A staple of filmmaking, the coming-of-age story works because, regardless of circumstances, we can all relate to the story being told. Whether we’re young and needing affirmation, or old and needing reminding, a story of a young person going on a quest and finding themselves in the process is one we can all see ourselves in. The execution is tricky; it’s easy to fall too far into familiar cliches without bringing anything new, but when one of these stories lands, it can be among the most satisfying. This Too Shall Pass narrowly avoids this trap by engaging with it directly.
Simon (Maxwell Jenkins) is a young man living in 1980s Syracuse. Being the son of strict Mormon parents in a city that has few others of his faith, he’s stuck in a frustrating middle place that makes him an outsider to both his school friends and his family: he’s both not wild enough for the former and too wild for the latter. His workaround, telling his parents that he’s in basically every extra-curricular activity (that they refuse to come to), gives him the freedom to see his friends, but he’s still behind when it comes to life skills and, most importantly, girls.
Link: https://www.northernreel.ca/2026/02/this-too-shall-pass-takes-a-nostalgic-a-heartfelt-journey-to-ottawa/
‘This Too Shall Pass’ Takes a Nostalgic, Heartfelt Journey to Ottawa | Northern Reel
