What Is The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love About?
The premise of The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love in 324 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a sleepy town where tradition still whispers through every storefront, two teenage girls find themselves standing at opposite ends of a fragile social map. Randy Dean is a seventeen‑year‑old who spends her days behind a gas‑station register, navigating a chaotic home life with a revolving cast of caretakers and juggling a secret world of cigarettes, marijuana, and a tentative friendship with a solitary classmate. Her outward toughness masks a yearning for connection that the town’s rigid expectations have never allowed her to explore.
Across town, Evie Roy arrives in a pristine Range Rover, the only child of a cultured but strained mother. Raised in relative comfort, she carries the weight of familial expectations and a quiet longing for something beyond the polished veneer of her upbringing. When their paths cross, an unlikely spark ignites, drawing the two girls toward one another despite the stark contrast in their socioeconomic backgrounds.
The film unfolds with a tender, almost lyrical tone, blending the gritty realism of small‑town life with the dreamy optimism of first love. It captures the uneasy dance of secrecy and discovery as Randy and Evie begin to share music, literature, and quiet moments that feel simultaneously intimate and daring. Around them, a mosaic of adults—Wendy, a married woman who offers fleeting affection; Rebecca and Vicky, a same‑sex couple who provide a makeshift family; and the ever‑watchful Ali, a husband whose jealousy adds tension—populate a world that is both supportive and fraught with unspoken judgments.
Against this backdrop, the story is less about dramatic climaxes than about the subtle, heart‑pounding moments that define a first romance. It paints a portrait of two young women daring to rewrite the rules of their lives, navigating family expectations, personal insecurities, and the still‑unsettled attitudes of a town that watches their every move. The mood remains hopeful yet uncertain, inviting viewers to linger in the delicate space between youthful rebellion and the fragile promise of love’s first bloom.
What Happens in The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love?
The complete story of The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love, from the first scene to the last, in 699 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 8 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Randy Dean is a 17-year-old student navigating a fraught final year, juggling poor grades, a lone friendship with Frank, a secret life of cigarettes and marijuana, and a job as a gas station cashier alongside Regina. Shunned by classmates for her tomboyish look and tough edge, she mostly keeps to herself or meets with her partner, a married woman named Wendy, who swings by the station whenever it suits her. Randy’s home life is unstable: her mother left to join an anti-abortion movement, so she lives with her aunt, Rebecca, and Rebecca’s girlfriend, Vicky, plus Lena, Rebecca’s ex, who has nowhere else to stay. The dynamic is crowded and fragile, but Randy clings to the people who tolerate her odd blend of independence and vulnerability.
One day, Evie Roy, driving a pristine Range Rover, pulls into town unsure if her tires even have air. Randy recognizes her from school and starts talking, drawn to a quiet warmth she hasn’t found at home or with Wendy. Evie is an only child living with her cultured mother, Evelyn Roy, who has a tense relationship with her remarried husband. The two girls begin passing notes and spending time together, though Evie keeps their growing bond out of sight from her social circle. At the same time, Ali, a jealous husband who sees Randy as a threat to his marriage to Wendy, confronts her at the station and warns her away from his wife, reminding Randy of the town’s intolerance.
Randy and Evie fall into a pattern of afternoons spent wandering through meadows, trading music—Evie’s tastes in opera and Mozart contrasting with Randy’s punk rock—while they talk about life, belonging, and the future. When Wendy visits again, Randy rejects her, insisting she now has a serious connection with Evie. The relationship deepens as Evie ends her relationship with Hayjay, a boyfriend who senses the growing distance. In a pivotal moment, Evie lends Randy a copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, and Randy devours the book, sensing a larger world opening up to her. During a family dinner at Rebecca and Vicky’s house, Randy reveals that she’s been living with Rebecca and Vicky since her devoutly religious mother disappeared from her life, and the pair share their first kiss on the front steps, a moment Evie later records in her diary.
The relationship between Randy and Evie becomes a visible fixture in the town’s chatter, as they test how far they can go in public. They hold hands discreetly at a local diner, aware of the potential consequences in a hostile environment. Evie cautiously shares the news with her three closest friends; one is supportive, while the other two react with outright hostility, one of them sneering, “God, Evie, if you were gonna turn gay you think you could at least choose someone who’s pretty.” This moment underscores the town’s stingy intolerance and the emotional risk both girls take by choosing each other. Meanwhile, Randy’s schooling deteriorates further, and the school warns that she may not graduate, a reality Randy hides from Rebecca.
