What Is Revenge for Jolly! About?
The premise of Revenge for Jolly! in 283 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a rain‑slick city that never quite sleeps, the world feels both intimate and unforgiving, its neon veins pulsing with the low hum of late‑night bars and vacant streets. Within this restless backdrop, the story revolves around a solitary freelancer whose only true companion is his devoted pup. The bond between them is the quiet anchor in an otherwise chaotic life, a flash of loyalty that shines through the protagonist’s routine of solitary work and occasional excess.
When the fragile equilibrium shatters, Harry returns from an all‑night drinking binge with his cousin Cecil to discover that his beloved dog, Jolly, is gone. The loss strikes a raw nerve; grief quickly twists into a fierce, almost primal resolve. Harry is a man defined by his isolation, yet his connection to Cecil hints at a deeper, if strained, family loyalty. Their dynamic is a mix of dry humor, shared resentment, and a mutual willingness to cross lines that most would never consider, setting the stage for a partnership that is as volatile as it is unbreakable.
Fuelled by sorrow and the sting of betrayal, the duo embarks on a desperate, alcohol‑tinged quest that drags them through the city’s underbelly. The tone is gritty and relentless, balancing bleak desperation with darkly comic moments that underline the absurdity of their path. As they chase the echo of a vanished love, the narrative teases a world where every alley could hold a clue, and every encounter might push them further from redemption. The film promises a visceral ride, driven by raw emotion and a relentless pursuit that blurs the line between justice and vengeance, leaving the audience to wonder just how far a broken heart will carry them.
What Happens in Revenge for Jolly!?
The complete story of Revenge for Jolly!, from the first scene to the last, in 511 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 11 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Brian Petsos plays Harry, a restless freelancer who spends a lot of time with his beloved female pup Jolly and carves out his days under the weight of a sizeable debt owed to a threatening group. Facing the looming pressure to disappear, he plans to head out of town to dodge the obligation. But when he returns home, he discovers that Jolly has been killed. Grief and a simmering, blistering rage push him to recruit his close cousin Cecil, Oscar Isaac to help track down the killer, dragging both men into a ruthlessly escalating cycle of violence.
At a dim bar, the two press a rude bartender, Thomas, for a lead that points toward Bachmeier, a regular visitor who had once supplied Harry with his address. The conversation turns ugly quickly, and Harry’s fury erupts in a moment of reckless violence as he shoots Thomas dead. Elijah Wood plays Thomas, a figure who becomes only the first domino in a chain of bloody confrontations.
Their pursuit then shifts to Tina, a known sex worker who was last seen in the company of Bachmeier. Gillian Jacobs plays Tina, a woman who becomes part of the thread they pull. When Tina refuses Cecil’s attempt to pay for information, she shoots Cecil in the hand, yet the encounter spirals further as Tina and her ally Vicki meet their end at the hands of Harry, whose thirst for vengeance grows almost uncontainable. Amy Seimetz plays Vicki, a figure who signifies the tangled web they’re unraveling.
Their next stop is a law firm where they cut a brutal swath through three unscrupulous lawyers—Bobby, Eichelberger and Danny—who have been withholding information. The confrontation is swift and merciless: Bobby Moynihan plays Bobby, David Rasche plays Eichelberger, and Adam Brody plays Danny. The receptionist, portrayed by Jayne Atkinson, eventually informs them that Bachmeier is at a wedding reception, setting the stage for a dramatic intrusion.
With a sense of inevitability, Harry and Cecil crash the wedding reception, taking guests hostage as they search for Bachmeier. The family at the center of the ordeal is revealed to be deeply dysfunctional, a fact underscored when Angela, Kristen Wiig who is Bachmeier’s sister, speaks to the turmoil within the clan. The night escalates into a brutal assault on the attendees, and Angela herself becomes a target as her husband Gary, played by Garret Dillahunt, is shot during the chaos. A man outside eventually provides Bachmeier’s address, intensifying the pursuit and sealing the sense that no one and nothing is truly safe.
As the tension peaks, the film loops back to the opening moment. Harry pulls up to the same house, leaving Cecil in the car while he approaches an armed Bachmeier at the front door. Bachmeier welcomes him inside as if nothing has happened, and the scene closes with two gunshots fired inside the house, the outcome visible only from a distance on the exterior. The narrative folds back upon itself, underscoring a meditation on grievance, retaliation, and the inescapable pull of vengeance that haunts Harry and Cecil from start to finish.
Revenge for Jolly! Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Debt, escape plan, and tragedy at home” to “Aftermath and cost”. 11 events name a place, across 10 locations.
- 1
Debt, escape plan, and tragedy at home
Harry is a restless freelancer living under the weight of a sizeable debt to a threatening group. He plans to head out of town to dodge the obligation, hoping distance will slow the pressure. When he returns home, he discovers Jolly has been killed, turning his escape plan into a personal mission of vengeance.
