Griffin in Summer

Griffin in Summer

Year: 2025

Runtime: 1 h 30 m

Language: english

Director: Nicholas Colia

Echo Score: 80
ComedyDrama

Fourteen‑year‑old Griffin Nafly (Everett Blunck) is a prodigious playwright, confident that his work will define his generation. When he meets Brad (Owen Teague), a charismatic twenty‑five‑year‑old handyman, their unexpected connection forces Griffin to confront new emotions and reshapes both his personal life and the play he is writing.

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Timeline & Setting – Griffin in Summer (2025)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Griffin in Summer (2025). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Summer

The events take place over a single summer vacation, rooting the drama in sunlit days, late-night talks, and weekend trips. It centers on Griffin’s impulsive artistic project and the evolving dynamics among friends and family during this period. The timeframe emphasizes coming-of-age tensions and the urgency of youth-driven creativity during a formative season.

Location

Suburban family home with a pool, Maine, New York City, Community center

The story largely unfolds around Griffin’s family home with a pool in a suburban setting, with scenes shifting to a Maine trip and occasional glimpses of New York City. The poolside summers and local community spaces anchor the action, as the group rehearses and performs the play at a community center. The environment blends everyday family life with creative ambitions and teen friendships.

🏡 Suburban 🌊 Pool 🗽 City life

Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 15:23

Main Characters – Griffin in Summer (2025)

Meet the key characters of Griffin in Summer (2025), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Griffin Nafly

A 14-year-old aspiring playwright who dreams of moving to New York City to stage his work on Broadway. He spearheads Regrets of Autumn, drawing from his parents' divorce for inspiration. His enthusiasm for art is intense, yet his lack of boundaries can strain friendships as he manipulates events to fit his vision.

🧒 Teen 🎭 Artist 🧠 Dreamer

Brad Rizzo

A 25-year-old handyman recently back from New York City, Brad is artistic and open but also uncertain about his career. He becomes Griffin’s magnetic but complicated friend, while still being involved with his girlfriend Chloe. Griffin’s feelings for him drive tension, and Brad’s choices push the group’s dynamics to a breaking point.

🎭 Actor 🎨 Artist 🧭 Dreamer

Chloe

Brad’s girlfriend who is part of the social circle and the cast. She is perceptive about Griffin’s changes to the script and voices concerns about the direction of the play. After Griffin’s fake Glenn Bening email, she breaks up with Brad, contributing to the group’s upheaval before reconciliation.

🎭 Cast member 💬 Confidant 💕 Romantic interest

Kara

Griffin’s best friend who offers to direct the play. She contends with Griffin’s shifts in the script and balances friendships within the group. She must navigate her personal summer plans in Maine while staying engaged with the production.

🎭 Cast member 👯‍♀️ Friend 💬 Advisor

Winnie Hernandez

A cast member who helps keep the group cohesive. She participates in the play and is instrumental in reuniting Griffin with the rest of the ensemble, eventually introducing Mark to Griffin’s work.

🎭 Cast member 👥 Friend 🗺️ Connector

Pam Vanderworm

Cast member who supports the production and acts as a stabilizing presence within the ensemble. Her participation helps sustain the group's friendship and collaborative spirit during rehearsals.

🎭 Cast member 🤝 Friend 💬 Supportive

Tyler Smoot-Rigsby

Another cast member who is replaced by Brad as Griffin reshapes the production. His role underscores the volatility of the summer project and the shifting dynamics of the group.

🎭 Cast member 🧭 Friend 💔 Setback

Mark

A new connection introduced toward the end of the summer who expresses appreciation for Griffin’s work and becomes part of the cast dynamics. His arrival symbolizes Griffin’s expanding circle and creative potential.

🎭 Cast member 🧠 Creative 🧑‍🎨 Newcomer

Helen

Griffin’s mother, who is navigating a strained marriage with Bill. She supports Griffin's art and, after a period of turmoil, reconciles with him, reinforcing family bonds and forgiveness.

