Summer Days, Summer Nights

Summer Days, Summer Nights

Year: 2021

Runtime: 124 min

Language: English

Drama

Set on Long Island in 1982, this story follows several young people whose carefree summer days are touched by romance and heartbreak. JJ’s job at his father’s Beach Club becomes complicated when he falls for Debbie. Meanwhile, Frankie and Caitlin navigate a rekindled passion, while everyone experiences the bittersweet realization that summer's warmth is fleeting, and will soon give way to memories of lost innocence and fleeting love.

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Timeline & Setting – Summer Days, Summer Nights (2021)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Summer Days, Summer Nights (2021). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Summer 1982

The narrative unfolds across a single sun-soaked season on the North Shore, anchored by a nostalgic 1980s soundtrack and long days of beach life. Relationships develop in fits and starts as work and leisure collide, forcing characters to confront adulthood. The period mood emphasizes transition, youth, and the pull between staying local or chasing bigger dreams.

Location

Long Island, New York

A working-class beach town on Long Island with cottages, boardwalks, marinas and seasonal rhythms. Memorial Day weekend heralds a bustling summer where locals balance work, flirtation and the pursuit of growing up. By Labor Day the town settles back into off-season routines, leaving a lingering sense of summer memories.

🏖️ Beach town 🎞️ 1980s setting 👥 Community

Last Updated: November 25, 2025 at 01:01

Main Characters – Summer Days, Summer Nights (2021)

Meet the key characters of Summer Days, Summer Nights (2021), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

JJ Flynn (Pico Alexander)

Just graduated from high school, JJ is restless and unsure about adulthood. He wrestles with whether to stay in his father’s world at the beach club or pursue a bigger life elsewhere, all while navigating a budding romance with Debbie.

🎯 Ambition 🏖️ Beach life

Debbie Espinoza (Lindsey Morgan)

Confident, sharp and ambitious, Debbie carries her own plans and expectations. Her growing connection with JJ invites him to expand his horizons beyond the familiar rhythms of the town.

💪 Independence 🏖️ Beach life

Frankie Espinoza (Anthony Ramos)

Frankie returns home after time away, carrying unresolved longing. He reconnects with Suzy and faces whether the past can inform a future in a town that keeps changing around him.

🕰️ Return 💔 Longing

Suzy Denner (Caitlin Stasey)

Back for the summer, Suzy is curious about who she has become and what she wants from life. Her interactions with Frankie test whether an old flame can survive the push and pull of time apart.

💖 Reconnection 🌞 Summer

Terry (Amadeus Serafini)

A wannabe musician staying with the Flynn family, Terry believes in Winky’s talent and nudges her toward pursuing her dreams. His energetic presence stirs mentorship and flirtation within the group.

🎵 Music 💡 Inspiration

Winky McKenna (Rita Volk)

Marina-scarred teenage daughter of Claudia, Winky drifts when her relationship with her boyfriend falters. Terry sees her potential and pushes her to believe in herself beyond the present slump.

💃 Talent 💭 Dreams

Lydia (Zoe Levin)

Married to Mello, Lydia embodies the town’s woven relationships. Her presence highlights how loyalties, obligations, and personal desires intersect during a summer of change.

💬 Community 🔗 Relationships

Mello (Jon Rudnitsky)

A boisterous, self-assured local who acts as a lively observer of the town’s happenings. Married to Lydia, his outgoing energy colors the summer’s social landscape while hinting at deeper truths.

🎭 Community 🗣️ Narration

Jack Flynn (Edward Burns)

Jack runs the family beach club with practical authority. He embodies the pull between local duty and the lure of broader opportunities that lie beyond the shore.

👔 Authority 🏝️ Workplace

Claudia McKenna (Susan Misner)

Owner of the nearby marina and the steady center of the coastal network, Claudia manages work, relationships and community in a town that runs on seasons.

🏪 Community 💼 Business

Last Updated: November 25, 2025 at 01:01

Major Themes – Summer Days, Summer Nights (2021)

Explore the central themes of Summer Days, Summer Nights (2021), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🌱 Coming of Age

The summer becomes a rite of passage as JJ and his peers weigh routines against new possibilities. Small moments—jobs, conversations, late-night talks—collectively push them toward independence. The film concentrates on personal growth rather than dramatic shocks, highlighting how choices shape the move from youth to adulthood.

🎯 Ambition

Each character tests what they want for their future against the pull of comfort and local expectations. JJ faces a crossroads between his father’s plan and a chance to explore something bigger. Frankie and Suzy navigate whether their past can sustain a future amid changing selves.

💖 Romance

Romantic connections thread through the summer, driving tension and growth. JJ and Debbie explore a tentative bond that challenges both to reconsider priorities. Frankie and Suzy’s rekindled dynamic tests the durability of love when time and distance have changed them.

Last Updated: November 25, 2025 at 01:01

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Summer Days, Summer Nights Summary

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Summer Days, Summer Nights Timeline

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