Common Sense Media Review
Appealing coming-of-age dramedy has language, sex, drugs.
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Three Months
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Eighteen-year-olds Caleb (Troye Sivan) and Estha (Viveik Kalra) have to wait THREE MONTHS for the results of HIV tests. They meet at a support group for gay men and have an instant connection, but Estha has not come out to his traditional Indian parents. Both boys are stuck in limbo while they grapple with potentially dire test results and postpone decisions about starting college in the fall as planned. Meanwhile, Caleb's best friend Dara (Brianne Tju) feels abandoned by him, and his grandmother (Ellen Burstyn) and her boyfriend (Louis Gossett Jr.) try to offer some support and stability in his parents' absence.
Is It Any Good?
YouTube sensation Troye Sivan has an undeniable screen presence that carries this enjoyable snapshot of three teens facing life -- or possible illness -- after high school graduation. Three Months also boasts an enviable supporting cast, including veterans Burstyn and Gossett Jr. and relative newcomer Kalra. Though Sivan is 26, he plays an 18-year-old credibly with his slender frame and angelic face; he looks so innocent here that it's almost hard to imagine him in the circumstances that led to the HIV scare. But that doesn't make him ill-matched to the character, who sits at that tender moment between childhood (screaming on roller coasters, smoking weed at every turn) and adulthood (heading off to college, craving a real relationship). His Gen Z snarkiness softens as he matures over the course of the summer.
The film is split into chapters by summer months, and for the main characters, the summer after graduation is no party. But as Caleb's doctor notes, "It's amazing what you can discover after life gets f--ked up." And it does seem Caleb is on a journey, despite the holding pattern forced on him by the 90-day wait for test results. Some early scenes echo that waiting around, conveying the impression that nothing much is happening on screen. The script also plays with some symbolism, like connected pairs cycling synchronously on a tandem bike, the patience required while a drawbridge opens and closes, and brand-new white Converse representing a fresh start. The film's soundtrack and colorful credits add to a hip mood, setting the scene in a pastel-colored beachfront Florida town at the start and eclectic New York City at the end.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the emotional agony of waiting for serious test results, as depicted in Three Months. Do you think the boys handle the situation well? Why, or why not?
Do you think this film offers a realistic portrayal of teenagers? How so, or how not?
Why does Caleb's mom kick him out? When he finds the box of his father's things, what did that suggest to you about her feelings?
What mood is set by the opening and closing credits set for the film? How about the music?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : February 23, 2022
- Cast : Troye Sivan , Viveik Kalra , Ellen Burstyn
- Director : Jared Frieder
- Inclusion Information : Gay Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Paramount+
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School )
- Run time : 104 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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