The new horror film Heart Eyes, starring Mason Gooding and Olivia Holt, puts a twist on both the rom-com and slasher horror genres.
Warning: Major spoilers ahead! If you haven’t seen Heart Eyes yet and want to experience the twists firsthand, now is the time to turn back. This breakdown will dive deep into the plot, key reveals, and that shocking ending. Read on at your own risk!
The story follows Ally (Holt), an advertising professional who is unsatisfied with her job. She is assigned to work on an upcoming (and final) project with Jay (Gooding), a talented freelancer who has arrived in town to help. Meanwhile, a serial killer who has been active for years—targeting couples—seems to have made their way to Seattle.
Two detectives, Hobbs (Devon Sawa) and Shaw (Jordana Brewster), are investigating the case, but things take a turn when Ally and Jay cross paths with the mysterious Heart Eyes Killer (HEK).
The plot of ‘Heart Eyes’ involves a twisted killer
Ally unexpectedly meets Jay at a coffee shop earlier in the day, only to later find out that he is the freelancer she’ll be working with on her latest project. That evening, they go out for dinner to get to know each other and prepare for their collaboration. However, their conversation about relationships takes a tense turn.
Despite not actually being a couple, Ally and Jay share undeniable chemistry. Unfortunately, this catches the attention of the Heart Eyes Killer. Throughout the night, the two are relentlessly pursued, forced to fight for their lives as they become the next targets in the killer’s twisted game.
Killer twist: There’s two of them
Just when they think they’ve escaped, the shocking truth is revealed—there isn’t just one Heart Eyes Killer, but two. Detective Shaw and her husband, David, have been behind the brutal slayings all along.
The person Ally and Jay believed to be the Heart Eyes Killer—the one they killed in self-defense—was merely an obsessed copycat, a fan of the real murderers. But where did David come from? It turns out he works as an IT specialist for the police department and previously interacted with Ally at the station. He even matched with her on a dating app and asked her out, but Ally didn’t recognize him.
Shaw and David are revealed to be sadistic killers who prey on couples in love, finding pleasure in their murders. However, Ally and Jay weren’t their original targets. The couple they initially planned to kill was Ally’s ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. When Ally kissed Jay in front of her ex to prove she had moved on, Shaw and David saw their chemistry and set their sights on them instead.
The final showdown
After escaping who they thought was the killer, Ally chooses not to celebrate with Jay and decides to finish their work by herself. He heads to the airport to leave town, but she quickly regrets her decision and rushes to stop him. Just as she arrives, she receives a chilling phone call—the Heart Eyes Killer claims to have Jay.
Following the instructions, Ally makes her way to a chapel, where Shaw and David finally reveal themselves. They force her into a sadistic choice: either kill Jay or take her own life. Refusing to play their game, Ally turns her gun on Shaw, setting off a violent struggle between the two pairs.
In the end, Ally and Jay emerge victorious—Ally decapitates Shaw using a statue, while Jay manages to shoot David with his arrow, bringing an end to their reign of terror.
Do Jay and Ally get a happily ever after?
Following the traumatic night, Ally and Jay decide to stop holding back their feelings and officially give their relationship a shot.
Fast forward one year: Ally has left the advertising industry and is now in medical school, having overcome her hemaphobia after witnessing so much bloodshed. She and Jay, who collaborated on a successful campaign together, return to the drive-in movie theater where they shared an earlier moment in the film.
Thinking she’s about to turn him down, Jay is shocked when Ally instead proposes to him—securing their engagement and proving that their bond is stronger than ever.
What happens in the post-credits scene?
In a callback to the movie’s opening scene, Ally and Jay pose for engagement photos, mirroring the doomed couple at the start of the film. During the shoot, Ally receives a phone call. While it seems nefarious at first, it’s just Monica (Gigi Zumbado) taking their photos. But then, the call suddenly cuts off, just as it did before the first murder.
Could this mean the Heart Eyes Killer is back? Or is it just a coincidence?
Heart Eyes is in theaters now.
