin (2018) Movie Recap & Themes
My Brother’s Name Is Robert and He Is an Idiot (2018) Detailed Story Recap
Cousins (2019) Full Movie Breakdown
The Hypocrites (2019) Full Summary & Key Details
Love Sick (2006) Plot Summary & Ending Explained
Sinners (1990) Story Summary & Characters
The Dark Side of Love (1984) Full Summary & Key Details
The Buttercup Chain (1970) Spoiler-Packed Plot Recap
The Cousin (2008) Full Movie Breakdown
Kissing Cousins (2008) Film Overview & Timeline