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The Last Summer

The Last Summer

Your real life is about to begin.

2019109 minTV-14Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Director
William Bindley
Starring
KJ Apa, Maia Mitchell, Jacob Latimore, Halston Sage

Standing on the precipice of adulthood, a group of friends navigate new relationships, while reexamining others, during their final summer before college.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Last Summer?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Last Summer streaming on Netflix.

Subscription

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Last Summer?

The Last Summer earns 4 badges, led by Summer blockbuster and Preferred by Men.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Last Summer worth watching?

The Last Summer's Midcredits score is the 31st percentile of all films, from 17K ratings across 2 sources. 32% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

31st percentile

Better received than 31% of films

34th percentile among Comedy32nd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)37th
Approval (how many liked it)26th

58 /100

37th percentile of all films

41st percentile among Comedy39th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.7 — solid but not unanimous.

32% liked it

26th percentile of all films

26th percentile among Comedy25th percentile among 2010s
32% rated it 7–1068% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 3 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

88th percentile

16K ratings across platforms

87th percentile among Comedy89th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 20% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a predictable, cliché-filled teen rom-com that is charming and nostalgic but lacks originality and coherent storytelling.

Fans praised

  • Chemistry between KJ Apa and Maia Mitchell carrying the central romance
  • Relatable coming-of-age moments capturing the summer after high school
  • Feel-good, charming tone with a soundtrack that fits the mood

Detractors panned

  • Overstuffed with too many underdeveloped storylines and characters
  • Unrealistic dialogue and acting that feels stiff or miscast
  • Generic, clichéd plot that offers nothing original

What stands out

ActingDivisive50

Divisive lead performances; KJ Apa and Maia Mitchell praised by fans, supporting cast widely panned as stiff or miscast

Sound and musicDivisive50

Soundtrack has fans, but detractors find it off-key or too loud

PacingDivisive35

Slow and meandering, especially the first half, with too many quick-cut scenes

CharactersDivisive30

Underdeveloped, unmemorable characters with too many storylines

Plot and storyDivisive30

Fragmented, predictable storylines that fail to connect

HumorDivisive30

Scattered laughs from fans, but detractors find it unfunny and cringey

DialogueDivisive25

Unrealistic and cringey dialogue, out of touch with teen speech

OriginalityDivisive20

Highly derivative of other teen movies, no fresh ideas

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 13 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s even
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Last Summer like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you want something light and easy.

It is gentle, has a few laughs and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Moods
BittersweetHopefulWarmJoyful
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
WarmSentimental · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Hyperlink · 1% of films: Separate storylines that intersect by coincidence.
ToneThe film plays its teen romances and self-discoveries straight, with warmth and a gentle sentimentality, though the dialogue and scenarios sometimes feel forced.
The ridePrimarily light and hopeful with a bittersweet weight as characters part ways at summer's end.
StructureTold in a conventional chronological order, but the story is an anthology of loosely interwoven character vignettes that cross paths.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe bittersweet feeling of leaving childhood behind mixes with hope for the new futures the characters choose.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% (this title) · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Liberation: Breaking free of a confining life (Room).

13% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe film follows multiple high school graduates over their last summer before college, each deciding who they want to be — breaking free of old selves, relationships or expectations for the future.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfComingof age
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% (this title) · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Coming of age · 5% of filmsFriendship · 9% of filmsRomantic love · 15% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on recent graduates navigating identity, relationships, and independence on the cusp of college.
StanceThe film affirms the passage into adulthood and the value of friendship and love during a transitional summer.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanUrbanRealistic
PopOrchestral classicalSupportive music · hybrid
Settinga suburban American town during the summer before college

Content guide

Is The Last Summer okay for kids?

TV-14

The Last Summer is rated TV-14. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (4/100), sexual content at moderate (41/100), language at moderate (44/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (52/100) and frightening material at minimal (13/100). Overall it is heavier than 43% of TV-14 films.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • Hungary16
  • Poland16
  • SingaporeNC16
  • Spain12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 25% of all filmsHeavier than 43% of TV-14 films
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for a TV-14 film
heavier than 8%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-14 film
heavier than 62%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a TV-14 film
heavier than 62%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-14 film
heavier than 94%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for a TV-14 film
heavier than 18%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is drug and alcohol content, heavier than 94% of TV-14 films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Last Summer have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Last Summer?

Cast

KJ Apa
as Griffin
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Maia Mitchell
as Phoebe
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jacob Latimore
as Alec
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Halston Sage
as Erin
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Tyler Posey
as Ricky
Sosie Bacon
as Audrey
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Wolfgang Novogratz
as Foster
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Gabrielle Anwar
as Griffin's Mom
Ed Quinn
as Griffin's Dad
Jacob McCarthy
as Chad
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Last Summer?

Movies like The Last Summer include Roll Bounce (2005), Cooley High (1975) and Secret Admirer (1985). Of the 12 closest matches, most are teen dramas, and most are films about friendship.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its subject: coming of age. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Last Summer?

1.8K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: teen drama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.