Undergrads

Undergrads, directed by Andrew Zuckerman, is an introspective slice-of-life film focused on a group of friends approaching the end of their college days. They face the rite of passage of graduation and a final coming-of-age as they leave their party and study life behind to head into the world of careers and the full challenges of adult life.

Early on, we meet Chloe (Chloe Skoczen) and Jaimie (Trace Guzmán), a couple who’ve been dating throughout college. However, he stays behind as she looks forward to medical school in Manhattan. Assuming their romance will continue, Jaimie’s focused on mapping out the structure of their upcoming long-distance relationship, while Chloe seems uninterested in staying together. Instead, she is looking forward to her future career in medicine.

The rites of passage mentioned earlier, of course, include parties and gatherings. Jaimie and his friends, Wyatt (Dillon Orth) and Drew (Elijah McNally), are off to a raucous cabin weekend, while Chloe and her roommates, Sam (Ali Rosenthal) and Leila (Maya Caulfield), are celebrating with a birthday party and dancing at a club. Meanwhile, Drew and his long-time buddy CJ (Xavier Goodman) are putting the finishing touches on their popular college radio show and suddenly realize it’s over. The emotions they cycle through range from excitement for new lives to sadness at leaving college friends and places behind. As young adults, this may be the most impactful moment of change for them yet.

Over these last few days of the school year, relationship energies ebb and flow. New romances are sparked while old ones die away. The realities of the changing times hit full force, breaking through the denial they’ve all indulged in during exams and the flurry of activity to wrap up college. This is most evident in Undergrads when Wyatt’s initial exuberance at new possibilities rapidly morphs into rage when he realizes what he’s leaving behind (or, more precisely, what’s leaving him behind).