A young man coming of age in high school schemes to lose his virginity. Sounds familiar, right? Last Summer of Nathan Lee, directed by Quentin Lee, adds a fatal twist.
Here's the official synopsis:
"Nathan Lee (Harrison Xu), an API teenager, finds out that he has brain cancer right before he turns 18 and vows to live the remains of his life with passion... and refuses to die a virgin. Knowing that his gay best friend, Dash (Matthew Mitchell Espinosa), wants to become a filmmaker, Nathan offers himself as a documentary subject to Dash, who is also in love with Nathan.
"Nathan and Dash decide to document as much of his remaining life as possible. Without reservation, Nathan experiments sexually and falls in love with Lorelei (Natasha Tina Liu), another high school friend. As Nathan realizes he cannot reciprocate Dash's true love, he decides to marry Dash, a Dreamer Immigrant, and gifts him American citizenship."
With a premise like that, melancholy sounds like it may rule the day, like maybe a Lifetime movie? But the director is Quentin Lee, who has made a career out of making films that straddle genres (see The Unbidden, 2009), yet embrace honesty and recognizable authenticity in their wit and wisdom (see Gay Hollywood Dad, 2018; The People I've Slept With, 2012; White Frog, 2011; Ethan Mao, 2004).
Last Summer of Nathan Lee will head to theaters on October 20 and then to digital on November 22. Check out the trailer below for a gentle taste of what's in store.