Hit by Lightning (2014) User Reviews

551st Review: A Rom-Com meets Film Noir

[intelearts · 5/10 · 1 November 2014]

HBL has Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men) as Ricky, a man entering his forties without love and soon without hair. Ricky and his best friend Seth (Will Sasso - MadTV) have been best friends forever and muse over the chances of each actually finding their soul mate. He just wants to find someone special - and he does in Danita (Stephanie Szostak). Ricky joins an online dating site and seems to have found his. Needless to say things aren't quite what they seem and soon Ricky finds himself in a quandary straight out of a 1940s film noir.

Hit by Lightning has a little too much a feel of TV about it to really fly, though it's got pace and a good script - personally I would have liked some filters and feeling of film, it is shot and lit very directly.

It is a nice movie to wile away some time to - Cryer is good in his way and this small film plays to his strengths - it's the sort of film that you can watch on a plane and enjoy.

It was Okay...

[dlmoore007 · 4/10 · 3 November 2014]

Well, there seems to be a real lack of decent "date" movies and/or Rom-Coms lately, so whenever I see one that looks promising, I give it a try. I really didn't know what to expect, as I'd never heard of this movie.

It wasn't exactly very believable, but hey, it's a MOVIE. However, whomever did the makeup effects on Jon Cryer should never work in Hollywood. There is a BIG difference between "Balding" and "Mange." Honestly, the poor guy looked like someone had given him a haircut with a freakin' weed-whacker. I've been around many balding men and they never look like that. Sheesh.

The premise of the movie is a knock-off of every movie where there's some pathetic loser that some "10" becomes involved with and asks them to do their bidding. This one had a twist or two, but still predictable.The characters even mention "Body Heat" as being very true to what was going on in the movie.

The character played by Will Sasso was the one I liked, but was disappointed with the most. I think the character had a chance to really run off with the movie (please?), but Mr. Sasso reigned himself in. Pity.

Overall: Not offensive. Not believable. Not high tech (thank god; I'm sick to death of those). Not particularly clever or that amusing. Did catch the jibe about Ashton Kutcher at the end. Ha ha.

EVERYTHING ELSE IS PERFECT

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 19 November 2018]

Ricky (Jon Cryer) is a manager at Debby's restaurant and a typed cast personality. His best friend is single buddy Seth (Will Sasso) who every payday wants to "get paid and laid." Their lives are uneventful until Ricky meets his perfect match Danita (Stephanie Szostak) on E-Happy dating site. Danita is the perfect woman except for that one thing. She is married and wants Ricky to kill her husband (Jed Rees) who seems like a really nice guy.

Ho-hum another romance comedy with seemingly the same funny lines which simply make us smile and not laugh. I was not amused by the angst of Jon Cryer who we have seen this way a gazillion times before. It was one of those movies you watch that gives you Deja Vu. If you are really, really, really into romantic comedies you might enjoy this as a satire of the genre. I was not overly impressed.

Guide: F-bomb. Implied sex. No nudity.

Pfff.... what about...

[harmenkampinga · 2/10 · 27 August 2021]

...boring.... 😕

Actually, at first I have rated the movie 4 stars, but in the end two stars is more accurate. Found that out writing those two sentences. Well as boring as my review is, that boring is the movie. Have a good one?...

not that funny

[SnoopyStyle · 3/10 · 30 January 2018]

Ricky Miller (Jon Cryer) is a pathetic, balding manager of Debbie's restaurant in LA. Seth (Will Sasso) is his scheming sleazy idiot friend. In frustration, he prays to God for him to find his soulmate before he's hit by lightning. Out of nowhere, he gets a pop-up ad from E-Happily and is matched up with the perfect Danita (Stephanie Szostak). He falls completely in love. She tells him about her abusive husband and convinces him to kill him.

I miss Duckie and I never liked Two and a Half Men. This is somewhere in the middle. Ricky is pathetic and some of Seth sleaziness does rub off on him. He's not the most appealing rom-com lead. Szostak is a beauty but she doesn't have the edge to be a femme fatal. That character could generate more laughs as a noir femme fatal. She's too nice to be mean. Seth is too much of a douche without the humanity. None of the attempted comedy is that funny.

Likable

[kosmasp · 5/10 · 16 September 2015]

So likable that you cannot kill it? Talking about the movie of course ... or am I? Of course I am, but what do I mean? Enough of the cryptic talk and on to the meat. Especially if you haven't seen the movie yet, I'm not going to spoil anything. Although it's not like there are too many big twists in this.

The characters in this are pretty neat and they are played by actors who have as much fun as they could have. And that does somehow translate onto the screen. The script itself isn't really that good, that it'd deserve a 5 out of 10. So the acting and the direction is saving the movie a bit from being a complete disaster. Nice comedy, nothing more, nothing less

Funny

[watersshaelynn · 7/10 · 23 November 2020]

I came across this movie randomly and decided to give it a try when I didn't know what else to watch. It's a funny movie and passes the time

Boring. Waste of time.

