Set against the windswept cliffs of a British seaside town, this coming-of-age drama follows the unlikely friendship between Emelia, a free-spirited aspiring writer played by Felicity Jones, and Beth, the shy, bookish daughter of a celebrated novelist portrayed by Jessica Brown Findlay. When Emelia takes a job as a cleaner at the local hotel run by Beth’s family, she quickly disrupts the household’s fragile equilibrium, drawing Beth out of her shell while simultaneously sparking a dangerous attraction to Beth’s father, Jonathan, a charismatic but emotionally volatile author brought to life by Sebastian Koch. As Emelia’s reckless charm and literary ambitions collide with the family’s buried secrets, the film navigates the messy, often humorous terrain of adolescent rebellion, creative jealousy, and the weight of parental expectations. Julia Ormond co-stars as Jonathan’s long-suffering wife, struggling to hold her family together. Blending sharp wit with poignant drama, director Niall MacCormick crafts a bittersweet portrait of a summer that changes everyone involved, exploring how the desire for freedom can both liberate and destroy.
