The Last Summer (2019 film)


The Last Summer is a 2019 American romantic comedy film directed by William Bindley from a screenplay he co-wrote with Scott Bindley. The film stars KJ Apa, Maia Mitchell, Jacob Latimore, Halston Sage and Tyler Posey.
It was released on May 3, 2019, by Netflix.

Plot

An interconnected group of recent high school grads navigates through personal issues while enjoying their "last summer" before moving on to college.

Griffin and Phoebe

Griffin Hourigan, a prep school grad, is preparing to enter Columbia University, which he was accepted to due in large part to connections from his wealthy, successful father, despite secretly wanting to attend Berklee College of Music due to his love for music. While at a party, he encounters Phoebe Fisher, an old friend who he secretly has a crush on. After learning that she is working on making a documentary to submit to a film festival, Griffin spontaneously volunteers to be part of the film. He asks Phoebe out on a date, but she declines, explaining that she is spending her last summer focusing on making her film. Griffin is disappointed, but goes through with volunteering to assist with the project. The two view a segment of the documentary where a couple discusses plans for their long-distance relationship, whereupon Griffin guesses their relationship is doomed. After he assists Phoebe with mixing her film's audio, they become close friends and begin dating, quickly falling in love.
Phoebe, who is planning on attending New York University, admits that the reason she has been focusing so hard on making her film is because she needs to win the festival, as she does not have the money to attend school. She also encourages him to follow his passion for music instead of attending Columbia. Meanwhile, Griffin learns that his father is cheating on his mother with Phoebe's single mother, who believes his father is single and sincerely interested in her. However, an anxious Griffin is unable to reveal this to Phoebe until after Phoebe's mother learns the truth and breaks off the affair. A devastated Phoebe blames Griffin for not telling her the truth sooner and breaks up with him.
Heartbroken, Griffin apologizes to Phoebe's mother and explains how much Phoebe means to him. After sending Phoebe food from their favorite restaurant as an apology, she invites him to the premiere of her documentary. The film is well-received, and Phoebe is able to attend NYU. Griffin reconciles with her at the premiere, revealing that he has decided to follow his dreams and attend Berklee. Though they will no longer be attending school in the same city, they promise to visit each other often before joking, as before, that the relationship is doomed.

Erin and Alec

Erin and Alec, a high school power couple, mutually decide to break off their relationship as they are planning on attending different colleges. Though they plan to be respectful even while apart, Erin is outraged when Alec quickly falls under the spell of Paige Wilcox, a popular but vapid classmate who takes advantage of his newly single status to ask him on a date. Though Alec secretly misses Erin, she tries to move on, focusing on her thankless job as a personal assistant.
Erin attends a Chicago Cubs baseball game with her best friend Audrey, who was given tickets with baseline seating from her employer. During the game, rookie player Ricky Santos jumps onto her lap while making a catch and later asks her out on a date. Erin is charmed by the friendly and homey Ricky, and the two begin to date. Alec breaks up with dull-witted Paige and unsuccessfully tries to win Erin back, becoming jealous when he learns of her relationship with Ricky.
Though Ricky convinces Erin that they are exclusive, she surprises him at his home to find him there with his ex. Ricky hastily explains that he and his ex had been together for a long time, and their situation is "complicated." Hurt and unmoved, Erin breaks up with him and regrets leaving Alec. Some time later, she encounters Alec at a party; the two decide to be friends again, moments before kissing and renewing their relationship.

Audrey

Audrey, a working-class student, finds herself rejected or waitlisted by all of her college options, as her grades were average due to her needing to work while in school. Disappointed, she decides to pursue her last choice option while taking up a job as a nanny to a precocious child actress, Lilah. Lilah's wealthy and self-centered mother, whose claim to fame was a bit part in Sixteen Candles, is determined to make Lilah a star. Though Lilah is rude and curt at first, she quickly warms up to the grounded Audrey.
Audrey learns that Lilah is uninterested in being a star and feels controlled by her overbearing mother. In turn, Audrey confesses her own feelings of inadequacy and disappointment that she is always settling for less. While waiting for a big audition that will help launch Lilah's career against her wishes, they both spontaneously decide to skip the audition and go to the beach, as Lilah desires. Lilah's mother is furious that her daughter missed the audition and fires Audrey, who happily parts ways with a cheered Lilah.
Though she is eventually accepted by her last-choice college, Audrey is disappointed to learn that she will be placed on academic probation, barring her from participating in much of student life on campus. Soured by the college interviewer's admonishments that she should be grateful to be accepted, Audrey decides to decline attendance at the college, instead choosing to forge her own path. Instead of attending college, she decides to volunteer for Teachers Without Borders, having grown a fondness for working with children.

Foster

Foster, Alec's best friend and coworker at the latter's self-started company, is attempting to make the most of his last summer by going through a "wishlist" of girls he would like to sleep with. Alec believes that the idea is offensive, but Foster is determined to see it through; however, he repeatedly finds himself rejected and ignored by women, including primary target Paige Wilcox, who is only interested in Alec. After his attempt at hooking up with a virginal Christian girl fails, he apparently makes progress with another girl at a party, only for her to reveal that his wishlist went viral, and no girl will sleep with him now.
While discussing the disappointment with Alec, Foster admits that, due to his busy schedule in school, he is actually a virgin; the wishlist was his attempt to make up for lost time. Alec assures him that he does not need to worry. Later, Alec leaves Foster to handle an invoice as he departs to make up with Erin. Foster meets with the client, an attractive divorcée, who seductively admits that she has been watching them work all week, and invites him inside her home for sex. Foster looks back at the audience with a smile before accepting.

Chad and Reece

Chad and Reece, two nerdy and unpopular best friends, stop at a bar on the way to a rehearsal dinner and are mistaken for professional traders due to their suits, as businessmen are frequenting the bar. As the waitress fails to card them, they enjoy drinks, conversation, and karaoke with the other businessmen, easily bluffing their way into the circle of businessmen. After becoming regulars and networking with the other patrons, they are eventually approached and befriended by two twentysomething women, Janet and Claire, who begin dating Reece and Chad respectively. Though the friends are enthralled by the success of their ruse at first, Chad becomes guilty at deceiving the women, who they are sincerely connecting with, and is concerned that they are getting too deep into the lie. Reece implores him to keep the deception going, aware that this is the most popular and well-liked they have ever been.
Eventually, Chad confesses to Claire that he and Reece are actually eighteen and know nothing about business. An amused Claire reveals that she and Janet have been aware of the ruse the entire time, but had gone along with it because they genuinely like them, and assures him that she finds him cool. Relieved, Chad asks if they can get married that day, and they resume their relationship.

Cast

In January 2018, it was announced that KJ Apa would star in The Last Summer, a film to be directed by William Bindley from a screenplay by Bindley and his brother, Scott Bindley. At the time, principal production was set to get underway in April 23, 2018. In March 2018, Jacob Latimore joined the ensemble, with principal production pushed to May 7, 2018. In April 2018, Maia Mitchell joined the cast to portray Apa's love interest in the film. In May 2018, Tyler Posey and Forrest Goodluck joined the cast.
In June 2018, it was announced that Netflix had acquired worldwide rights to the film with Halston Sage, Sosie Bacon, Gage Golightly, Wolfgang Novogratz, Jacob McCarthy, Mario Revolori and Gabrielle Anwar joining the ensemble cast.
Principal photography commenced in May 2018.

Reception

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 17% based on six reviews, and an average rating of 4.65/10.

Awards and nominations