Summary

“Lovely Rita” opens in Connecticut in 1975. Steven Kelly is 23 years old, and soon after his father dies of pancreatic cancer, his mother dies of pancreatic cancer as well. Steven takes a job in the new nuclear power plant that was recently built in his childhood hometown, and which is responsible for pollution in the nearby river. Steven’s best friend from high school, Acey Rawlings, also works at the plant. Acey begins dating Rita Hillier, a woman who had also been a classmate of theirs in high school. Acey falls deeply in love with Rita and talks about her often. Other workers at the plant begin to prank Acey by saying Rita’s name into the plant’s intercom system. One day, Acey falls asleep at the plant, and a coworker accidentally backs a front-loader over him, crushing his...