Westhampton

Tom Bell (Finn Wittrock) is a damaged independent filmmaker who has spent years self-isolated, haunted by a prom-night car accident he caused in high school in Westhampton, Long Island, that killed his then-girlfriend Beth. He made a debut film — a black-and-white semi-autobiographical drama also called Westhampton — depicting his version of those events, though the film altered certain details, including changing one character's race. Tom is invited back to his hometown to screen the film, forcing him to face the people whose lives he ruined and a town that disdains him. He stays longer than planned to collect family belongings and attempt reconnection with old friends. Reactions are sharply divided: Fitz (RJ Mitte), a former acquaintance, greets Tom warmly and is eager to reconnect, charmed by his celebrity status. Dickie (Jake Weary), Beth's older brother who became a police officer — an outcome possibly shaped by the tragedy — confronts Tom and demands he leave town immediately. Jay (Sam Strike), another former friend who now co-owns a bookshop, has gone so far as to file a lawsuit against Thomas. Avery (Amy Forsyth) is also present, her connection to the accident initially unclear to Tom. The film intercuts between Tom's present-day homecoming and footage from his black-and-white movie, gradually revealing that his cinematic account of the accident diverges significantly from what actually happened. A major revelation about the true sequence of events reframes the tragedy and Tom's culpability. The story concludes with a slightly surreal, fantastical closing scene. Thematically the film circles grief, the ethics of artistic self-mythology, and whether forgiveness — from others and oneself — can be earned for a seemingly unforgivable act.

Sources: Hollywood Reporter review, Next Best Picture review, Web search aggregates (AceShowbiz, Sarasota Film Festival, Collider trailer article), TMDb overview