Institute History
Description
Awkward, self-conscious Adam (Nicholas Alexander), a high-school teenager, jumps at the chance to spend the summer with his hip older sister Casey (Margaret Qualley) in New York City. Since leaving home, Casey has integrated herself into the LGBTQ+ community, openly embracing her sexuality and making activism a part of her daily life. When Adam tags along to a marriage-equality march, he sees the beautiful, savvy Gillian (Bobbi Salvör Menuez) and is instantly smitten. Gillian mistakes Adam’s gender identity, and he can’t quite bring himself to correct her error as the two grow closer. Before long, what started as a simple misunderstanding evolves into a comedy of errors that lays bare how out of his depth Adam truly is.
First-time feature director Rhys Ernst brings Ariel Schrag’s funny and unconventional boy-meets-girl novel to life with razor-sharp wit and honesty, nailing a satirical look at the nuances of sexual identity and the details of this early-2000s period. Nicholas Alexander carefully imbues Adam with vulnerability, complicating easy assessments in this unapologetic, playful, and raw coming-of-age comedy.