There has always been a place within the cinematic landscape for a good ol’ coming-of-age love story. While not every one of those stories falls into the category of the works of Cameron Crowe or, moving away from coming-of-age, Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy, the placement of these films with the proper actors and chemistry can often result in cinematic gold.
With Tribeca 2024’s selection, Tiffany Paulsen’s Winter Spring Summer or Fall, the latest exploration of young love through the Crowe/Linklater lens aims to be a poignant exploration of first love. However, it fails to add originality and depth to an already rich tapestry of films that execute these ideologies in a more satisfactory fashion.
Winter Spring Summer or Fall follows Remy and Barnes. As the two embark on a year-long journey through the trials and tribulations of first love, Remy and Barnes must navigate their personal differences and life goals to decide whether the relationship they’ve established is worth continuing.
Dan Schoffer’s screenplay is riddled with clichéd dialogue and shallow character development. It lacks the depth needed to fully invest in Remy and Barnes’ relationship. The screenplay’s most glaring issue is the duo’s initial meeting; rather than a natural progression, Barnes’s motive comes off as both stalker-ish and creepy, leading to the emotional beats falling flat due to a lack of believable buildup. In turn, Barnes’s pursuit of Remy feels more manipulative than honest.
Winter Spring Summer or Fall’s title has a level of irony to it, as the film’s pacing also suffers with a continuous narrative that drags making it feel as though we are stepping through four seasonal changes to complete the film.
While there’s a lot to dislike about the film, there’s no denying that the soundtrack is not one of them. The inclusion of the Talking Heads was an utter delight and stands as the film’s most effective storytelling device, culminating with a Say Anything homage that, while not fully earned, was a nice touch in concluding the film.
Yes, the methodology behind the establishment of the relationship is questionable, but it’s hard to ignore the chemistry between Jenna Ortega and Percy Hynes White. With the duo already having established chemistry from working on Wednesday, they carry that over to Winter Spring Summer or Fall. While their connection is undeniable and they do their best to elevate the material, it remains difficult to look past the surface-level nature of the characters.
Winter Spring Summer or Fall was a film I was looking forward to screening at Tribeca with the acting talent leading the way. However, it ultimately turns into one of the festival’s most disappointing additions thus far. 
