As summer reaches its halfway point, many students find themselves either caught up in internships, vacations and summer classes or enjoying a slower pace of life. When temperatures rise, so too can a sense of excitement, freedom and anticipation. A bittersweet mix of possibility and impermanence is the hallmark of summer love, a feeling that has inspired some of cinema’s most memorable romances. Films often capture those transient emotions by preserving the nostalgia of summers gone by.
Whether you are searching for characters who reflect your own emotions or simply for reassurance that your situationships were not entirely delusional, summer romances on screen depict the excitement, uncertainty and impermanence that define the season. Together, these three films explore first love, self-discovery and fleeting connection, illustrating how romances that last only a season can leave lasting emotional impressions.
“Call Me by Your Name” (2017)
Luca Guadagnino's 2017 film “Call Me by Your Name,” based on André Aciman's 2007 novel of the same name, follows 17-year-old Elio Perlman over a summer in northern Italy wherein he develops a romance with Oliver, a graduate student visiting the Pearlman’s home for six weeks. Through their transformative relationship, Elio is challenged by the potential heartbreak of a relationship bound by time.
Timothée Chalamet's performance as Elio captures the fear and excitement of an ill-fated romance, where every emotion feels heightened by the knowledge that it cannot last forever. Through his restrained performance, every glance toward Oliver — played by Armie Hammer — feels like a confession, while every moment of separation carries the weight of heartbreak.
Guadagnino's warm, sun-soaked cinematography transforms northern Italy into a place where each moment feels suspended in time. As Elio and Oliver grow closer, the landscape itself seems brighter, allowing viewers to experience summer through Elio's eyes as a season filled with possibility and light. Guadagnino lingers on Elio and Oliver's shared moments, filling them with intimacy, while scenes of separation feel emotionally distant. The film ultimately suggests that our memories of places become inseparable from the people we encounter within them.
Rather than portraying heartbreak as something to avoid, the film suggests that love is worthwhile despite its inevitable pain. In doing so, “Call Me by Your Name” reminds viewers that allowing ourselves to experience both love and heartbreak is essential to growth and self-discovery.
“Adventureland” (2009)
Unlike the idyllic settings of many summer romances, “Adventureland,” directed by Greg Mottola, unfolds in 1987 at a run-down amusement park, where recent college graduate James Brennan — played by Jesse Eisenberg — gets a job after his plans for a trip to Europe fall through. James then navigates difficult coworkers, awkward moments on the job and uncertainty about the future. There, James meets Em — played by Kristen Stewart — and what begins as a workplace friendship slowly develops into romance.
Comedic moments are where “Adventureland" truly shines, as its witty script and eccentric supporting cast make the amusement park feel lived in. Adventureland’s crew remind audiences that an otherwise forgettable summer job can become memorable because of the people encountered along the way. Like James, many students know the feeling of looking forward to work or class not because of the work itself or the class being taken, but because of the possibility of seeing someone who makes those ordinary moments feel meaningful.
However, James also discovers that love is rarely as simple as the idealized romances he imagined. Although Em is everything he thought he wanted, their relationship forces him to reconcile his expectations with the reality that everyone carries flaws and past mistakes. In doing so, “Adventureland” argues that growing up means learning to love people as they are, not as we imagine them to be.
“Before Sunrise” (1995)
Set within a single day in Vienna, Austria, "Before Sunrise,” directed by Richard Linklater, is the first film in the “Before” trilogy that follows Céline — played by Julie Delpy — and Jesse Wallace — played by Ethan Hawke — as they form a lasting connection over the course of two decades. The story begins when Céline and Jesse first meet as strangers, but over the course of 14 hours, they develop a bond and undeniable chemistry.
The film's depiction of romance is unique compared to a typical romantic comedy, as instead of the standard hijinks and tropes, the movie's romance is shown through long conversations, intimate glances that they hope the other will not see and silent walks that communicate a palpable tension. Hawke and Delpy’s chemistry feels remarkably natural, making the knowledge that Jesse must catch a flight back to the United States the next morning while Céline returns to Paris all the more heartbreaking.
Vienna itself becomes central to the beauty of their romance — in many moments, the characters themselves take time to tour the city, perhaps reminiscent of students at the University appreciating Grounds. The film’s ephemeral locale allows the characters the freedom to be unusually open with one another, without certainty of what tomorrow holds. By the end of the film, Vienna becomes inseparable from the connection they shared there, demonstrating once again how people shape the places we remember.
For many people, summer can feel like a liminal period, making it easier to forget what was and what is yet to come and instead focus on the present. Like Céline and Jesse’s night together, summer encourages us to embrace the present without knowing what tomorrow holds.
These three films capture not only the excitement and spontaneity of summer romance, but also the lasting impact that even brief relationships can have on the people we become. Whether they end in heartbreak, growth or the promise of something more, each story reminds viewers that love does not have to last to change us forever. As summer continues, perhaps the greatest lesson these films offer is to embrace the connections we make, even if they last only a season, because their impact can endure long after summer ends.
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