‘Peak Season’ Review – A Charming, Subtle Walk Through Jackson Hole

It can be easy to romanticize an experience outside of your normal life. A magical vacation, beautiful scenery on a hike, or a surprisingly deep conversation with a stranger can spark a feeling we put on a pedestal and chase for years to come. Sometimes that’s all that keeps us going, the hope that we might experience that feeling again. It’s why people take the same vacations year after year as they try to replicate the first time they were in this new, interesting place. It’s innocent enough when this is tied to a place or event, but having another person involved makes things a lot more complicated. Writer-director (and cinematographer and editor) duo Steven Kanter and Henry Loevner explore this in Peak Season, a film about Amy (Claudia Restrepo) and her fiancé Max (Ben Coleman) as they vacation in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. While there, Amy encounters a local named Loren (Derrick DeBlasis) who shows her around and goes on adventures with her.

Peak Season’s setup certainly has the trappings of a classic Hallmark romance. A couple from the city visiting a rural location, with the woman showing signs of unease about the relationship. All it takes is a nice, small-town man to fulfill all her hopes and dreams, right? Thankfully, the film goes in a more nuanced and singular direction, using the tropes to draw the audience in and ultimately leave them pleasantly surprised. The relationship between Amy and Loren develops naturally, and it is only a matter of circumstance for the first few times they see each other. Just a couple days into their stay, Max has to head back to town to close a deal for his business which leaves Amy alone for her fly fishing excursion taught by Loren. After this, Amy is lonely and looking for things to do, and Loren is happy to help her fill the time.

The screenplay from Loevner and Kanter is top-notch, taking a show don’t tell approach to these characters. There’s minimal backstory and exposition on these characters, allowing each person to render depth both in body language and back-and-forth dialogue. So much is expressed in little glances and quips. Restrepo and DeBlasis have great chemistry, and they bounce off each other with an innocent charm. There is admittedly room for more character development for Max, as he seems the most one-dimensional of the three leads. He comes from a rich family, is a very successful businessman, and makes damn sure everyone knows it. Even subconsciously almost every word he says exudes some sort of privilege. 

It’s difficult to express just how beautiful the cinematography is here. Granted, they would likely get gorgeous shots of Jackson Hole with a Nokia flip phone. Each adventure that Loren and Amy head out on takes us on a beautiful tour of Jackson and the Tetons. With how amazing everything looks it’s hard to tell if Amy is more fond of Loren or the lifestyle and scenery the area has to offer. The location has a big role to play in the film outside of its looks. It’s the embodiment of people chasing that romantic feeling they’ve had in a place. When we are first introduced to Loren, he is teaching a wealthy middle-aged man to fly fish and it only takes a few minutes of conversation to convince this man to move out to Jackson. A few scenes later the two see each other again and reality has come to strike the man, saying it just can’t be done no matter how much he wants to. It speaks to a very real fantasy that many have of shipping off to a remote location and living the rural lifestyle. 

Not only are those who long for the rugged, western life depicted, but also those who overidealize it themselves. Loren lives out of his car and works upwards of three jobs just to make ends meet. It’s rough, but he lives life on his terms. Some people thrive living this way, but it can also be lonely being the local in a tourist spot like Jackson Hole. Almost every out-of-towner you meet is likely never to return no matter their sincerity in saying they want to live there and be pals. Sincerity is scary, and once it could turn real people often back away from those hopes. Loren thinks he’s got it made, and everyone else is absurd for being anywhere else working office jobs and taking orders from others. 

Peak Season succeeds in adding much-needed depth to a Hallmark-style story that in the hands of other filmmakers would lead to a more telegraphed conclusion. Loevner and Kanter’s work behind the camera compliments the performances from Restrepo and DeBlasis wonderfully, bringing a subtle and nuanced take on the city girl in a small-town trope that has been tackled countless times. If anything, come for the scenery of Jackson Hole and stay for the compelling story. 

Peak Season will debut in select theaters on August 2, 2024, courtesy of Entertainment Squad.