[Finfrosk86 · 4/10 · 2 June 2015]

So.. Um, this wasn't funny. Or very entertaining.

Yes, I saw this pretty much just because of Ala..uhm..Jon Cryer. I like 'Two and a half men'. Liked. I like Jon Cryer.

But this movie, though..? I still don't know what it tries to be. I almost can't even remember what happens. I remember one thing about Jon Cryer, but I guess you could count that as a spoiler if I said more, so I won't. I try to stay spoiler free.

He does an alright job. so does that big dude from 'The three stooges'-remake. Or, alright, I don't know.. Not a particularly bad job.

This movie is just really boring, nothing cool happens, not much happens at all, really. I can't remember what happens. You know, just don't watch it. The gun intrigued me, but I don't remember what it was for. I don't remember why I gave it a 4, not a 3, but I trust my former self.

Alan/Ricky Gets Lucky

[jackwriter-82633 · 7/10 · 1 May 2024]

Jon Cryer as Ricky Miller in Hit By Lightning (2014) seems to be reprising his role of Alan in the television comedy Two and a Half Men (2003-15). Unlike Alan, though, Cryer's Ricky character scores on the first date with hottie Danita (Stephanie Szostak). Like the tv show Ricky's hot date comes with a catch. Being that the movie was likely filmed during the television's long run Cryer didn't appear to alter his Alan schtick for the movie role. I actually had to check the movie credits to see whether it was another Chuck Lorre production. If you liked Two and a Half Men, you'll like this flick.

Hit by lightning is right I became hit by lighting with cringing effect after I saw it

[jordondave-28085 · 2/10 · 14 April 2023]

(2014) Hit by Lightening COMEDY DRAMA

Written and directed by Ricky Blitt starring Jon Cryer (2 And A Half Men) as Ricky Miller and his pal, Seth (Will Sasso) seeking for love. As soon as Ricky receives a response from a dating website, he immediately falls for her head over heels over her Danita played by Stephanie Szostak with a questionable side story history.

You would think that as soon as you see an actor like Jon Creyer is in it that it, that it would be as amusing as his sitcom "Two and a Half Men", but it's like as soon as you turn on this movie, you begin to cringe, and not in a good way.

Hilarious, Hilarious, Hilarious!

[shominy-491-652355 · 10/10 · 9 May 2015]

We just rented this DVD, now we are going to have to buy it to rewatch again and again. This movie is hilarious from beginning to end! Jon Cryer and Will Sasso are absolutely hilarious. (Will Sasso is like David Koechner - you love every character he plays!) This film is as funny as 2 "modern" classic comedies "Rock Slyde" and "No Clue". Great cast, story, editing. Not a dull moment! Although it's a comedy, it has a mystery weaved into the story and that part will leave you on the edge of your seat! Highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves comedy and loves to laugh! Would love to see Jon and Will teamed up again!

Lightning Strikes Twice ... A Plot No-No ...

[davebelisle-1 · 5/10 · 29 July 2015]

SPOILER ALERT! ...

Halfway through the movie, the popcorn still tasted fine and my only concern ping-ponged between Jon Cryer and the script. While his character, Ricky, was essentially a reprise of Cryer's character on "Two And a Half Men" ... I was left wondering if he was actually miscast. Could someone else have played Ricky's role better? Steve Buscemi was alluded to in the film. Buscemi playing Ricky? THAT would be hilarious. But Cryer should be nailing this role, the movie should be more memorable than the sitcom. Alas, I must put the "NEEDS MORE FUNNY" post-it on this one.

Then the writing came off the rails. Why does the ending fall flat? Because we've already seen the Stephanie Szostak character, Donita, leave Ricky for 10 days. Her nine-month disappearance after the shooting is just more of the same. The story needs a more convincing second plot-point pay-off.

Solution! ... Following the church scene where Ricky secretly meets Donita, have the cop (Ricky's relative) bust Ricky and Donita. Perhaps while the cop was visiting another 'family tree member' at the cemetery, he saw the grave Ricky dug and puts it all together. Tighter than the "crazy serial killer confessing to the wrong murder" excuse.

Ricky and Donita go to court. They get a hard judge who goes soft. Donita gets 4 years, Ricky gets 5-and-a-half for pulling the trigger. Their love is now tested by a new element -- the only thing love truly desires: time. Ricky lamented about time before. Now he HAS something to wait for. Even jail is better than managing at Debby's. Ricky has plenty of time to write ... sappy love poetry? Fast forward to four years later. Donita visits Ricky everyday in jail. Silly conjugal visits. Revise the earlier runner about "I love you plus infinity" and close movie with Ricky and Donita in the prison visiting room, their palms pressed together against the glass partition, Donita tearing up, saying, "I love you plus ... how many days are there in 18 months?" to which Ricky quickly replies, "547 ... counting the leap year."

in love

[dodi-89267 · 10/10 · 14 February 2021]

Perfect movie and very unexpected story. I absolutely love Jon Cryer and Will Sasso, I had so nice time with.