All good movies come from a personal place. While the definition of “personal” varies greatly across different films and genres, this is still a universal truth. In the case of semi-autobiographical stories or narratives inspired by one’s own life, the more traditional translation of the word “personal” is most applicable. Such is the case with Jared Isaac’s directorial debut An Autumn Summer.
This coming-of-age feature is derived from Isaac’s own life experiences of vacations on the Michigan coast with his closest friends. The film is told primarily from the perspective of a young man named Kevin (Mark McKenna (Sing Street)) in his last summer of freedom before college. As is tradition, he spends the season on the lakes with his parents, Steve (Tony Horton, creator of the P90X) and Mary Lou (Louise Barnes (Surviving Evil; Black Sails)). They are always joined by Kevin’s beloved girlfriend, Cody (Lukita Maxwell (Shrinking and Backrooms)), and old pals Martin (Julian Bass, of TikTok fame) and Jared (Jun Yu (Mulan)). This core group of friends knows that their youth is a ticking clock. Things will change at the end of this summer. And, unsurprisingly, it is the love story between Kevin and Cody that serves as the driving point of the narrative.
L-R: Mark McKenna as Kevin and Lukita Maxwell as Cody in AN AUTUMN SUMMER. Photo courtesy of Blue Harbor Entertainment.
Chemistry between actors is not something that can be forced. I do not pretend to understand the alchemy that makes a cast work so well together, but audiences know it when they see it. And we certainly see it in An Autumn Summer. Not only does the central romance between Kevin and Cody have an undeniable charm, but the affection and warmth amongst the entire friend group is fully realized. They enjoy each other’s company in the fresh outside air of a Michigan summer. The communal power of art brings them together as they read The Stardust Compendium. They smoke weed and get way too high. The film allows these scenes to breathe and move at their own pace, never in a hurry, but never becoming a drag, either. Kevin’s parents are there the whole time, occupying a unique space as the sweet folks who seem to genuinely understand the young people with them. It is refreshing to see the representation of healthy relationships between parents and teenagers on film. Reality is not always this kind, but sometimes it is. There is an idyllic quality to the memories of this summer, but occasionally rose-tinted glasses are the right prescription.
L-R: Tony Horton as Steve and Louise Barnes as Mary Lou in AN AUTUMN SUMMER. Photo courtesy of Blue Harbor Entertainment.
Cinematographer Brandon Somerhalder (The Queen of Basketball; Come See Me in the Good Light) brings his documentary background to An Autumn Summer and makes the most of the sunshine and lush greens of the landscape. As the viewer, I wanted to be on those beaches or surrounded by those trees. All of this is heightened by Hayes Bradley’s (Thirsty) serene music score, gently accompanying the scenery. But aside from the pleasing aesthetic, the visuals communicate the deeper themes of the narrative and the characters’ journeys. If the film is ultimately about the end of an era, there are a couple of sequences in particular that must be highlighted. One is a five-minute-long tracking shot featuring our four main teenage characters walking along a beach at sunset. The camera is initially trained on a conversation between Martin and Jared, who are walking slightly ahead of Kevin and Cody. And then, the camera glides and transitions the focus of the scene to a dialogue between Kevin and Cody. The sun blinks in and out of view on the horizon behind the couple. We follow their conversation as they begin wading into a tide pool, and by the end of the scene, all four of the friends are together again in the water. There’s a lot you can point to in this moment. The sinking sun can be seen as an illustration of their teenage years fading away. The shifting tides of the water are a reflection of the changes in their lives. And, their temporary separation into pairs before reconvening is representative of how life has always gone for this group. Yet, they all know that this will probably be the last summer of this tradition. How bittersweet.
A scene from AN AUTUMN SUMMER. Photo courtesy of Blue Harbor Entertainment.
While the majority of the film is grounded totally in reality, there is a single surreal image that leaves an impression: Kevin and Cody, embraced in a kiss, hovering in the air, silhouetted against the cosmos of the night. In that instant, it is the two of them against the universe. But summer does not last forever, and they both know it. Anyone who has ever been in love as a teenager or young adult understands that feeling, and this scene captures it beautifully.
While a film coming from a loving place does not inherently guarantee its success, it certainly lays a strong foundation. From there, it is a combination of talent in front of and behind the camera along with intentional creative choices that can either deliver on this potential or leave the audience mourning what could have been. Thankfully, An Autumn Summer finds harmony within its possibilities, and what results is a moving and unashamed portrait of young love.
Available on VOD and digital June 9th, 2026.
Final Score: 4 out of 5.
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