“Westhampton” Review: A Dark Coming-of-Age Tale

Christian Nilsson’s *Westhampton*—written, directed, and starring Finn Wittrock as aspiring filmmaker Thomas Bell—premiered in the titular Long Island town that inspired its title. The 94-minute drama follows Thomas as he screens his autobiographical movie, also called *Westhampton*, to the very community that shaped his trauma.

New York Times

Thomas’s homecoming quickly turns hostile; a local audience likens his work unfavorably to the 2004 film *Garden State*. A confrontational post-screening Q&A, led by the “razor-sharp” moderator Richie Coster, pushes Thomas to the brink of a physical altercation. He later encounters former friend Dickie (Jake Weary), now a police officer, who picks up the inebriated filmmaker and delivers a blunt admonition before assaulting him physically. After snorting an unknown stimulant, Thomas’s self-destruction escalates, culminating in a violent act that displaces his real-life girlfriend (Roxanne Schiebergen) from a wheelchair and ends with a fatal car crash that kills the girlfriend. The reviewer characterizes the film as a “you can’t go home again” story, emphasizing humiliation, aggression, and the futile belief that art can purge personal demons.

New York Times

The New York Times review treats *Westhampton* as an un-rated, bleak exploration of a “hard-to-like” protagonist. Wittrock’s performance is described as “acute,” portraying Thomas as a callow individual who mistakenly wagers that art can exorcise his demons while evading accountability. The critique notes the film’s relentless tone and its failure to offer hopeful resolution, positioning it firmly within the darker side of coming-of-age cinema.

New York Times

• “you can’t go home again” — NYT reviewer

New York Times

• “You got to tell the story you wanted to tell.” — Dickie, police officer (Jake Weary)

New York Times

• “The trip is at first steeped in humiliation.” — NYT reviewer

New York Times

• “Wittrock’s performance as the rather hard-to-like Thomas is acute; he’s a callow guy who mistakenly wagers that art can exorcise his demons even as he desperately skirts the prospect of making amends.” — NYT reviewer

New York Times