One Golden Summer

Alice reports to Swish magazine for the swimsuit issue photo shoot she’s doing. She marvels at the naturally beautiful women she’s photographing. She feels proud of her work until photo editor Willa reminds her that she’ll have to edit the shots to make the women look less real. Alice wants to push back, but hesitates. She’s talked to her friend and mentor Elyse about these frustrations, but feels too tired to argue now. By the end of the shoot, she can’t wait to get home. She hopes to have a relaxing night; hanging out with her sister Heather will hopefully keep Alice from thinking about work or her ex Trevor. Then she gets a text that changes everything.

Alice’s father Kip texts Alice and her siblings that their grandmother Nan has been hospitalized with a broken hip. Alice races to the hospital and stays by Nan’s bedside for the next three days. Finally, Nan is discharged and Alice accompanies her home. However, Nan is edgy and upset. While Nan naps, Alice decides she must do something to make Nan feel better. She flips through photos from the summer she spent in Barry’s Bay with Nan and her late grandfather years ago. She wonders if they could return this summer.

Alice contacts her grandparents’ old friend John Kalinski. He and his late wife Joyce owned a cottage in Barry’s Bay. After Alice explains the situation with Nan, John invites them to summer in his now empty cottage.

Alice gets in touch with Charlie Florek, a Barry’s Bay neighbor who care-takes John’s cottage. Charlie agrees to arrange the house for her and Nan’s arrival. Alice returns to her empty Toronto condo to pack. The place reminds her of Trevor and their breakup six months prior.

Alice’s sister Heather comes over to help Alice pack. She gives her a fancy green dress, insisting Alice find an occasion to wear it. Heather, a divorced lawyer with a 13-year-old daughter named Bennett, has always been more confident. Heather urges Alice to enjoy her time in Barry’s Bay, but also reminds her she’ll have to return to Toronto for Elyse’s gallery opening in a few months. Elyse is featuring one of Alice’s photos.

After Heather leaves, Alice reflects on her circumstances. She scrolls through her photos from the Swish shoot, unsure which to use. Then Charlie texts that the cottage is ready.

Alice and Nan drive to Barry’s Bay slowly to ensure that Nan is comfortable. As they approach their destination, Alice is overwhelmed by the view of Kamaniskeg Lake.

At the cottage, Alice searches for the outhouse where Charlie hid the key. Unable to find it, she calls him for instructions. His snarky attitude on the phone irks her. Inside the cottage, memories flood Alice. Nan interrupts her thoughts when she finds a note from Charlie on the fridge.

The note is Charlie’s list detailing everything he’s done to prepare the cottage. He ends it by urging Alice to send him a selfie. Alice is surprised by his flirtatious tone and all the preparations he’s made.

Over dinner, Alice and Nan reminisce about Nan’s summers at the cottage with her husband and friends over the years. Nan also insists that Alice enjoy herself this summer. Alice suggests they work on a collaborative project, like sewing new curtains.

Nan goes to bed and Alice retreats to the lake for a swim. She takes her camera and does some exploring. On the lake, the same yellow boat from her old photograph blasts through the water towards her.

As Alice watches the yellow boat sail across the bay, she remembers how envious she was of the people in the boat when she was 17 and photographed them. That photo—titled “One Golden Summer”—launched her photography career. It was the first photo she sold, and it helped her believe in herself.

Back inside, Alice opens her laptop and submits the Swish photos she likes to Willa. Then she sees Charlie’s list again and sends him a goofy selfie. He sends several flirtatious replies. Alice falls asleep smiling.

A phone call from Willa wakes Alice the next morning. Willa doesn’t want to run Alice’s selected photos because they’re unedited. Alice agrees to consider editing, but doesn’t feel good about altering the women’s bodies.

Alice chats with Nan before running errands in town. At the grocery store, she knocks over a cucumber stand when she sees an attractive man her age. He helps her clean up the cucumbers, but Alice is too nervous to talk to him, so she races outside.

Alice brings home the sewing machine she bought in town. With Nan’s direction, they start making new curtains. The project reminds Alice of the crafts she and her siblings used to do with Nan.

Afterwards, Alice takes out John’s skiff and stops at “a small island […] in a narrow neck of the lake” (53). She spends the afternoon taking photos on her Pentax camera and watching some teenagers jump into the water. Wishing she could have that sort of fun, Alice writes a summer bucket list. Then she returns to the skiff. Just as she’s leaving the island, she gets caught on a rock and slams into the yellow boat. In it is the man from the grocery store.

Alice gets irritated when the man remarks on her red hair and insists on helping her with the boat. Suddenly she realizes he must be Charlie. They formally introduce themselves. Although still annoyed, Alice lets Charlie give her a ride. However, she’s mortified when he sees her summer bucket list. He doesn’t make fun of the list, but does tease her about her relationship status. As they chat, Alice realizes he’s one of the figures on the boat in “One Golden Summer.” When she tells Charlie that she’s in town to help her grandmother, Charlie remarks on her kindness.

For the rest of the ride, Alice studies Charlie and compares him to Trevor. Whereas Trevor was neat and orderly, Charlie seems unpredictable. At the dock, Charlie asks about Nan’s condition and offers to help should Alice need anything. He then makes flirtatious remarks, but Alice assures him he isn’t her type—she’s merely interested in his face as a photographer. This amuses Charlie. As they approach the house, Nan calls out to them, inviting Charlie in for tea.

Alice, Nan, and Charlie chat over tea. Nan is delighted by Charlie, insisting that he’s far better suited to Alice than Trevor, who dumped Alice despite how devoted she was to him. Embarrassed that Nan is describing her breakup, Alice changes the subject. They chat about photography, but Alice doesn’t want to talk about Elyse’s gallery opening. She dislikes the photo Elyse is going to display because it doesn’t represent Alice’s best work; she has no intention of attending the opening. When Charlie mentions John, Nan uneasily confides that they haven’t talked in some time. Sensing Nan’s discomfort, Charlie changes the subject to the tree house he’s building for his brother Sam and sister-in-law Percy’s upcoming baby shower. Nan then insists that Charlie join them for Alice’s birthday party in a few days.

Alice and Charlie walk to the dock together. Alice insists he doesn’t have to come to her party, but Charlie promises to be there. Before parting ways, Charlie offers to help Alice check off items on her bucket list, starting with number three.

Back inside, Alice refers to her list. Number three is: “Read a smutty book” (81). She and Nan spend the night chatting. Nan seems perkier than usual, as if Charlie raised her spirits.

Afterwards, Alice texts her siblings about her birthday. Her brother Luca and sister Lavinia are supposed to visit for the celebration. When they hear about Charlie, they urge Alice to have a fling with him. Then Heather calls to ask more about Charlie. She also thinks Alice should enjoy herself, as Alice hasn’t had any real fun since her relationship with Oz. In college, Alice and Oz were inseparable friends. However, after they kissed and had sex, Oz insisted he didn’t like her romantically. Alice was heartbroken.

Over breakfast, Alice opens an email from Elyse about the gallery show. A knock on the door interrupts her thoughts. Charlie’s friend Harrison is there with a pair of new end tables for the house. As Alice walks him to his car, Harrison asks her out. She says she’ll think about it.

Later that night, Charlie texts her that Harrison is interested in Alice and wants Charlie to advocate for him. Alice demurs.