2023 NEWFEST REVIEW!
Leo (Bobbi Salvör Menuez) is a trans actor trying to catch a break, to find the role that will allow him to step into film and never have to look back. When Leo spends a weekend with Eleanor (Marianne Rendón), his straight friend, the conversations that ensue shake up their relationship. Summer Solstice sees the duo begin to question their friendship and their reality–and they are forced to ask if they are compatible.
The film is almost too simple sometimes, so much so that it can’t quite capture the attention of viewers. It’s just a depiction of life, a version of life that may not be abundantly familiar to the majority of the world, but life nonetheless. With that, it feels that Writer-Director Noah Schamus struggles to find the ability to include bursts of gusto that allow viewers access to the film. The film simply rolls along, providing viewers just barely enough information to entertain–and never enough to enthrall.
Paired with the simplicity of the film is something akin to silence. No, this isn’t a silent film. Yes, there is dialogue, a score, a soundtrack–but everything is so quiet. This is just another disconnect between Summer Solstice and viewers that is never rectified. There aren’t many instances throughout the course of Summer Solstice in which characters show emotion, but I’m not entirely sure that this is a result of actors’ abilities, but rather of the direction. Schamus appears to err on the side of caution throughout the entirety of the film, rarely veering from a relatively cookie-cutter algorithm of simplicity. As a result of this, the actors aren’t given the opportunity to shine, to emote, to showcase their talent–and this is just another reason why Summer Solstice is challenging for viewers to appreciate.
At the heart of the film is a story about friendship, and just as much, isolation. Summer Solstice wants to cover these topics, it wants to dive head first into the things that make us human and fill us with emotion–but there are just so many issues that make it challenging for viewers to access the film. On paper I imagine that this film holds a lot of weight, but it doesn’t translate well to the screen.
I desperately wanted this film to come to life in a more vibrant and accessible way, but much of the film is void of emotion. With Schamus leaning too much into simplicity, trying too hard to be cautious, Summer Solstice ultimately never finds its way. Could this film have resonated with viewers? Should it have? Absolutely, but the execution is all wrong. By the end of Summer Solstice I found frustration and little else. Schamus’ film had so much potential–but it ultimately amounts to much of nothing.
Written & Directed by Noah Schamus.
Starring Bobbi Salvör Menuez, Marianne Rendón, Mila Myles, Yaron Lotan, Monica Sanborn, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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