Where:Harry's home
- 2
Grief pushes to recruit Cecil
Grief gives way to a simmering rage, and Harry enlists his cousin Cecil to help track down the killer. They commit to a violent pursuit rather than a quiet, lawful investigation. This alliance marks the start of a ruthlessly escalating cycle of violence.
Where:City streets
- 3
First violent encounter: Thomas
In a dim bar, the two press for information about Bachmeier. The confrontation quickly turns deadly when Harry shoots Thomas, making him the first casualty. The event signals that violence will be the language of their pursuit.
Where:Dim bar
- 4
Pursuit to Tina; Tina shoots Cecil; Vicki slain
Their trail leads to Tina, last seen with Bachmeier. When Cecil tries to pay for information, Tina shoots him in the hand, heightening the stakes. Harry then kills Tina and her ally Vicki, pushing the vengeance plot toward a wider target.
Where:Tina’s location
- 5
Law firm assault
Harry and Cecil then assault a law firm to extract information from three unscrupulous lawyers—Bobby, Eichelberger, and Danny. The confrontation is swift and merciless, leaving the office in disarray. The pursuit shifts from individuals to a broader pattern of corruption.
Where:Law firm
- 6
Receptionist info: Bachmeier at wedding
Receptionist Jayne Atkinson informs them that Bachmeier is at a wedding reception. The intel shifts the hunt from barrooms to a personal gathering. The escalation becomes more intimate and dangerous as the prey hides in a family setting.
Where:Wedding reception location
- 7
Wedding intrusion and hostage situation
Harry and Cecil crash the wedding, taking guests hostage as they search for Bachmeier. The hostage crisis reveals a deeply dysfunctional family at the center of the groom's circle. Angela, Bachmeier's sister, speaks to the turmoil surrounding them.
Where:Wedding reception
- 8
Angela and Gary; Gary shot
Angela's confrontation with the family underscores the underlying conflict. In the chaos, her husband Gary is shot, escalating the violence. The attack expands beyond a single pursuit to a broader personal vendetta.
Where:Wedding reception
- 9
Outside clue for Bachmeier's address
A man outside eventually provides Bachmeier's address, intensifying the chase. The new lead sharply narrows the field, but also deepens the danger for those inside the venue. The sense of inevitability thickens as the confrontation approaches.
Where:Outside the wedding venue
- 10
Return to the opening moment
Harry drives up to the same house seen in the opening, with Cecil left in the car. He approaches Bachmeier at the front door, greeted as if nothing has happened. The scene ends with two gunshots fired inside, visible only as a distant exterior shot.
Where:Bachmeier's house
- 11
Themes and looped structure
The narrative returns to its loop-like structure, emphasizing grievance and retaliation as the driving forces. It underscores how vengeance propels the characters toward ever more extreme acts. The film meditates on whether violence can ever resolve debt or heal loss.
Where:Various; framing around house
- 12
Aftermath and cost
Across the spree, bystanders and family members are harmed or drawn into the violence. The personal cost of debt and vengeance lingers long after the last shot. The film leaves the audience with a haunting meditation on cycles of retaliation.
Who Are the Main Characters in Revenge for Jolly!?
12 characters, among them Harry (Brian Petsos), Cecil (Oscar Isaac) and Bachmeier (Ryan Phillippe): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- H(
Harry (Brian Petsos)
Played by Brian Petsos
A restless freelancer weighed down by a large debt and the grief of losing his dog Jolly, Harry's anger drives him toward reckless violence. His pursuit of vengeance with Cecil pulls him deeper into a cycle of retaliation that tests moral boundaries. The quest reveals how personal grievance can erode restraint and rational thought.
- 💥 Violent
- 💸 Debt
- 🧭 Relentless
-
Cecil (Oscar Isaac)
Played by Oscar Isaac
Harry's cousin and reluctant partner in vengeance, Cecil brings loyalty but also a willingness to take brutal measures to uncover the truth. He navigates a fine line between camaraderie and complicity as the quest spirals out of control. The duo's dynamic exposes how family ties can fuel, yet complicate, violent aims.
- 🧭 Loyal
- 🗡️ Calculated
- 🔥 Impulsive
-
Bachmeier (Ryan Phillippe)
Played by Ryan Phillippe
A regular who once supplied Harry with his address, Bachmeier becomes the pivotal target of the pursuit. Secretive and well-connected, he defies easy capture and forces the film to confront a broader web of complicity. The hunt for Bachmeier reveals the gray morality at the heart of the vendetta.
- 🤫 Elusive
- 🗺️ Connected
-
Tina (Gillian Jacobs)
Played by Gillian Jacobs
A known sex worker last seen with Bachmeier, Tina functions as a critical information link in the pursuit. When Cecil tries to buy information, she shoots him in the hand, demonstrating a willingness to push back. Her fate underscores the film's brutal immediacy and the precariousness of those caught in the chase.
