After the world premiere of Griffin in Summer at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, a number of critical descriptors came out regarding the 14-year old protagonist of Griffin Naffly (played by Everett Blunck). Words such as ‘annoying’ and ‘sociopath’ are some such comments levelled at them, for example. And perhaps they are somewhat correct, the annoying part is definitely accurate. But does it not strike anyone as odd that as a teenager, it would be impossible to be annoying occasionally. It really is a part of the package, or the kit as some would say.
This is one thing that Nicholas Colia, the writer and director of Griffin in Summer, gets correct in his vulnerability, his feature directorial debut, which he has decided is a coming-of-age comedy which focuses on a certain kind of personality and the turn of events that take place when the summer comes. From the time we meet Griffin, during an elementary school talent shop inspired by America’s Got Talent, it is apparent that he is not your average preteen American. Instead of singing in a bad voice to a tune of a popular song, Griffin – a writer, acts in his complete area, projecting himself as the lead actor in his play Regrets of Autumn, which he describes as a divorce story about who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf and a beautiful American.
Every summer, Griffin and his peers dedicate their energies in staging one of Griffin’s plays, however, this year, they are more focused on overwhelming themselves with hard seltzers and summer camps. Even Griffin’s best friend Kara, played by Abby Ryder Fortson who was last year’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, appears to be rather underutilized here, does not show any willingness as she prefers to be with her new boyfriend.
Colin: the melancholic type who always wears dress shirts and seems to make no contact in person, only via email, would take out his rage on them in outbursts that became more intense over the course of the film. Things get a little change around when his mother, played by Lynskey, gets a twenty-something handyman named Brad (Owen Teague) that helps taker care of their pool because her husband is away. After some time, it is discovered that Brad is a wannabe showman from New York, who after learning how to perform in a play called Regrets of Autumn, he decides to make the play in which the actor, Griffin has a big crush on.
Summer est une girouette. In a way, Griffin’s sexuality does not constrain the love with Brad, yet it is part of it entwined. It seems like the more difficult Brad gets to reach— relocating to New York, spending time with a stupid girlfriend (who is superb in an exaggerated role by Kathryn Newton), being old— the more out of hand Griffin gets in pursuing him. Is Griffin’s pursuit a roving maniac’s? Mostly. But a combination of Blunck’s sometimes strong and upset performance, occasionally nervous and unsure behavior, with Colia’s screenplay does the damage – that feeling of love for the first time when you are so young and it is all too much, your heart will explode if you don’t keep that love and all it comes with. Teague too is impressive, performing an instance of being stupid that is plain aimslessness for adults but in an environment with offenders like Griffin, makes a lot of sense.
At the same time other events are in progress in the life of Griffin, which are barely visible but spare enough detail to make the sense: the fact for instance that Griffin’s friends are maturing and seem to be pursuing their lives quite independently of him, the disintegration of his parent’s marriage which gives an uncomfortable twist to the otherwise ludicrous hyperbolic nature of his imaginative play, where his tween buddies pretend to drink martinis and shout about leaving their husbands and having abortions.
What is there to be unexpectedly insightful about Griffin in the filmmaking or storytelling elements of Summer however it is how the story is presented that stands out— with the humor and emotional backdrop that is expected but also how a character evolves, admitting their wrongs and resolves to do better which I believe adds realism that is refreshing. This makes the film endearing and it is well performed, it depicts an outsider fighting for acceptance in their environment, pursuing their purpose and staying true to who they are in the process.
Watch free movies like on Fmovies