When Evie’s mother leaves on a business trip, the two girls cook a large meal, pour wine, and smoke marijuana, letting themselves imagine a life together beyond the town’s boundaries. That night, they make love and fall asleep in Evie’s mother’s bed, a tender, risky act that cements their bond. On Evie’s eighteenth birthday, Evelyn returns early with presents but is shocked by the mess and discovers the truth about her daughter’s life. Rebecca, learning that Randy will not graduate, confronts the situation by visiting Frank’s house with Vicky and Lena, pressuring Frank until he spills Evie’s number. Evie and Randy escape, already feeling fugitives, and call Wendy, who arrives, covers the motel room, and tries to comfort them.
The arrival of Ali and a chorus of witnesses—Evelyn, Rebecca, Vicky, Lena, Frank, and Evie’s friends, who have been reading passages from Rita Mae Brown’s Rubyfruit Jungle—prompts a chaotic scene in the motel parking lot. The film closes with Randy and Evie embracing in the doorway of the room, their kiss and warmth framed against the noise and arguing in the background, signaling a fragile new beginning amid mounting external pressures.
The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Randy's difficult final year” to “Hiding in a motel and a crowded confrontation”. 14 events name a place, across 12 locations.
- 1
Randy's difficult final year
Randy Dean is a 17-year-old student in her final year with poor grades and only one friend, Frank. She works a cashier job at a gas station and keeps secret cigarette and marijuana habits. Her mother has abandoned her to devote her life to an anti-abortion movement, so she lives with her aunt Rebecca, her girlfriend Vicky, and Lena who is staying with them.
When:End of the school year Where:School and Rebecca's house
- 2
First encounter with Evie Roy
Evie Roy, an only child from a well-off family, stops at the gas station in a pristine Range Rover and Randy recognizes her from school. They begin talking and soon start passing notes and hanging out after school, though Evie keeps their friendship secret from her clique. The budding connection marks a shift in Randy’s social world.
When:Afternoon (early in their acquaintance) Where:Gas station and school
- 3
Ali warns Randy away
Wendy's jealous husband Ali confronts Randy at the gas station, grabbing her and warning her to stay away from his wife. The danger underscores the town’s intolerance and the risks of Randy’s new connection. The moment ratchets up tension around who Randy is pursuing.
When:Soon after their first meeting Where:Gas station
- 4
Meadow conversations and music
Randy and Evie spend time in a meadow, trading music—opera and Mozart from Evie, punk from Randy—and talking about their lives and feelings. They become more comfortable with each other as they share personal histories and hopes. The setting emphasizes their growing bond away from prying eyes.
When:During the following weeks Where:Meadow outside town
- 5
Randy rejects Wendy
When Wendy visits again, Randy rejects her, telling her she has a new girlfriend, Evie. The rejection signals a clear break with the former relationship and a commitment to Evie. It also heightens tension with Wendy and those who disapprove of the shift.
When:Soon after the meadow period Where:Gas station
- 6
Evie and the Hayjay split
Evie breaks up with her boyfriend Hayjay after he complains of her distant attitude toward him. The breakup frees Evie to pursue her feelings for Randy and accelerates their closeness. Evie’s independence and desire to explore her identity come into sharper focus.
When:Mid-late spring Where:Various (home and school)
- 7
Leaves of Grass and a family truth
Evie lends Randy a copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, which Randy devours as it opens up new ideas about life and identity. In a dinner at Rebecca's house, Randy reveals that she has lived with Rebecca and Vicky since her devoutly religious mother abandoned her to join an Operation Rescue-like group. The exchange deepens their emotional bond.
When:Evening Where:Rebecca's house
- 8
A kiss on the front steps
On the front steps of Rebecca's house, Randy and Evie kiss for the first time, marking a tangible turning point in their relationship. Evie records the moment in her diary later, indicating how significant the moment feels to her. The kiss cements their commitment to each other in a discreet, public-facing way.
When:That evening Where:Rebecca's house front steps
- 9
Coming out to friends
Randy and Evie begin to test how out they can be by holding hands in a local diner as Evie tells her three closest friends about the relationship. One friend is supportive, but the other two react with hostility, remarking on appearances. The mixed reactions expose the town's divided stance on their romance.
