Griffin Nafly (Everett Blunck), a teenage diva with an old soul, makes quite the entrance in “Griffin in Summer.” Hilariously committed to his depiction of an imploding adult couple in his play “Regrets of Autumn,” he stuns a packed Borwood High School talent show with a scene from his play.
“And one more thing, Walter — they weren’t miscarriages,” he declares with Oscar-reaching bravado as Harriet. “They were abortions.”
“Regrets of Autumn” is Griffin’s latest self-penned production starring his teenage friends, with themes of adultery and alcoholism — inspired by his distant father, Bill (Michael Esper), and distracted mother, Helen (Melanie Lynskey). Blunck brings remarkable complexity to the 14-year-old Griffin, his face a vivid canvas. Brad (Owen Teague, sublimely oblivious), a 25-year-old stoner and struggling Brooklyn actor that Helen hires to do housework, only intensifies Griffin’s hidden feelings; in Brad’s presence, Griffin’s romantic impulses pour out.
A winking ode to queer youth who still dream — too fiercely, too soon — amid self-discovery and family disruption, “Griffin in Summer” gives aching shape to a child’s need for order in a world that defies their understanding. The film works by making Griffin’s play a powerful narrative centerpiece that illuminates his innermost thoughts.
The writer-director Nicholas Colia infuses his feature debut with sensitivity and the sweet awkwardness of youth. Much of the cringe comedy stems from kids acting well beyond their years, but the film overreaches when Griffin makes a desperate trip to pursue his Broadway ambition. Still, those of us who were once Griffins know the struggle of wanting something before we’re truly ready for it.
Griffin in Summer
Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 30 minutes. In theaters.
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