A trailer for “The Tribes of Palos Verdes” kicks off with a toast — “to new beginnings, to us.” “It was always my father’s dream to move to California — that we could start a whole new life,” explains Medina (Maika Monroe, “It Follows”). So they pack their bags and resolve to do just that.
What begins on an optimistic, idyllic note, complete with picture-perfect California weather, slowly transforms into a nightmare throughout the course of the spot. The trouble is, the “whole new life” Medina’s father (Justin Kirk, “Modern Family”) has been dreaming of apparently doesn’t involve his wife (Jennifer Garner).
“I’ve met someone. I’ve fallen in love,” Medina’s dad announces, after his wife has left everything behind to make his California dreams come true. Heartbroken and lonely, she seems to go down an emotional spiral. And Medina’s twin brother (Cody Fern, “Christmas Eve, 1914”) uses drugs as a coping mechanism as he watches his family fall apart. “Caught in the middle of it all, Medina must rely on her inner strength to become the stabilizing force in her family, while finding refuge in a new passion: surfing,” the film’s synopsis details.
“The Tribes of Palos Verdes” hits theaters and VOD December 1. Karen Croner (“Admission”) penned the script.