- 🎭 Complex
- 💃 Independent
-
Vicki (Amy Seimetz)
Played by Amy Seimetz
Tina's ally who becomes entangled in the pursuit and ultimately falls victim to the escalating violence. Her presence signals how loyalties fracture under pressure and how information can be weaponized in the hunt for Bachmeier.
- ⚖️ Involved
- 💨 Tense
-
Bobby (Bobby Moynihan)
Played by Bobby Moynihan
A partner at the law firm targeted by Harry and Cecil; he embodies the corrupt edge of the system the protagonists confront. Along with Eichelberger and Danny, he is among the ruthless negotiators of information who pay the price for withholding truth.
- ⚖️ Brutal
- 🧾 Corrupt
-
Eichelberger (David Rasche)
Played by David Rasche
A crooked lawyer, part of the trio the protagonists brutalize when seeking information. His status reflects the ethical rot on the other side of the vendetta and anchors the law firm raid as a confrontation with complicity.
- ⚖️ Crooked
- 🗂️ Withholding
-
Danny (Adam Brody)
Played by Adam Brody
Another unscrupulous lawyer in the firm who becomes a target, his fate underscores the callousness of the system Harry and Cecil challenge. His role sharpens the sense of moral ambiguity at play.
- 🔒 Secretive
- 🧭 Complicity
-
Angela (Kristen Wiig)
Played by Kristen Wiig
Bachmeier's sister, whose family is depicted as deeply dysfunctional, a backdrop to the violence that erupts at the wedding. Her presence highlights how personal turmoil fuels collective upheaval and risk within a tight-knit circle.
- 👪 Dysfunctional
- 🗣️ Volatile
-
Gary (Garret Dillahunt)
Played by Garret Dillahunt
Angela's husband, shot during the wedding-night chaos, illustrating the cost of vengeance to ordinary lives. His fate underscores the collateral damage and fragility of domestic life amid escalating violence.
- 💥 Aggressive
- 💔 Collateral damage
-
Thomas (Elijah Wood)
Played by Elijah Wood
A dimly lit bartender who becomes the first casualty, triggering the protagonists' reckoning. His death catalyzes the pursuit and reveals the volatile, sudden nature of the conflict.
- 🍺 Bartender
- 💀 Consequential
- R(
Receptionist (Jayne Atkinson)
Played by Jayne Atkinson
The law firm receptionist who informs Harry and Cecil that Bachmeier is at a wedding reception, setting the stage for the intrusion. A minor role that functions as a narrative hinge toward the climactic confrontation.
- 🗒️ Gatekeeper
- 🗨️ Informative
Where and When Is Revenge for Jolly! Set?
Revenge for Jolly! is set in Dim bar, Law firm, Wedding reception and Bachmeier's house. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Dim bar, Law firm, Wedding reception, Bachmeier's house
The story unfolds across several concrete locations: a dim, moody bar where leads are pressed; a stark law firm that becomes a site of brutal confrontation; a bustling wedding reception that erupts into chaos; and Bachmeier's house, where the final reckoning unfolds. These spaces anchor the film in a contemporary crime milieu and amplify its themes of grievance and vengeance. The settings connect personal debts and vendettas to broad, explosive consequences.
- 🌆 Urban setting
- 🔪 Violent atmosphere
- 🏠 Domestic tension
What Are the Themes of Revenge for Jolly!?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Vengeance, Grief and Escalation.
-
01
Vengeance
Harry and Cecil launch a relentless pursuit driven by a deep grievance over debt and the killing of Jolly. The film traces how revenge consumes both the pursuer and the pursued, blurring moral lines as violence escalates. The finale circles back to the opening moment, underscoring vengeance as an inescapable pull.
-
02
Grief
The death of Jolly triggers a profound grief that reshapes Harry's choices and fuels his ruthlessness. Grief acts as a force that guides decisions and erodes empathy, shaping the couple's path toward escalating violence. The narrative treats sorrow as a catalyst that distorts judgment and justifies brutality in the name of vengeance.
-
03
Escalation
Violence moves from the bar shooting to a hostage moment at a wedding and finally a law firm raid, intensifying with each act. The film maps how small combustions of anger spiral into broader chaos that touches families and bystanders alike. It questions whether any act of violence can truly relieve the burden of grievance.
What Kind of Film Is Revenge for Jolly!?
Dark in tone, with fast pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Ambiguous
A relentlessly fast-paced and dark descent into grief-fueled violence, creating an unhinged and chaotic atmosphere as two men leave a bloody trail in their obsessive quest for revenge.
- rage-fueled
- bleak
- frantic
- violent
- unhinged
- grieving
- revenge
- grief and loss
- crime spree
- moral decay
Content notes: animal death, graphic violence, hostage situation, alcohol abuse.
Quiz
How well do you remember Revenge for Jolly!? Test yourself on the story.
