“An Autumn Summer” aims for a nostalgic, intimate portrait of young love and the bittersweet end of adolescence, but for long stretches it struggles to hold the audience’s attention.
Set during the summer of 2010, the film follows Kevin (Mark McKenna) as he spends one last month in Northern Michigan with his girlfriend Cody (Lukita Maxwell), family, and friends before they all head off to different colleges.
The film clearly wants to capture that drifting, uncertain feeling of being eighteen that most of us know so well. You remember the time when every bonfire, lake day, and late night conversation felt loaded with meaning because you knew it couldn’t last forever.
It’s a great concept and done slightly well, but writer and director Jared Isaac’s storytelling often feels too loose and unfocused. The film introduces so many characters and meandering conversations that it starts to drift into mumblecore territory without enough sharp writing or compelling personalities to carry it. Scenes stretch on with repetitive dialogue and aimless interactions that feel more monotonous than meaningful. While the movie eventually becomes more emotionally engaging toward the end, getting there requires sitting through a lot of dull filler.
Part of the problem is that many of the characters simply aren’t interesting enough to justify the amount of time spent with them. The performances feel natural, but the relationships lack tension and the conversations rarely reveal anything insightful or memorable. Instead of feeling immersive and intimate, much of the film just feels stagnant.
While the film didn’t work for me, there’s a sincerity to “An Autumn Summer” that’s admirable. Viewers who enjoy slow, atmospheric coming-of-age indies may connect with its reflective mood. But despite its good intentions and attractive, nostalgic summer aesthetic, the film ultimately feels overlong and emotionally underdeveloped. You could say it’s a coming-of-age story that captures the laziness of summer a little too well.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 