When:Later that week Where:Local diner
- 10
Academic futures in jeopardy
Randy's grades continue to plummet and the school warns she will not graduate; she hides this fact from Rebecca. The looming possibility of not graduating compounds the stress at home and in her relationship. The pressure mounts as her personal life becomes more complicated.
When:During the semester Where:School
Show the other 4 events of The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love Hide the last 4 events
- 11
A secret night at Evie's mother's house
With Evie's mother away on a business trip, the two cook a huge meal, indulge in wine and marijuana, and finally make love in Evie's mother's bed. The night strengthens their bond but also heightens the risk if their secret were to be discovered. The intimate moment advances their commitment to each other.
When:Evening Where:Evie's mother's house
- 12
Morning after and revelation
The next morning is Evie's 18th birthday; Evelyn returns home early and is shocked by the mess in the kitchen and the rest of the house. She discovers Evie and Randy together, and only then realizes that Randy is a girl. The discovery shatters Evie’s sense of safety and triggers immediate consequences at home.
When:Morning after Where:Evie's mother's house
- 13
Threats at Frank's house
Rebecca, with Vicky and Lena, goes to Frank's house and threatens him until he hands over Evie's number. He complies under pressure, and Rebecca attempts to contact Evie. By the time the call arrives, Evie and Randy have already absconded, leaving Evelyn furious and the family in turmoil.
When:Next day Where:Frank's house
- 14
Hiding in a motel and a crowded confrontation
Randy and Evie take refuge in a motel; Ali sees Randy's car in the parking lot, drawing Evelyn, Rebecca, Vicky, Lena, Frank, and Evie's friends into a loud confrontation. Wendy arrives, pays for the room, and tries to comfort the girls while the group argues in the background. The film closes on the two girls kissing and hugging in the motel doorway as the commotion rages on around them.
When:That night Where:Motel
Who Are the Main Characters in The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love?
10 characters, among them Randy Dean – Laurel Holloman, Evie Roy – Nicole Ari Parker and Rebecca Dean – Kate Stafford: who each one is and the part they play in the story. 9 of them link to the actor’s page.
- RD
Randy Dean – Laurel Holloman
Played by Laurel Holloman
A 17-year-old high school senior navigating a hostile social landscape with a tomboyish appearance. She juggles poor grades, a gas-station job, and a secret romance with Evie, all while dealing with a mother who abandoned her for religious causes. Randy is resilient, introspective, and willing to challenge the town’s expectations for love and life.
- 🏫 Teen
- 🌈 Coming-of-age
- 🎭 Identity
- ⚖️ Family pressure
-
Evie Roy – Nicole Ari Parker
Played by Nicole Ari Parker
An only child from a well-off family with a cultured background, Evie conceals her relationship with Randy from her social circle. Her dynamic with her mother Evelyn and the remarried husband adds tension to her quest for love and autonomy. She introduces Randy to new ideas, music, and poetry, sparking a process of self-discovery.
- 🏫 Teen
- 🌈 Lesbian romance
- 💎 Privilege
- 🕊️ Family dynamics
- RD
Rebecca Dean – Kate Stafford
Played by Kate Stafford
Randy's aunt and a lesbian ally who provides a home for Randy and Evie’s circle. She is protective, supportive, and open about her own history, balancing care with tension when outside pressures mount. Rebecca embodies a stabilizing yet imperfect guardian figure within a tight-knit group.
- 🏳️🌈 LGBTQ ally
- 👪 Family dynamics
- 🛡️ Protective
- 💬 Communication
- L–
Lena – Toby Poser
Played by Toby Poser
Rebecca's ex-girlfriend who moves in with the group for a while, bringing complexities to the household dynamics. Lena's presence highlights unresolved past relationships and evolving loyalties within the chosen family.
- 🏳️🌈 Former lover
- 💭 Ambiguous loyalties
- 🧩 Family complexities
- 🧭 Adaptability
- V–
Vicky – Sabrina Artel
Played by Sabrina Artel
Rebecca's girlfriend who participates in family meals and scenes of bonding among the teens. Vicky acts as a stabilizing friend within the circle, offering support and a pragmatic voice during turbulent moments.
