The Last Day of Summer

Luke Malloy and his friends form the band Steel Monkey and prepare for middle school. Luke's sister Diana warns about the dangers of junior high and losing friends to the 'cool' crowd, while bully Meat looms. The trio plans a sleepover at A.J.'s house to soak up the last days of summer.

The carnival is the backdrop for Steel Monkey's upcoming talent show. Luke embarrasses himself in front of his crush Alice during the event, fueling his nerves about middle school. Meat and his friends threaten the band, hinting at the social pressures they'll face.

After the carnival, the boys head to a skate park where Snake, an experienced skater, gives them blunt advice about skating and fitting in. Luke worries about making a splash and earning respect, while A.J. and Riley watch his every move. The idea of joining The Pound begins to form, setting up the next challenge.

Moments before Steel Monkey's onstage, Luke wishes he could spend his last day of summer doing anything he wants. A sudden challenge ends with him waking up in the same tent, realizing he has been sent back to the morning. The time loop has begun, trapping him in a cycle of repeated days.

Luke relives the same day and tests different strategies to impress Alice, teach kindness to Meat, and win Snake's approval. He keeps failing, always waking up again in the tent before the show. Each loop ends with him being knocked unconscious by a different, unforeseen accident.

Weeks pass as Luke spends more time at the skate park, trying to earn a place with The Pound. He constantly fails the skate challenges against Gus, gradually improving yet never quite winning. The loop returns him to the carnival with A.J. and Riley, and Meat's presence keeps resurfacing.

Desperate for belonging, Luke tries to relate to Meat by understanding his home life, but misreads the signals and triggers Meat's pursuit. A prank involving an industrial cord to a departing truck escalates the tension within the loop. Luke continues to fall back to the carnival, frustrated but determined to change how things unfold.

With the carnival cycle dragging on, Luke shifts his focus to the skate park and begins ditching A.J. and Riley in the mornings. They eventually catch up with him at the park, realizing something has changed in his priorities. He chases acceptance from the skate crew rather than his old friends.

After months, Luke finally defeats Gus in the Pound tryouts and is invited to join the group. Diana intervenes, telling Snake that Luke is too young for the elite crew, but Snake insists the three N's — hangN, rideN, and partyN — matter more. Luke realizes The Pound isn't like his real friends and begins to question where he belongs.

Luke returns to the carnival to face A.J. and Riley, who are angry and feel betrayed by his focus on The Pound. They blow him off, and he confronts the growing distance in their friendship. The moment marks a turning point as he reconsiders his choices.

The next morning Luke is gone from the tent, and he sits on a park bench crying until Diana finds him. She helps him understand that the loop might end if he changes his day for the better and supports his future in small, meaningful ways. She encourages him to be confident when he sees Alice and to repair his relationships.

Luke confronts Meat again, warning him against bullying and hinting he'll reveal Meat's real name to the class if he doesn't change. Meat agrees to be nicer, and Luke works to make a better impression on Mr. Molesky, improving his standing before the new school year. Alice tells him she is glad they'll be in the same class.

During the waiting backstage before the carnival concert, Luke retrieves the Frisbee that could reset the loop. He finds that nothing happens to him, and Maxine indicates she remembers the loop's existence. Reassured, Luke decides to perform with Steel Monkey and push through.

Steel Monkey delivers a heartfelt version of The Last Day of Summer, with Snake joining in as the crowd cheers. Immediately after, Luke is knocked out again by a chipmunk that falls from the top of the stage. The successful show ends with the loop effectively resetting in a new way.

Luke wakes up on the first day of school and discovers he has to stay home due to his head injury. A.J. and Riley visit after school, and Luke looks toward the new year with a mixture of optimism and caution about his friendships and opportunities.