Griffin in Summer

This one turned out to be a really funny and sweet coming-of-age movie about a teenage boy who is absolutely obsessed with playwriting and the dream of living in New York. While he’s trying to finish his latest masterpiece, he ends up falling hard for a local handyman and has to figure out what those feelings actually mean. I honestly didn't have high expectations going in, but I ended up being pretty impressed. It’s a simple story, but it does a great job of showing that subtle moment where a kid starts to realize his sexuality at such a young age without making it feel forced.

The story follows 14-year-old Griffin, who is the ultimate theater kid—he’s got all the drama and the ego to match. Every summer, he writes a play and puts it on in his parents' basement with his friends. His new project, Regrets of Autumn, is a heavy drama about a messy marriage involving cheating and alcoholism, which kind of mirrors the fact that his own parents' marriage is falling apart. His friends aren't really as into the "thespian life" as they used to be and want to do normal summer stuff, so Griffin ends up working on it mostly by himself. Things change when his mom hires a guy named Brad to do some work around the house. At first, Griffin thinks Brad is annoying, but once he finds out Brad is a "performance artist" trying to save up for a move to Brooklyn, Griffin decides he’s a genius and the love of his life. This crush turns into a full-on unhealthy obsession. Griffin fires his friend to give Brad the lead role in the play and even sends a fake email to Brad’s girlfriend to get them to break up. When Brad eventually moves back to New York, Griffin actually runs away to the city to find him. Brad eventually has to set him straight and tell him to go home, which leaves Griffin totally heartbroken. He eventually leans on his best friend, they finish the play together to great success, and the movie ends with a hint that a boy his own age might actually be interested in him.

What I liked was that the movie doesn't make a huge deal out of Griffin being gay; it just kind of exists as a natural part of who he is and his theater background. It treats his sexuality as a normal part of growing up, even when he has to deal with the sting of rejection. Griffin is at that awkward age where he has tons of self-confidence but zero maturity, and watching those two things clash when he falls for Brad is both painful and hilarious. He doesn't really know how to handle these new feelings, so he pushes his mom and his friends away to focus entirely on his crush. The kid playing Griffin is honestly incredible—he manages to be a total "know-it-all" while still showing those flashes of insecurity that make you want to root for him. The guy playing Brad also fits the role perfectly as the brooding, slightly clueless hunk. I also got a kick out of the scenes where the kids are acting out Griffin’s super serious play; watching children try to portray angst-ridden, alcoholic adults is comedy gold, but the movie doesn't do it in a mean way. It’s a great shout-out to anyone who was a "too much" theater kid with big dreams and no social filter.

It’s a charming and awkward look at teenage first love that captures exactly what it's like to be a dramatic kid with a big imagination. (6/10)