“August” tells the story of two former lovers, Troy and Jonathan, who reunite after a long ago painful breakup. After spending several years in Spain, Troy returns to Los Angeles and decides to phone Jonathan and meet for coffee. A seemingly innocent rendezvous turns flirtatious as they are intensely swept away by each other’s presence and memories of the past.
Troy, a damaged, passive aggressive beauty, tries to revive his long ago summer romance with Jonathan, and also struggles to decide between a new life in Los Angeles and an already established career in Barcelona. Jonathan, who has found solace from the breakup in his current beau, Raul, struggles with desire and longing. Childlike and innocent, he has never been able to heal from the trauma of Troy breaking up with him, and Troy’s arrival and his imminent attraction threaten his relationship with Raul.
Raul, an Argentinean immigrant, the most mature of the three, is also the least damaged. Nonetheless, adhering to his beliefs he doesn’t immediately confront Jonathan’s growing attraction to Troy and its effects. Forced to work under the table as a bartender until his working papers come through, he questions how much of a sacrifice he’s willing to make for a life in America with Jonathan.
The film jumps times and perspectives and offers overlapping story lines to project circular feel and repetitiveness. It explores the way in which we are always trying to break the cycles of habit and make difficult decisions regarding our lives and relationships. The film never descends into the typical three-way melodrama. All characters as well as the audience are well aware of what’s going on. With subtlety, “August” explores themes of timing, interlacing of emotions, and the complexity of making choices. It is never black or white. And it is never meant to provide answers. But rather, to provoke and ask what if…
Troy, a damaged, passive aggressive beauty, tries to revive his long ago summer romance with Jonathan, and also struggles to decide between a new life in Los Angeles and an already established career in Barcelona. Jonathan, who has found solace from the breakup in his current beau, Raul, struggles with desire and longing. Childlike and innocent, he has never been able to heal from the trauma of Troy breaking up with him, and Troy’s arrival and his imminent attraction threaten his relationship with Raul.
Raul, an Argentinean immigrant, the most mature of the three, is also the least damaged. Nonetheless, adhering to his beliefs he doesn’t immediately confront Jonathan’s growing attraction to Troy and its effects. Forced to work under the table as a bartender until his working papers come through, he questions how much of a sacrifice he’s willing to make for a life in America with Jonathan.
The film jumps times and perspectives and offers overlapping story lines to project circular feel and repetitiveness. It explores the way in which we are always trying to break the cycles of habit and make difficult decisions regarding our lives and relationships. The film never descends into the typical three-way melodrama. All characters as well as the audience are well aware of what’s going on. With subtlety, “August” explores themes of timing, interlacing of emotions, and the complexity of making choices. It is never black or white. And it is never meant to provide answers. But rather, to provoke and ask what if…
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