Eternal Summer is essentially about the innately gregarious nature of human existence, that desire of each and every human being to have companionship. Although this topic is certainly not new to cinema, it is portrayed in an original, artistic, and poignant manner in this film directed by Leste Chen. In this simple yet touching story, three teenagers, Jonathan, Shane, and Carrie, are thrown into a tumultuous love triangle out of which they each learn that no one should ever have to be lonely.
The first character, Jonathan, is a hardworking and studious student. One day while in grade school, he is asked by the teacher to befriend the rebellious Shane in hopes that Jonathan's obedient nature will rub off on Shane. This unlikely friendship goes well into their teen years, as Jonathan remains the diligent and introverted individual while Shane is still the outspoken and often-times boorish individual, now redirecting that hyperactive energy to sports. During these years, Jonathan has developed a secret homosexual crush on his best friend Shane. Jonathan himself does not realize this until a new girl at school, Carrie, starts to take a liking to him. After confessing to Carrie that he is gay and in love with his best friend, he still remains friends with Carrie, the only outside keeper of his biggest secret. The roles that Shane and Carrie play in Jonathan's life have now changed: Carrie is now Jonathan's true best friend, while Shane is Jonathan's desired lover. In spite of this, Jonathan keeps this love well-hidden and does not act on it. His overwhelming feelings for Shane do not begin to take the best of him until he realizes that Carrie, his true best friend, is now dating Shane. It is now that he realizes that he cannot ever just be "friends" with Shane.
Meanwhile, Shane sees Jonathan throughout the entire story as his best friend, the only friend he had as a rebellious young boy. Shane's greatest fear is suffering from the loneliness that characterized his childhood before having met Jonathan, and he never wants to return to that dark place ever again. When Jonathan tells Shane that he never wanted to be his friend, Shane's emotions are utterly crushed, and in a last-ditch effort to salvage their invaluable friendship, Shane gives Jonathan what Jonathan has probably been fantasizing about his entire life: one night of intimate unification. For the desperate Shane, this is the only physical way he can show his best friend how much he does not want to lose their friendship. Meanwhile, Shane does not want to lose his love either, Carrie. Although the love story between Shane and Carrie was terribly underdeveloped, Shane admits that he cannot function without Carrie, his love, or Jonathan, his best friend.
The third character in this love triangle is Carrie. A new transfer student from Hong Kong, Carrie initially has her eyes set on Jonathan, the sweet guy at school with boyish good looks. When she discovers that she cannot have him, she shifts her eyes to Shane. In a way, Shane is Carrie's "replacement-Jonathan." Knowing that she cannot have Jonathan as her lover, she settles for having Jonathan as her best friend and Shane as her lover. Being with Shane, Jonathan's best friend, seems to be the closest Carrie will ever have to being Jonathan's lover.
This story of the quest for teenage companionship was very richly-colored and profoundly presented. However, a major defect of this film was the lack of believability of how Jonathan could have truly loved Shane for any reason other than Shane's good looks or his athletic body. Shane's treatment of Jonathan was not particularly likable. For example, Shane causes Jonathan's grades to slip by distracting him when he tries to study. Even when Jonathan directly asks Shane to let him be, Shane disregards his alleged "best friend's" request and continues to disturb him. Furthermore, Shane is rather bossy and overbearing. He orders Jonathan to eat with him numerous times to keep him company, and when Jonathan does not fulfill this "obligation," Shane feels the need to punish his friend by making it difficult for him to study. It is truly hard to understand how Jonathan could have really liked Shane for any reason other than a superficial one. A second major blemish of the film was the seemingly illogical actions of Shane. Shane sees Jonathan as his best friend without whom he cannot live. Yet, he is willing to jeopardize that friendship by actively pursuing Carrie after "thinking" that she and Jonathan recently broke up. Good friends do not normally date each other's ex's, especially so soon after a breakup. Furthermore, he sees Carrie behind Jonathan's back, and surprisingly, it is Carrie, who knows Jonathan less well, who suggests that they come clean to Jonathan about their relationship. Furthermore, when he is losing Jonathan, Shane decides to sleep with him in a final effort to save their friendship. Although I admit that this scene was indeed an enjoyable one, it is outright incongruous for a friend to sleep with another friend to save a friendship. Normally, friends use oral communication rather than intimately physical communication to save a diminishing friendship. Unless he actually had intimate feelings for Jonathan, sleeping with him only strains the friendship further and makes it more difficult for them to just be "friends" again.
