Abby and Tyler meet all the requirements of a high school “it” couple: he’s an athlete, she’s beautiful, and they are playing the romantic leads in the school play. But Their Town, directed by Katie Aselton with a screenplay by Mark Duplass, although centered on high school students, makes it clear from the start that the film reaches beyond typical characters and story arcs, to explore the emotional landscape. Late adolescence is a liminal time, when one is emphatically no longer a child, yet far from an adult. It’s a time of discovery and experimentation, replete with turbulent feelings. Seeking answers to “who am I?” and “what do I want from life?” with an awareness of parental, cultural, and peer expectations when often none of these categories align. Focusing on the small moments over the course of one night in Bangor, Maine, Their Town resonates with authenticity as it takes a close look at the ordinary (with a nod to Thornton Wilder’s Our Town) to discover the wonder in it.
In the film’s first moments, Tyler (Will Parker) tells Abby (Ora Duplass) he’s quitting the play a week before opening night. It’s immediately apparent that the two have different views on relationships and other aspects of life, as Abby feels that the main reason for being in the play was to spend time together, Tyler sees the experience as something that will look good on his resume. Abby wants to quit too, but he convinces her to stay with it. Yet when the drama teacher Mr. Elliot (Jeffery Self) nervously approaches her, she reassures him that she is not quitting, affirming: “I’m my own person.” These two brief scenes eloquently convey the complexity of Abby’s character – her feelings, her awareness of how she is perceived by others, how she would like to be seen, and the kind of person she would like to be. There’s a lot happening in the adolescent brain.
Stuck without a leading man, Mr. Elliot chooses a very reluctant Matt (Chosen Jacobs), who has been painting scenery, to replace Tyler. We learn more about Abby as she offers to help Matt learn his lines – she is kind. There is a jarring moment when they arrive at Abby’s house to find her mother Janet (Kim Shaw) making dinner while chatting with Tyler. A single mother who has had a difficult life, Janet wants her daughter to have a better future but sends her a mixed message: on one hand telling Abby that she is so special, and on the other, warning her that the only way she can succeed is through her relationship with Tyler. Abby pushes back and the two argue upstairs, while Matt waits awkwardly in the kitchen. The film follows the nuances of the mother-daughter relationship, revealing the contradictory feelings that exist within and between them. Abby rejects her mother’s choices and opinions, but at the same time appears to have internalized them; she is protective of her mother, yet when she needs her mother’s comfort, Janet is there, no questions asked.
As afternoon turns into night, Abby and Matt confront their preconceptions and learn more about one another. The conversations between Abby and Matt feel very grounded, at first presenting the more performative persona that they want the world to see, then they slowly let themselves become more vulnerable, revealing their truths. Abby and Matt have fun together – whether they are arguing about the relevance of performing Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, re-enacting a childhood scene, or chatting with Gloria (Annie Henk), the owner of a taco truck, their connection feels real. The film captures the magical sense of discovery when we encounter someone who was just another face in the crowd, and really see them for the first time, finding, perhaps, a kindred spirit.
Their Town
USA 2026 | 80 minutes | English | Hebrew, English subtitles
Director: Katie Aselton; Screenplay: Mark Duplass; Cinematography: Sarah Whelden; Editor: Stephanie Kaznocha; Music: Zachary Dawes; Cast: Ora Duplass, Chosen Jacobs, Will Parker, Kim Shaw, Jeffery Self, Daveed Diggs, Leonardo Nam, Annie Henk, Brad LaBree.
