Preamble
The year of 2023 saw the release of the romantic drama movie, ‘Darker Shades of Summer.’ It, along with many other works from this era, attempts to gain an emotional response from its viewership as an attempt to emotionally immerse them the movie creation made by Ntiarna Xavier Knight. She guides the audience through the memories of a couple in order to try to make them relive the fragmented aspects of their relationship in hopes of feeling the same desire for the other, as they emotionally pick apart the memories. Cinematographic artistry is used to its fullest as the couple goes to an emotional barren retreat for the rekindling of affection. It is an exploration of what it is to trust and self-reflect, but monumentally, trust and self-reflection intertwining: the disbalance of individual growth versus collective growth in a union.
The pacing of the drama is refreshingly slow while being gentle and touching, a feat completed with high levels of precision, as it embodies raw and unrefined emotional structures. Contrasted with turbulent and frantic environments, the story comes across as what it humbly is: an exploration of vulnerability and emotional exposure through every relationship: interpersonal, societal, and personal.
Cast in the Primary Roles
Dylan Brookes is portrayed by Stephen Staley while Summer Brookes is portrayed by Danielle Scott.
The relationship between the protagonists is held with gentle elegance and is highlighted by the various characters of the retreat. Each character represents one or more aspects of love, or appreciation, and creates a backdrop for contrast enabling the viewership to gain a better understanding of love and connection.
The couple is the intended center of attention as they ‘unpeel’ layers of emotional closeting. They are silenced for the entirety of the movie, apart from the ending. The couple is silently screaming, emotionally bogged down by the extensive and complex layers of shelter as Staley and Scott so beautifully manage to showcase.
Plot Summary
Summer and Dylan are a married couple who, after a few years together, still live a stable life but unfulfilled. While their relationship is still respectful, it is more a partnership out of habit rather than a romantic connection. Summer finds it concerning how the intimacy they once shared is fading, and that Dylan is the only one fully working and functioning in everyday life.
To try and rekindle their bond, they try a couple’s weekend retreat at a beautiful location. The couple’s retreat allows the Summer and Dylan, and the other couples, to come together with the intention of tranquility, peace, healing, or clarity that is illuminated from the beautiful surroundings.
Summer and Dylan, and the other couples, are the only ones who are tired of the world and its fast-paced life and want to reflect upon it. The outline of the couple’s retreat is deeply forgiving which allows long overdue conversations to emerge.
With time as the weekend comes to its conclusion, the emotions revolving around the situation begin to take shape. At this time, Dylan is still rather quiet, but beginning to realize that his lack of engagement and absence of dialogue have fueled the tension. He refers to this as the burning silence. He discloses the silence as painfully loud. Sad as the statement is, it is true.
The couple is faced with the honests of the retreat when the couple notices other participants deeply engaged and comfortable with other forms of interaction. With this couple, they recluse quite deeply. The contrast between these other displays and the couple’s own actions warrant a additional think. It brings to the forefront what Dylan and Summer are losing and what they lost.
The retreat is not actually a getaway but rather a period of enforced self reflection on the couple. How deeply have they listened to one another, and what importance have they given to the feelings of the other. It is this and much more that drives one’s own vision to closer examine one’s personally. Self denial is a soft slumber and, truth is, it is not the act of retreat that helps the couple but rather, the help is driven towards withdrawing which, uh, from one’s own personal reality or history one is most protective.
The conclusion of the film displays the couple as they arrive at choice. How with they pursue one another and retain the presence of with the other. The conclusion clears the couple’s view with the statement that love is beyond choice but, rather, growth, elequent presence, and the intentionality to show this”..The Ending remains open, unexplored and is ultimately, thought provoking. Summer and Dylan take away from the retreat with a better insight of themselves, and each other, but not completely reborn.
Key Themes
- Emotional Renewal and Disconnection
The foundation of the film deals with the fact that every long-term relationship runs the risk of disconnection if emotional needs are not articulated. Darker Shades of Summer investigates the ways couples may grow apart without conflict, but rather from a profound silence. The film indicates, perhaps quite gently, that renewal is possible, but the burden lies with the individual.
- Listening and Communication
A number of the problems that Summer and Dylan encounter are the result of thoughts and silence. The film shows that open communication, listening, and careful conflict engagement can re-establish trust and intimacy.
- Consciousness and Development
The retreat is a time for Summer and Dylan to undergo change and grow. Summer has to learn to articulate her needs, and Dylan has to contend with his problems of emotional disarmament and reluctance.
4. Trust and Openness
The retreat’s context offers unique narratives to every couple. Watching these interactions gives Summer and Dylan different angles on respect and intimacy. The movie illustrates how every couple needs to articulate their own definitions of love and commitment.
- The Role of Environment in Healing
The retreat’s landscape does some discreet but crucial work. The soothing environment provides a sanctuary for contemplation and emotional recovery. The movie argues that removing oneself from the purposes of routine can uncover core realities.
Cinematic Style
The film’s style is gentle and warm in its visuals. The cinematography emphasizes window light, intimate face views, and tranquil settings captured from afar. This helps the film achieve its contemplative manner and offers the audience an opportunity to experience the emotions of the characters.
The speed of the movie is measured and rests as the actions do; it corresponds to the pace of the dialogue with actions that are overly restrained. The background score is light and simplistic; it acts as an accompaniment to dialogue and silence that is dense with feeling. It is, in very succinct terms, a muted, meditative, and centered work.
Reception and Impact
Darker shades of summer has received some praise recently on its masterful emotional sensitivity and its mature storytelling. Though it does not come close to a wide release, it has received recognition from viewers who appreciate the relationship drama for the subtle realizations and emotional growth it focuses on.
When watching the film, the audiences appreciated the film’s gentle tackling of difficult themes. Instead of blaming a character for the hardships faced in a relationship, the story illustrates how relationships lose their value through the neglect of the parties involved, and the effort it takes to understand the relationship in order to reignite the spark.
While some viewers may classify this film as slow and lacking in some action, other perceivers may appreciate its stillness and identify it as the most powerful cinematic aspect. It captures the essence of how most relationships behave—in absence of radical shifts, engagement is limited to simple discussions and the willingness to challenge and be vulnerable.
Conclusion
Darker shades of summer, touches on emotional bravery, love, and renewal and is quietly powerful. The film is thoughtful in its examination of how to sustain empathy and connection in a prolonged relationship. Its absence of sensationalism leads the audience to reflect on their own interactions — how they speak, listen, and grow, all in their relationships.
The film reinforces the idea that love is more than just being together. It is actively choosing to understand each other, not criticize, and continue evolving together with each passing day.
If you want to watch an intelligent film that requires emotional understanding that centers around self discovery, relationships and growth, then Darker Shades of Summer is an interesting, insightful and profoundly humane story to watch.
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