Alex (Marae Allen), Melissa (Kalani Jules), and Jackie (Azuri Hardy-Jones) are three close friends dealing with the quirks and foibles and challenges of adolescence in the 90s vibed That One Summer, a recent Indie Rights release reminiscent of nostalgia-tinged teen adventures and other coming-of-age films of which you'll likely find yourself reflecting during the film's just under 90-minute running time. 

Directed by Aaron Stylez, That One Summer centers around, yes, one unforgettable summer in 1994 that will change the lives of these three teenage girls. If you remember 1994, and I surely do, we were just on the cusp of the electronic world. Teenage adventures were still mostly outdoors, and these days it feels so far away in this electronic age. It is in these adventures that the girls enter the orbit of Diane (Catherine Stinger), whose storyline intrigues if somewhat disappoints. 

Even in its marketing, That One Summer feels a little uncertain about where it wants to lean narratively. When it leans into its elements around these young girls exclusively, That One Summer becomes something pretty special. While there's nothing at all wrong with Stinger's performance, her character feels secondary here and I found myself frequently wanting to get back to this wonderful trio and their coming-of-age. It helps that all three are particularly strong performers, clearly comfortable with each other and fully in-tune with their characters. They struggle and bond, grow up and mature. It's a lot of fun to watch. 

Co-writers Jordan Cann, Latoya Williams, and Stylez  have a knack for dialogue with these teens and that gets our buy-in early on. I was quite taken by Azuri Hardy-Jones's take on Jackie, an intelligent and oft-bullied teen who is different yet believably cohesive with her friends. Kalani Jules and Marae Allen, the latter arguably being the narrative focus, also really shine here. 

That One Summer nearly lost me in its opening, a somewhat stark unfolding promising more than the bright vibrance we initially expect. Stinger's Diane is an intriguing character, though at times it feels like perhaps part of her story got chopped. The result is that her story, which should likely be the film's emotional arc, doesn't quite get there. Instead, we're far more invested in the coming-of-age elements that are lighter yet emotionally resonant. 

The film's music is practically a character unto itself courtesy of music director Jemell Moore. Kevin Bennylee's lensing captures all the nostalgia, warmth, and retro vibes we want from the film and these characters. 

That One Summer is a nicely done low-budget indie. It's the kind of film I've come to expect from the folks at Indie Rights. They're terrific at finding these little gems that don't quite land in the studio spotlight but are worthy of reaching a wider audience. Here's hoping a wider audience finds That One Summer. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic