Parents' Guide to

The Last Summer

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

So-so teen romcom has cursing, alcohol, sex.

Movie NR 2019 109 minutes
The Last Summer Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 3 parent reviews

bobbiereviews
bobbiereviews Adult
October 5, 2020
age 18+

My Review

There was a lot of inappropriate things happening. There is a lot of drinking and smoking. They use the f-word. I was a bit uncomfortable, but that is my opinion.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
mfagundes
mfagundes Adult
June 16, 2019
age 16+

Do you remember "Singles" from the 90's .... with the great soundtrack?

Very "sex" themed in seeing how much you can score after graduation. After seeing the boy fumble with the condom wrapper I felt like this was WAY beyond a 13 year old's experience and the couple who is about to get it on in the living room when her dad comes home drunk and sits by them while they are still naked under a blanket. I'm not sure why I have to hear the F-bomb throughout the movie. I suppose this is how high schoolers talk nowadays and my daughter is numb to it, but it's a slow burning show about high school life.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Griffin (KJ Apa) and Phoebe (Maia Mitchell) fall in love in THE LAST SUMMER. Though Phoebe wants to focus on making a short film that will help her earn a scholarship, Griffin is smitten and persistent. It's a good thing, until family issues threaten to mess up their relationship. In other intercut stories: Alec (Jacob Latimore) and Erin (Halston Sage), hoping to make their college separation less painful, decide to break up early, with mixed results. Two geeky, socially inept graduates, Reese (Mario Revolori) and Chad (Jacob McCarthy), resolve to make up for lost time -- especially with girls -- and find themselves in a situation that's way over their heads. Audrey (Sosie Bacon), distressed that she's only wait-listed at her college "safety school," finds a job taking care of a child actress whose mom is problematic; for Audrey, that is life-changing.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (11):

Some engaging performances and thoughtful storylines get lost in this mixed bag of overpopulated teen clichés, one-note characters, and silly situations. Teen viewers can decide for themselves whether or not the characters and the situations ring true. The most original relationship -- between an insecure teen and the little girl she cares for -- results in truly meaningful growth for both of them. When two socially stunted smart boys launch affairs with grown-up women, it's both funny and unsavory, just as it would have been if it were young girls being seduced by older men. The central romance between Griffin and Phoebe is predictable yet satisfying. Unfortunately, the "boy-loses-girl" segment raises the issue of kids dealing with parents' infidelity, a sensitive topic that is given little attention here. Too many stories, so little time.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the underage drinking in The Last Summer. It appears to be a given here that folks in their late teens consume alcohol at parties and other social events. Do you think that media (particularly films like this one) contribute to an overall casual attitude about teen drinking? Were there any consequences for the kids?

  • Think of some of the stereotypes in this movie: the airhead rich girl, the nerdy smart boys, Lilah's "stage mother." Do you think stereotyping is OK when it's meant to be funny? Why or why not? Do you think even comic stereotypes normalize such caricatures?

  • What is meant by the statement "I need you to not judge my version of success." Why is that a meaningful concept?

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