Fans of romantic dramas have a new movie to add to their watch list this summer. First Love, starring Hero Fiennes Tiffin (Jim) and Sydney Park (Ann), follows two high school students on their journey to first love and heartbreak. Described as a "moving look at a young man's difficult entry into adulthood", First Love contrasts Jim and Ann's love story with Jim's parents' relationship as they struggle after a financial crisis. It is slated for a summer release from Voltage Pictures.
The film was initially confirmed by Deadline in May 2021. A.J. Edwards, known for The Better Angels and Age Out, wrote and directed the piece. Diane Kruger serves as executive producer with producers Nadine de Barros, Henry Kittredge and Lucas Jarach. Edwards is also listed as producer, with Tyler Glodt and John Williams serving as co-producers and Todd Spradlin as associate producer.
Stars: Diane Kruger, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Jeffrey Donovan
Like many high school seniors, Jim and Ann are deciding where to go to college, figuring out where they want life to take them, and proving themselves by starting a new relationship before heading to separate shores. Jim is trying to get a scholarship to run at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Ann gets accepted to a university in New York. According to the trailer, he chases after her, fakes a note to get her out of class, and seems to experience the most heartbreak over her supposed breakup. He tells her father (Jeffrey Donovan) that he wants to call her, but her father figure tells him to give him time. Will time play in her favor?
Jim's parents seem to really like being together, but Ann's father figure doesn't seem so sure. He doesn't want Ann to tie herself up so young, which is understandable, but it certainly casts a doubt on the graduating senior's mind. Neither of them has been in a serious relationship before, which means the other is her first love, potentially her first breakup, and her first everything.
The two teens aren't the only ones trying to navigate the future. The synopsis describes Jim's parents as "dealing with the family fallout from a 2008 financial crisis," which might be why he seems so focused on scholarship. It also gives the time period in which the movie is set, which is a bit different from most romantic movies coming out today. Will this crisis put his parents' relationship to the test? Will your scholarship make or break your ability to go to college? The paired stories, showing the struggles of each generation, can help inform Jim and his parents of the best path forward.
Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Sydney Park play Jim and Ann, respectively. Audiences are likely to know Fiennes Tiffin from his lead role as Hardin Scott in the After franchise, the sensation from Wattpad to the screen. Park is recognizable for his work on The Walking Dead and Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists. Diane Kruger (Troy, National Treasure) and Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice, Hitch) play Jim's parents. Blake Weise plays Nick, who appears to be one of Jim's friends who helps him through his distress.