Something Like Summer (film)
Something Like Summer is a 2017 drama musical film based upon the 2011 Young Adult novel Something Like Summer by Jay Bell and the first entry in the Something Like... series.[1]
| Something Like Summer | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | David Berry |
| Produced by |
|
| Screenplay by | Carlos Pedraza |
| Story by | Jay Bell |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Cian McCarthy |
| Cinematography | David Berry |
Release date |
|
Running time | 115 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Characters
- Grant Davis as Benjamin "Ben" Bentley
- Davi Santos as Tim Wyman
- Ben Baur as Jace Holden
- Ajiona Alexus as Allison Cross
- Jana Lee Hamblin as Mrs. Bentley
- Ron Boyd as Mr. Bentley
- Tristan Decker as Bryce Hunter
- Madisyn Lane as Krista Norman
- Chip Sherman as Ronny Adams
Plot
Tim Wyman (Davi Santos) and Bryce Hunter (Tristan Decker) are at the park. Nearby, Ben Bentley (Grant Davis), Allison Cross (Ajiona Alexus), and Ronny are hanging around a picnic table. As Allison tries to get Ben's attention, who is watching Tim through a pair of binoculars, he drifts off into his own fantasy, singing a cover of Us. His fantasy is interrupted when Allison leaves with Ronny to go to band practice.
Later, Tim is sketching in the park when Ben comes rollerblading through and runs into Tim, causing him to roll down the hill and injuring his leg. Ben takes Tim to the hospital and convinces the nurse that Tim's parents will be informed of his injuries and takes Tim home. While at the Wyman residence, Ben helps take care of Tim and the two begin to converse about the prospect of being gay in Texas. A couple of days go by and Ben's mother confronts him about sneaking out of the house and him lying about meeting up with Allison. Thinking he has been sneaking off to gay bars, she gives him some pamphlets and condoms. Ben eventually confesses about the situation with Tim and they go have dinner. During dinner, Ben gets grounded for skipping school, but he sneaks out and goes to Tim's house where he sees him making out with Krista and storms off. While at home, Tim calls him asking him to come over to "finish" where he and Krista stopped because she left after an argument. Ben arrives and the two awkwardly get down to business when Tim kisses Ben. Ben is surprised because it was his first kiss and Tim continues, telling him to "get ready for [his] second". Ben promises not to tell anyone what they did under the condition that Tim calls him later.
Tim brings Ben to his art studio at his father's office and Ben is impressed by all the different works of art that Tim has all over the place, particularly piece with a heart. The two of them continuously kiss and flirt with one another. Tim gives Ben a key to his house. Ben arrives at the Wyman's residence to "pickup some note" and is eventually invited for dinner. During their dinner conversation, Ben tells Tim's parents that he has a boyfriend, which immediately causes Tim's parents to become visibly uncomfortable. Later on, Tim jogs over to the Bently residence and tells Ben that his parents do not want him to hang around Ben anymore. The two argue about it for a bit but eventually plan to work things out and make their relationship work.
While out with his mother and Allison, they see Tim with Krista and Bryce. Mrs. Bently is confused, believing that Tim was with her son. That night, Ben wand Tim meet up in the park. Tim tells Ben he broke up with Krista for him. Before they can proceed with any lewd activity in the park, they smell smoke and realize that a fire had been made. As they split up, Ben runs into Bryce and picks up his lighter and runs away when the police shows up. Ben meets Tim begin to argue about the situation when Bryce arrives. Bryce taunts the two of them and a fight soon ensues, leaving Bryce knocked unconscious and Tim telling Ben to leave, breaking off their relationship.
Two years later, and Ben has moved to Chicago. He gets a call from Allison that her father has died and she wants him to "come home". On the flight home, Ben meets a flirtatious flight attendant, Jace Holden (Ben Baur), who eventually gives him his number. After the funeral for her father, Allison tries to convince Ben to move back to Texas, although he is hesitant, he eventually says he will as long as they get an apartment. Ben meets up with Jace for New Years and spends time getting to know him.