- 💬 Close friend
- 🎗️ Loyalty
- 👭 Friendship
- 🏡 Family ties
- ER
Evelyn Roy – Stephanie Berry
Played by Stephanie Berry
Evie's mother, a well-off figure with ties to a religiously conservative milieu. Her relationships with Randy and Evie are strained by remarriage and differing beliefs, reflecting a parent’s struggle to control or understand her child's emerging identity.
- 🏠 Family dynamics
- 💼 Privileged life
- 🧭 Generational expectations
- 💖 Maternal concerns
- F–
Frank – Nelson Edwin Rodríguez
Randy's gay Latino friend who stays at home and represents a supportive, humorous, and loyal presence in the group. His place in the story underscores themes of chosen family and shared resilience in the face of marginalization.
- 🤝 Friendship
- 🧭 Journeys
- 🏠 Home life
- 🗺️ Representation
- A–
Ali – John Elsen
Played by John Elsen
Wendy's jealous husband who embodies the possessive tension surrounding Randy and Evie's relationship. Ali's confrontations highlight the dangers of intolerance and the pressures faced by those breaking social norms.
- 💢 Jealousy
- 🕴️ Authority
- 🤼 Conflict
- 🗣️ Confrontation
- W–
Wendy – Maggie Moore
Played by Maggie Moore
A married woman who pursues a romantic relationship with Randy, balancing secrecy with affection. Wendy's choices illuminate the costs of pursuing love outside societal expectations and the complexities of a dead-end marriage.
- 🌈 Secret romance
- 💔 Complicated love
- 🧭 Breaking norms
- 👩❤️👩 Love in defiance
-
Regina – Dale Dickey
Played by Dale Dickey
Regina is Randy's coworker at the gas station who offers a steady, down-to-earth presence. She represents a compassionate adult in a world of teenage turmoil and serves as a practical touchstone amid chaos.
- 🧭 Guiding figure
- 🎗️ Supportive adult
- 🏬 Community anchor
- 🤝 Mentor
Where and When Is The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love Set?
The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love is set in Gas station, Meadows, Diner, Motel, Rebecca's House, Evie's House (Mid-1990s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Mid-1990s
The events take place in a contemporary mid-1990s timeframe, long before the digital era reshapes social dynamics. Teen life centers on school, family, and secret relationships rather than online communication. Music, literature, and in-person conversations drive emotional exploration and identity discovery, underlining the era's slower pace and limited means of mitigating social risk.
Where
Gas station, Meadows, Diner, Motel, Rebecca's House, Evie's House
The story unfolds across a small-town setting, anchored by a local gas station where Randy works and by open meadows where she and Evie share time. Key locations also include a diner where the couple tests public display of affection and a motel where they seek refuge from a judgmental community. Rebecca's house and Evie's family home provide the backdrop for family tensions and evolving relationships.
- 🏙️ Small town
- 🌳 Countryside meadows
- ⛽ Gas station backdrop
What Are the Themes of The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Coming-of-Age, Love & Identity and Family & Community Pressure.
-
01
Coming-of-Age
Randy and Evie navigate the transition from adolescence to adulthood while confronting societal expectations. Their relationship serves as a catalyst for personal growth, questioning loyalties, and redefining self-image in a hostile environment. The film traces the awkward, hopeful, and occasionally painful moments that accompany growing up queer in a small town.
-
02
Love & Identity
Romantic attraction between Randy and Evie challenges both characters to articulate who they are and what they want. The relationship acts as a mirror for internal struggles about sexuality and belonging, highlighted by subtle acts of rebellion like sharing poetry and private gatherings. The narrative uses intimate moments to explore authenticity versus social pressure.
-
03
Family & Community Pressure
Family dynamics and community norms exert constant pressure on the characters, from parental abandonment to religiously charged expectations. Aunts, mothers, and partners form a web of support or contention that shapes choices and loyalties. The film depicts how families can both resist and reinforce the town's conventions, influencing the protagonists' paths.
What Kind of Film Is The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love?
Hopeful in tone, with steady pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Hopeful
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A tender and hopeful coming-of-age story about two girls navigating the awkward vulnerability and defiant joy of first love against a backdrop of social prejudice and personal insecurities.
- tender
- vulnerable
- hopeful
- awkward
- rebellious
- defiant
- first love
- coming of age
- lgbtq relationships
- social prejudice
Content notes: homophobia, emotional abuse, bullying.
Quiz
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Where to Watch The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love
Stream it on Kanopy and Strand Releasing, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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