GRIFFIN IN SUMMER (2025)

August 28, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. For fourteen-year-olds, there’s often very little difference in passion for something and obsession with that same thing. Writer-director Nicholas Colia (reimagining his 2017 short film, ALEX AND THE HANDYMAN) brings us the coming-of-age story of Griffin (a fantastic newcomer in Everett Blunck), whose passion for art is undeniable and plays a role in his newfound obsession (this time we can tell the difference).

A cold opening finds us on stage at the school’s end of year Student Talent Show. Griffin announces he will be performing an excerpt from his ‘latest’ play, “Regrets of Autumn”, which he describes as “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” and “American Beauty”. The scene, and his performance, are intense and funny, and far beyond the audience of teens since it’s a harsh view of the relationship between an alcoholic housewife and her disinterested and philandering husband.

With summer arriving, Griffin convenes his friends to begin rehearsal on his play. The basement takes some rearranging, and his patient and understanding friend Kara (the talented Abby Ryder Fortson, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET, 2023) has agreed to be the director … despite her knowing that things must go according to Griffin’s plan. Of course, not every 14-year-old wishes to adhere to his 60 hour per week rehearsal schedule (don’t be late!), so there is a bit of pushback as kids like to be kids. Griffin is struck by another annoyance – his mother (expert at playing beat down characters, Melanie Lynskey, “Yellowjackets”) has hired a twenty-something handyman named Brad (the always interesting Owen Teague, IT, 2017), and the noise is disturbing Griffin’s creativity.

It’s the dynamic between Griffin and Brad that sets this one apart from so many movies. Stars align when Brad discloses that he’s a performance artist in New York City … the city of Griffin’s hopes and dreams. Soon the two are working together, and the fallout causes other issues that Griffin’s blinders initially prevent him from noticing. Additionally, his attraction to Brad is interrupted by Brad’s girlfriend Chloe (an energetic and funny Kathryn Newton, “Big Little Lies”), generating more unfortunate actions.

Coming-of-age is a term that gets easily tossed around, but the actual process can be quite challenging and often involves the first heartbreak. There’s another interesting aspect to Colia’s screenplay and that’s the similarities between Griffin’s parents’ relationship and that of the couple in his play. It’s never directly mentioned, yet was clearly an influence. This is Everett Blunck’s first lead role, and he’s a unique talent that we will surely see more often in the coming years. The same can be said for filmmaker Nicholas Colia who has delivered a dramatic coming-of-age with plenty of laughs, while also commenting on how one’s passion for art may be easily mocked, making it difficult to sustain.

Available in theaters beginning August 29, 2025

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

BEN IS BACK (2018)

December 6, 2018

 Greetings again from the darkness. So many families have been thrown into turmoil due to a loved one’s drug addiction. Count writer/director Peter Hedges among those, so know this is more than just another film for him … it’s personal. Mr. Hedges previous work includes the underrated PIECES OF APRIL (2003) and DAN IN REAL LIFE (2007), as well as an Oscar nomination for his ABOUT A BOY (2002) screenplay. This time out, he cast his own son Lucas in the titular role of Ben. It was a wise choice.

When your son is checked into drug rehab, and you pull up to your house on Christmas Eve and see him pacing in the front yard, should your first reaction be total joy or immense trepidation? Are you thrilled to see him or worried for your other 3 kids – each who is in the car with you? Such is the moment for Holly Burns (played by Julia Roberts). With excitement from her two youngest, and pleas of “no” from her teenage daughter Ivy (Kathryn Newton), Holly bolts from the car and embraces Ben (Lucas Hedges), her eldest and most self-destructive child.

What follows is the ultimate example of inner-conflict for both mother and son. Holly is simultaneously happy to see her son and apprehensive for his well-being and that of her family. Ben is putting up an “all is well” front, while carrying the guilt of lying through his teeth. This initial sequence is by far the most powerful segment of the movie, and adding punch to these scenes are Ms. Newton and Courtney B Vance as Holly’s husband and Ben’s stepfather. Lucas Hedges and Kathryn Newton are immensely talented and two of the fastest rising young stars. He was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, and she is recognizable from her work on “Big Little Lies”.