Nine months later, Ben is upset at Jace for not spending enough time with him when Jace reveals that he is moving to Austin to be closer to Ben, but also surprises him with a vacation to Paris, France. While in Paris, Jace brings Ben to "Theatre de le Renard" where he convinces Ben to perform a song on stage. Although initially nervous, Ben gets into the groove, but sees flashes of Tim and Allison and stops singing, feeling humiliated.
One year later, Ben and Allison are at a restaurant where they talk about what to do after college as they only have two months left. To their surprise, Tim is sitting nearby and comes over. Ben leaves in frustration, followed by Tim. Giving him a cellphone and his sketchbook, Tim promises he will call Ben. Back at their apartment, Ben and Allison are talking about Tim. Allison tells Ben about rumors of Tim having a sugar daddy. Tim calls Ben later that night and the two eventually talk face to face. Ben tells him that he is in a relationship with Jace, much to Tim's dismay.
Jace and Ben are having dinner and talking about Tim coming back into Ben's life. Tim appears with a pizza and invites himself in to get to know Jace more. As Tim talks about his past with Ben, Jace becomes uncomfortable. Tim becomes upset when Jace bring up the sugar daddy rumors. Explaining the situation to them, Tim admits that he wants to be friends with the both of them because Eric was his best friend. Ben arrives at Jace's apartment to meet a young man who is putting a note on Jace's entrance. Ben argues with Jace about the guy as the note was eluding to Jace cheating on Ben while working in Boston the weekend before. Ben storms off and goes to Tim's place. As they talk and drink, Ben becomes drunk and makes a pass at Tim, but is stopped. The next morning, Ben awakes and goes to the backyard where he see the garage door chained shut. Before he can try to break in, Tim arrives and opens it for him. The garage is shown to be Tim's art studio. The two of them kiss and eventually sleep together.
At dinner with Allison, Ben confesses that he slept with Tim. They argue about who Ben should be with, he storms off. The next day, he is walking at school when he sees Tim talking to a young man. He confronts them recognizing him as the guy who put the note on Jace's door. Ben realizes that Tim had put him up to it. After calling Tim a coward, Ben leaves.
After their graduation, Ben admits to Jace that he slept with Tim and Jace leaves him. Ben and Allison gets plane tickets and ambushes Jace while he is working. After the two sing a duet cover of So Sick Ben convinces Jace to take him back. The scene cuts to three years later at Ben and Jace's wedding. Time passes and Ben is shown singing in a theater production; Tim watching from the audience.
Jace is complaining about his headaches one morning and eventually collapses in a seizure. Being rushed to the hospital, the doctor tells Ben that Jace had an aneurysm and he was too weak to go into surgery for the others. Ben goes into see him, but before anything can be said, Jace seizes up once again and Ben is rushed out of the room. Ben meets up with his parents and they console him after Jace's death. Five years later, Ben becomes a recluse in the Allison tries to cheer him up. Now pregnant, Allison takes Ben out, telling him that he needed it. They arrive at a gallery and Ben notices that the artist is Tim. Tim gives a speech about the people that helped him become the artist he is now, especially Ben. Before he can rush out of the building, he stops at a painting of a heart and sits. After everyone leaves, Tim comes and sits next to Ben and they hold hands.
Reception
Eye for Film reviewed the movie, writing that "Overall, Something Like Summer is very good at what it does, but what it does never really gets beyond the superficial."[2] Film Inquiry also wrote a review, stating "On balance, there is more to like in Something Like Summer than dislike but it doesn’t make it easy: for the most part it feels sincere, wears its heart on its sleeve and considers some profound thematic material – but its issue with plot developments and characters drag it down considerably."[3]
References
- "The Something Like… series". Jay Bell Books. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
- "Something Like Summer (2017) Movie Review from Eye for Film". Eye for Film. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
- "Something Like Summer: Rain & Shine In This Mixed Bag". www.filminquiry.com. Retrieved 2017-12-27.