All three characters desire someone to fill the role of "best friend" and someone else to fill the role of "lover." Through their teen quests to find and keep friendships, whether romantic or not, the film shows us that companionship is a deep-seated part of human existence that everyone needs.
The first character, Jonathan, is a hardworking and studious student. One day while in grade school, he is asked by the teacher to befriend the rebellious Shane in hopes that Jonathan's obedient nature will rub off on Shane. This unlikely friendship goes well into their teen years, as Jonathan remains the diligent and introverted individual while Shane is still the outspoken and often-times boorish individual, now redirecting that hyperactive energy to sports. During these years, Jonathan has developed a secret homosexual crush on his best friend Shane. Jonathan himself does not realize this until a new girl at school, Carrie, starts to take a liking to him. After confessing to Carrie that he is gay and in love with his best friend, he still remains friends with Carrie, the only outside keeper of his biggest secret. The roles that Shane and Carrie play in Jonathan's life have now changed: Carrie is now Jonathan's true best friend, while Shane is Jonathan's desired lover. In spite of this, Jonathan keeps this love well-hidden and does not act on it. His overwhelming feelings for Shane do not begin to take the best of him until he realizes that Carrie, his true best friend, is now dating Shane. It is now that he realizes that he cannot ever just be "friends" with Shane.
Meanwhile, Shane sees Jonathan throughout the entire story as his best friend, the only friend he had as a rebellious young boy. Shane's greatest fear is suffering from the loneliness that characterized his childhood before having met Jonathan, and he never wants to return to that dark place ever again. When Jonathan tells Shane that he never wanted to be his friend, Shane's emotions are utterly crushed, and in a last-ditch effort to salvage their invaluable friendship, Shane gives Jonathan what Jonathan has probably been fantasizing about his entire life: one night of intimate unification. For the desperate Shane, this is the only physical way he can show his best friend how much he does not want to lose their friendship. Meanwhile, Shane does not want to lose his love either, Carrie. Although the love story between Shane and Carrie was terribly underdeveloped, Shane admits that he cannot function without Carrie, his love, or Jonathan, his best friend.
The third character in this love triangle is Carrie. A new transfer student from Hong Kong, Carrie initially has her eyes set on Jonathan, the sweet guy at school with boyish good looks. When she discovers that she cannot have him, she shifts her eyes to Shane. In a way, Shane is Carrie's "replacement-Jonathan." Knowing that she cannot have Jonathan as her lover, she settles for having Jonathan as her best friend and Shane as her lover. Being with Shane, Jonathan's best friend, seems to be the closest Carrie will ever have to being Jonathan's lover.
This story of the quest for teenage companionship was very richly-colored and profoundly presented. However, a major defect of this film was the lack of believability of how Jonathan could have truly loved Shane for any reason other than Shane's good looks or his athletic body. Shane's treatment of Jonathan was not particularly likable. For example, Shane causes Jonathan's grades to slip by distracting him when he tries to study. Even when Jonathan directly asks Shane to let him be, Shane disregards his alleged "best friend's" request and continues to disturb him. Furthermore, Shane is rather bossy and overbearing. He orders Jonathan to eat with him numerous times to keep him company, and when Jonathan does not fulfill this "obligation," Shane feels the need to punish his friend by making it difficult for him to study. It is truly hard to understand how Jonathan could have really liked Shane for any reason other than a superficial one. A second major blemish of the film was the seemingly illogical actions of Shane. Shane sees Jonathan as his best friend without whom he cannot live. Yet, he is willing to jeopardize that friendship by actively pursuing Carrie after "thinking" that she and Jonathan recently broke up. Good friends do not normally date each other's ex's, especially so soon after a breakup. Furthermore, he sees Carrie behind Jonathan's back, and surprisingly, it is Carrie, who knows Jonathan less well, who suggests that they come clean to Jonathan about their relationship. Furthermore, when he is losing Jonathan, Shane decides to sleep with him in a final effort to save their friendship. Although I admit that this scene was indeed an enjoyable one, it is outright incongruous for a friend to sleep with another friend to save a friendship. Normally, friends use oral communication rather than intimately physical communication to save a diminishing friendship. Unless he actually had intimate feelings for Jonathan, sleeping with him only strains the friendship further and makes it more difficult for them to just be "friends" again.
All three characters desire someone to fill the role of "best friend" and someone else to fill the role of "lover." Through their teen quests to find and keep friendships, whether romantic or not, the film shows us that companionship is a deep-seated part of human existence that everyone needs.