After such a strong beginning, the story falters quickly as it spreads outside of the family home. At the local shopping mall, mother Holly spews vicious venom at the doctor who first prescribed the pain killer for Ben’s sports injury. She blames the now dementia-riddled doctor for ruining her son’s life – it’s an all too obvious and overblown moment of a parent needing to place the blame elsewhere. Soon after, we truly fly off the rails as mother and son treat us to a tour of the cities drug-related highlights. When the family dog goes missing, most people post on Facebook for help. Not this family. They hop into the car and revisit all the drug havens and dealers from Ben’s past. Of course, we do get the obligatory drug recovery meeting where Ben’s soliloquy praises his mother (she’s in attendance) and shows remorse for his many sins.

Every parent will understand the desperate feeling of mother Holly here or father David (Steve Carell) in BEAUTIFUL BOY, a similar-themed movie released earlier this year. We are also familiar with the deceptive and often dangerous actions of addicts, even those who were raised in our home. So while we are flexible in our judgement of Holly, Ms. Roberts’ performance is just too showy and over-the-top here, though she’ll likely be lauded for a dramatic role with only minimal dependence on her usual acting quirks. The first third of the movie is outstanding, however the rest comes across as an attempt to create intense drama when there’s already plenty.

watch the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7ckCekdGr8

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Posted by David Ferguson

BLOCKERS (2018)

April 5, 2018

 Greetings again from the darkness. Teen sex comedies exploring new boundaries are a Hollywood tradition. ANIMAL HOUSE (1978), PORKY’S (1981), AMERICAN PIE (1999), and SUPERBAD (2007) all pushed the limits of decency for their era, and provided varying levels of laughter while doing so. In her directorial debut, Tina Fey protégé Kay Cannon (“30 Rock”, PITCH PERFECT franchise), offers up what has been called the first “Feminist teen comedy”, and the risqué humor is far more extreme than that of its predecessors noted above.

We have become quite accustomed to the all-too-common male-centric perspective in these types of movies, so kudos to director Cannon for taking a look from the other side: a Female-centric teen sex comedy. Co-writers Brian and Jim Kehoe unfortunately try to cram too much into what should mostly be a laugh-a-thon. We get the #SexPact2018 from 3 high school senior best friends who agree to lose their virginity on prom night. We get the far-too-involved parents trying to prevent that from happening. We get those same parents dealing with the pending empty nest syndrome, while those three friends are immersed in drugs, alcohol and sex talk. If that’s not quite enough, there is also a sexual identity awakening and a hotel party more extreme than you would find in Las Vegas.

Leslie Mann plays Lisa, the helicopter single mom to Julie (Kathryn Newton). WWE star John Cena is Mitchell, the overprotective dad and life coach to Kayla (an outstanding Geraldine Viswanathan); and comedian Ike Barinholtz (“The Mindy Project”) is Hunter, the estranged/absentee/banished dad to Sam (Gideon Adlon). Julie envisions the perfect romantic encounter, while Kayla just wants to be done with it, and Sam is still trying to figure out why she isn’t so attracted to boys.

Riffing off of the “one wild and crazy night” theme, prom night is chosen by the three amigas, and what follows is outrageous and periodically hilarious. Most of the humor comes courtesy of the parents on the ill-fated ‘blocking’ mission. The story bounces from heartfelt emotions of parents to ‘butt-chugging’ at a party. There is also a car explosion, felony breaking and entering, and projectile vomiting. Perhaps there is an overuse of hulking John Cena crying, but that’s less cringe-inducing than the role-playing of Gary Cole and Gina Gershon (parents of one of the girl’s dates).

Setting the story in Chicago allows the filmmakers to take on the conservative Midwestern attitudes toward sex, while also providing a teenager with the “I’m getting as far away as possible” (UCLA) comeback. It makes sense that SUPERBAD co-writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are Producers, as this film often feels like the female cousin to that 2007 film. Hannibal Buress has a small memorable role, as does Jimmy Bellinger, as fedora wearing Chad. The real standouts here are relative newcomer Geraldine Viswanathan, and John Cena, who previously has excelled with less screen time (DADDYS HOME 2, TRAINWRECK). Many will be offended on numerous occasions, and certainly most parents will be uncomfortable with the drug use and sexcapades of teenagers. However, the theater was often filled with boisterous laughter, proving that this is what constitutes contemporary cinematic comedy. Only you can decide if you are OK with that.

watch the trailer:

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Posted by David Ferguson