Plot Summary
Luke Shapiro is a recent high school graduate from Manhattan, NY who deals pot. One of his clients, Dr. Squire, a psychiatrists, gives him session in exchange for pot. Luke believes that he is depressed and needs some sort of medication to help him. Squire does not want to give him any because he thinks that Shapiro is just afraid to experience life. Dr. Squires, step daughter, Stephanie, is Luke's crush. Luke was unpopular in high school so he has no friends to hang out with during the summer. Like begins to deal more after he finds out that his parents cannot afford to pay the rent. Luke has to deal with his dysfunctional parents and money problems. Luke encounters many interesting characters during his exchanges. Stephanie begins a relationship with Luke since all her frinends and left for the summer. Luke begins to fall in love while Stephanie is enjoying her summer. Luke also forms a tighter bond with Squire, who he feels is his only friend. Luke finds his first love and a good friend in the summer of 1994 in this coming of age story. A side story, Squire reevaluating his life and relationship with his wife.
Critical evaluation
Has all the elements that make it a nostalgic teen movie, love and lost, great music, and that adult guidance that is needed to survive. Luke sells pot at school but that still does not make him popular. Luke falls in love with a girl that he shouldn’t of had fallen in love. Stephanie clearly showed that she did not have any real interest in him but Luke wanted so badly to believe that they had a chance to be a couple, which was what he wanted. Luke had to grow up fast: his parents were immature, and Stephanie broke his heart. The plot of the movie is fantastic and captures heartache and summer flings. The best part of the movie is the soundtrack. It features underground east coast hip hop of the 90s. The soundtrack flows great with the movie.
Readers Annotations
Lukes life in the summer begins to become interesting when he starts spending more time with Dr. Squire and Stephanie. Luke learns about love and growing up in Manhattan, NY in the summer of 1994.
Information About the Author
Levine wanted to do a movie that was focused in 1994 because that was the year he graduated. He felt that if he did a movie in present time it would not be the same since he feels disconnected to this generation.
Genre
Comedy/ Drama/ Romance
Curriculum Ties
Music
Booktalking Ideas
2) Hip Hop in the 90s
Reading Level/Interest Age
17+
Why Book Included
Heard it was a great coming of age story that had a great soundtrack.
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