Sweetheart
1H 40MIN
Availability ended 11/26/2021 EDT
Teenaged AJ ruefully attends a family vacation in Dorset, but the arrival of a lovely young lifeguard challenges her commitment to moodiness. For the outspoken and awkward teen AJ (Nell Barlow, giving a droll, witty breakout performance), going on a family vacation spells disaster. With her mother Tina (Jo Hartley) constantly nudging her toward more feminine outfits and corny family activities, AJ isn’t even provided the escape of good Wi-Fi. The boredom and restriction are broken when AJ meets Isla (Ella-Rae Smith), a lifeguard at the vacation spot who could offer solace from the constraints of normalcy. The hope of a summer romance begins to break AJ free of the heteronormative expectations of her mother. And as AJ gets closer to Isla, she tiptoes toward liberation and self-conviction—with all the stumbling blocks of young adulthood awaiting her. Fresh with new perspective and buoyant humanity, Sweetheart marks the feature writing and directing debut of Marley Morrison. In the tradition of such queer teen classics as Edge of Seventeen and Beautiful Thing, the film delivers a heartwarming queer coming-of-age story for a whole new generation.
Credits
Directed by Marley Morrison
Written by Marley Morrison
Cast Nell Barlow
Jo Hartley
Ella-Rae Smith
Sophia Di Martino
Samuel Anderson
Tabitha Byron
Steffan Cennydd