Editor’s Word: This evaluate was initially revealed throughout the 2024 Tribeca Competition. Vertical releases “Griffin in Summer time” in choose theaters Friday, August 29, 2025.
Griffin Nafly (Everett Blunck) is just not like different 14-year-olds. Contemplate his contribution to his college’s end-of-the-year expertise present: a snippet of his newest play by which he reads for each lead roles, a disaffected stockbroker and his drunk spouse, as they scream and keep it up about the whole lot from infidelity to abortions. Whereas everybody else is proud of pop music duets, it’s Griffin — too outdated for his years, too younger to actually break away — who desires to convey some precise artwork to the suburban stage.
And whereas which may all be OK, even kinda enjoyable, the actual downside isn’t simply that Griffin isn’t like most different 14-year-olds, it’s that he’s not even actually like his closest associates both. Whereas his childhood buddies, together with “Are You There, God? It’s Me Margaret” breakout Abbie Ryder Fortson as his long-suffering second-in-command Kara, are transferring into basic younger maturity — discovering handsy boyfriends, getting drunk off one can of exhausting seltzer, leaning into their scientific pursuits — Griffin has barely advanced since final summer time. Again then, Griffin and co. spent their days readying yet one more considered one of his performs for the stage. This yr? He could be going at it alone.
It’s exhausting in charge the kiddos for balking at spending their summer time engaged on an outing that Griffin giddily phrases “‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ meets ‘American Magnificence.’” Nicholas Colia’s characteristic directorial debut, “Griffin in Summer time,” spins off that form of cheeky humor into what might simply be described as a tween tackle “Theater Camp” or, higher but, a model of “Theater Camp” by which the lovable theater geeks at its coronary heart didn’t even have one another to lean on when occasions received powerful.
Griffin’s mannered, very practically imply way of living — he’s the sort of child who calls his mom, performed by the always-delightful Melanie Lynskey, by her first title — is beginning to put on skinny (Blunk, nonetheless, stays an enthralling breakout star all through). And whereas Colia initially leans into the zaniness of Griffin’s persona and predilections, his script does slowly wind to deeper, extra emotional discoveries. Like, as an example, what precisely does Griffin know concerning the ins and outs of grownup relationships? Whereas the tonal swings that accompany Colia’s story don’t all the time move with ease and a certain quantity of whiplash takes maintain within the second act, lots of the revelations he reveals make these points value it.
Such is the case with Colia’s delicate dealing with of the sudden relationship that takes form as Griffin grapples with the possibly bleak summer time forward. Enter: Brad. Performed by rising star Owen Teague, the one-time efficiency artist (he was into “happenings,” and oh, what a deal with once we get to see them on a grainy YouTube video) is now a unstable handyman, doomed to spend his personal summer time serving to Griffin’s mother round the home and making an attempt to cobble cash to get again to Bushwick. Initially, Griffin loathes him. After which, nicely, Brad unlocks another emotions in him.
It’s the sort of storyline that’s ripe for missteps, and whereas there are nonetheless moments when audiences may surprise, “Wait, is that this humorous or is it scary?,” Colia largely sticks what he’s making an attempt. Whereas Brad’s presence stirs new feelings in Griffin — together with abject terror upon the introduction of Brad’s girlfriend, performed by a splendidly unhinged Kathryn Newton — he additionally helps push the younger playwright into contemporary artistic areas. A few of Brad’s affect is purposely foolish (at one level, the male lead of Griffin’s evolving play declares he was a “inventory market main” who lives in Bushwick), and the momentary casting of Brad within the precise play is genuinely hilarious.
Colia makes an attempt to tie up his comedic sensibilities and his extra emotional tendencies in a rangy third act. The beats he must hit and the journey he must take Griffin on are anticipated, no less than to finish in a spot befitting the warm-hearted nature of the movie, however Colia nonetheless finds some surprises alongside the way in which. As a showcase for his stellar casting talents and knack for heartwarming storytelling, “Griffin in Summer time” is a really advantageous characteristic directorial debut. Even higher, it’d make nerds like Griffin notice one thing that may usually take too lengthy to be taught: they’re actually not alone.
Grade: B
“Griffin in Summer time” premiered on the 2024 Tribeca Movie Competition. Vertical releases it in theaters Friday, August 29, 2025.
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