Along for the Ride follows a woman’s transformative summer

The first week of May is traditionally the beginning of the summer blockbuster season. However, Netflix is counterprogramming that trend by using that slot to premiere Along for the Ride, a new romantic drama.

Emma Pasarow stars in the film as Auden, a young woman who has just finished high school and is preparing for life in college. Because her parents have split up, Auden chooses to spend her final summer of freedom with her father and his new wife. But coming to the seaside town of Colby is more than just Auden’s attempt to reconnect with her dad. She wants to find the woman that she’s going to become.

That’s where Eli (Belmont Cameli) comes in. He’s the local guy who shares Auden’s crippling insomnia. Since they can’t sleep at night, Auden and Eli pretty much have the town to themselves while everyone else is dreaming. This is where Auden finds a new side of herself that she never suspected that she had.

Along for the Ride | Official Trailer | Netflix

You may recognize a few familiar faces in that trailer, including Andie MacDowell, Dermot Mulroney, and Kate Bosworth, all of whom have plenty of romantic films in their list of credits. MacDowell plays Auden’s emotionally distant mother, Victoria, while Mulroney portrays Auden’s father, Robert. Bosworth is stepping into the role of Robert’s much younger wife, Heidi, which makes her Auden’s stepmother. Surprisingly, Auden will feel a stronger bond with Heidi than with Robert because of Heidi’s willingness to open up her life to her new stepdaughter.

Belmont Cameli and Emma Pasarow in Along for the Ride. — Netflix

Laura Kariuki also stars in the movie as Maggie, with Genevieve Hannelius as Leah, Samia Finnerty as Esther, Paul Karmiyran as Adam, Marcus Scribner as Wallace, and Ricardo Hurtado as Jake.

Along for the Ride was written and directed by Sofia Alvarez from the novel by Sarah Dessen. It will premiere on Netflix on Friday, May 6.

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