👩‍👧 Mother 💞 Caring 🧠 Strong

Bill

Griffin’s father, whose marital troubles with Helen become a backdrop for Griffin’s play. The adult conflict informs the themes of family, communication, and artistic inspiration.

👨 Father 💬 Troubled 🧩 Complex

Brad's Mom

Brad’s mother, a protective figure who becomes aware of the evolving situation and participates in guiding her son through the summer’s events.

👩 Mother 🗣️ Protective 💖 Understanding

Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 15:23

Major Themes – Griffin in Summer (2025)

Explore the central themes of Griffin in Summer (2025), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎭 Ambition

Griffin’s drive to stage a new play drives much of the plot, highlighting how artistic ambition can push friendships apart even as it binds people together. The process of writing and staging Regrets of Autumn becomes a mirror for Griffin’s own yearnings and insecurities. The theme explores the double-edged sword of creative pursuit in adolescence.

💔 Love and Jealousy

Griffin’s crush on Brad triggers jealousy and poor judgment, culminating in the Glenn Bening email that fractures the duo’s relationships. The fallout with Brad and the unraveling of trust test the limits of friendship and romance. The arc shows how unreciprocated feelings can destabilize a tight-knit group.

🎨 Art and Identity

The play acts as a vessel for Griffin to explore identity, belonging, and how personal stories shape who we become. The collaboration forces him to confront others’ feelings and the consequences of manipulating art for personal desire. Through rehearsal and performance, Griffin negotiates who he is within his community.

🤝 Friendship and Forgiveness

Despite missteps, the ensemble learns to apologize, forgive, and recommit to the creative project. The cast’s willingness to return to the play after conflicts demonstrates the resilience of their friendship. The final debut at the community center caps a summer of growth, reconciliation, and shared achievement.

Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 15:23

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Movies about an awkward first crush like Griffin in Summer

Coming-of-age stories centered on the tender, confusing flush of a first crush.If you liked the tender, confusing emotions of Griffin's crush on Brad in Griffin in Summer, you'll find similar stories here. These movies explore the specific experience of a first romantic awakening, often with a bittersweet but hopeful tone, focusing on character growth over dramatic plot.

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Stories in this thread typically follow a young protagonist navigating the uncharted waters of a first major infatuation. The narrative revolves around the emotional volatility of this experience—the highs of hope and connection, the lows of rejection or misunderstanding—and culminates in a moment of significant personal insight or maturation.

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These films are grouped together for their shared focus on the unique emotional texture of a first crush. They share a bittersweet, reflective tone, a medium emotional weight, and a character-driven pace that allows the audience to fully inhabit the protagonist's inner world of confusion and discovery.

Movies about a transformative artistic summer like Griffin in Summer

Stories where a creative individual's personal life fuels their art over one transformative season.Fans of Griffin in Summer will enjoy these stories of young artists whose summer experiences directly shape their creative work. These films blend artistic ambition with personal growth, set against the backdrop of a single, defining season, resulting in bittersweet and reflective narratives.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows a creative protagonist through a condensed period, usually a summer, where their artistic ambitions collide with real-world relationships and emotions. The central conflict or connection they experience becomes the catalyst for their art, forcing them to reinterpret their work through the lens of their lived experience, leading to a more authentic final creation.

Why These Movies?

These movies are connected by the symbiotic relationship between art and life. They share a steady pace that allows for reflection, a medium intensity focused on interpersonal and internal conflict, and a bittersweet tone that acknowledges the pain of growth while celebrating artistic expression.

Unlock the Full Story of Griffin in Summer

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Griffin in Summer Summary

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Griffin in Summer Summary

Griffin in Summer Timeline

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Griffin in Summer Timeline

Griffin in Summer Ending Explained

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Griffin in Summer Ending Explained

Griffin in Summer Spoiler-Free Summary

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More About Griffin in Summer

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