Hermosa Beach, 1986.
Although it was two years before I was born, the nostalgia of coconut sunscreen and bright neon activewear is timeless for any South Bay native, myself included. Director Bill Kiely and writer Dave Harris bring this feeling of endless summer to the big screen this Friday in the coming of age comedy Age of Summer, which is both a story about teenage self-discovery and a love letter to the beautiful beaches of Southern California.
Doug Mills (Percy Hynes-White), who goes by the nickname Minnesota, is a teenage transplant from Chicago who finds himself in Hermosa Beach after his family was forced to relocate. His awkwardness isn’t lost on his peers- his scrawny build and boyish features make him an easy target for more mature kids who steal his rare and expensive bicycle and flaunt relationships with girls in his face. However, things begin to look up for Minnesota when he makes the cut as a Junior Lifeguard, a coveted opportunity among the locals. In order to secure his position on the team, he must complete a week of boot camp put on by the intimidating Australian tough guy Tony (Diarmaid Murtagh). Here begins Minnesota’s summer of learning as his perseverance is tested both psychically and mentally.
Those who are familiar with the South Bay communities and Hermosa Beach, in particular, may get even more from this hometown indie film than the average viewer.
The exercises are tough, but the bonds that Minnesota begins to build with the other kids in the group, including the scene-stealing Woods (Jake Ryan) and his love interest Brooke (Charlotte Sabina), slowly give him the confidence to live authentically. Of course, his journey of self-discovery isn’t without hiccups. His friendship with Woods is tested when Minnesota starts hanging out with the “cool” kids, and his moral compass drifts when he steals a marijuana plant in exchange for information about his stolen bike. Every experience that Minnesota goes through leads up to one moment, meeting a man known by the locals as The Rock God (Peter Stormare). The spiritual character, dressed in hippie garb and sporting a beard, reveals that an opportunity for a “cosmic do-over” of his life is forthcoming, which is a welcomed premonition for Minnesota.
There are many things to enjoy about Age of Summer, but those who are familiar with the South Bay communities and Hermosa Beach, in particular, may get even more from this hometown indie film than the average viewer. There are a few Easter eggs that are sure to make any local smile, like a cameo of The Beach Reporter newspaper, and the missing boy “Davie Harris,” whose name sounds awfully similar to the film’s writer, Dave Harris. A sweet nod to childhood, Age of Summer is ultimately enjoyable and charming.
‘Age of Summer’ is not rated. 89 minutes. Opening this Friday on VOD and at the Laemmle Monica Film Center.
