Posted by Kevin

The working title for the project is Bay State, jokingly referring to Garden State. The title will certainly change. The themes are different from Garden State, but we aim for the scale to be roughly similar. Something like Good Will Hunting meets Garden State meets American Pie 2.

The basic premise of the film is as follows:
Brian Wilkins and Chris Myers, two close friends, return to school in the fall as juniors at Isaac Newton College in Newton, MA. Both have bright futures ahead of them. Both essentially grew up without fathers. Brian lost his father in a car accident, and Chris’ father left his mother for another woman. Both feel that the other one had it easier. The lack of a father figure in both of their lives has shaped who they are, and how they handle problems. Brian is subtly obsessed with control. Having lost his father to bad fortune, he does everything in his power to ensure that he is in control of his life, and of those around him. He uses routine to live efficiently and safely. He is also still haunted by a past relationship. He accepts responsibility for his former girlfriend’s infidelity, maintaining that “he simply didn’t love her enough.” Essentially, he overestimates the amount of control he has in his life. The film deals primarily with his struggles as he realizes that there are things beyond his control. This is symbolized mostly through his relationship with Alex, a Wellesley student who he meets at the beginning of the film. They quickly develop an intense relationship.

Meanwhile, Chris, having been in a relationship for years, cheats on his girlfriend with June, a close friend of Brian’s. Brian tries to control the situation. Having been cheated on in the past, he subconsciously feels a responsibility to protect Chris’ girlfriend. He also feels a need to protect June from Chris, who he now doesn’t trust to be faithful in any relationship. Brian’s sense of responsibility about Chris’ personal life becomes a point of friction in his relationship with Alex. Over the course of the film, Brian tries harder and harder to gain control of the situation, but it only continues to make everything worse. The vicious cycle continues until the climax, where he finally breaks down and accepts what he has fought for so long – don’t be afraid not to be in control.

The story takes place over the first eleven days of the school year, and there is one lead (Brian) with three supporting roles (Chris, June, and Alex). There are also several minor characters (roommates and friends), plus extras in some situations.

It is a story of personal growth, of morals, and of raw human emotion. It is funny, moving, and inspiring. It is about youth, fear, loss, friendship, and love.