Film Review - Edge of Summer (2024)

An argument could be made that your sophomore feature could be as important as your debut. It is a way to show that it is more than just beginner’s luck and can cement your career for the future. Lucy Cohen’s second feature is also her first narrative. Her debut was a documentary, so heading into Edge of Summer, she had a lot to prove.

Edge of Summer is a complex and deeply interesting film, starring Flora Hylton and Joel Sefton-Iongi in their debut feature. The story follows Evie while on holiday, as she makes friends with a local boy named Adam who takes her to a local tin mine. However, what they uncover at the tin mine has a rippling effect and slowly starts to impact the characters on the surface above the mine.

The debut performances by Flora Hylton and Joel Sefton-Iongi can be described in one word for me: inconsistent. There are moments where their performances flourish and shine, but there are other scenes where their performances are quite subpar. It feels like their performances are hindered by the direction in some way. Do not get me wrong; I feel Lucy Cohen does a good job directing the film visually, but I wish at times she would redo some moments, as it feels like some of the takes were one and done. However, I also feel the script is underwhelming. There is an argument that happens between Evie and her mum, and I just felt it came out of nowhere and made no logical sense whatsoever.

While not everything works, some aspects truly shine. There is a plotline revolving around Adam and the loss of his father, and I feel that every time it shows up, it’s great. But it’s only half of the film. The film also has a plotline regarding the tin mine, where they hear a voice coming from the bottom of the mine. While I don’t mind fantastical elements in serious films, I feel this aspect of the film goes nowhere. That could describe the whole film for me. I feel it goes in interesting directions, but the destination is just a field of emptiness. I don’t think this film is bad, but I also feel the film is not good. Edge of Summer had the potential to be great, but sadly, it is not.