“Where Did the Adults Go?” is a film from director Courtney Marsh, an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker known for her short documentary “Chau, Beyond the Lines.”
Within the film, Marsh explores grief and the burden of generational wealth as the official synopsis from the film reads, “Every year, on the anniversary of their parents’ death, Cynthia (Carey Cox), Bryce (Amadeus Serafini) and Miles (Carson MacCormac) gather at the family summer home to reminisce and have brunch at their parents’ favorite restaurant.”
(Warning: Spoilers Ahead)
“Where Did the Adults Go?” Review: A Harsh Look Into the Reality of Grief
The Cast
Cynthia, Bryce and Miles are the three pillars of the film, with Miles’ now ex-girlfriend Gabby (Samantha Rose Baldwin) floating around the narrative until her inevitably unwelcome arrival. But it is the three siblings who carry and move the film. The performances from the three stars are strong, as would be expected, with Cynthia portrayed by Cox, who plays Rose Blaine on “The Handmaid’s Tale,” in a powerful performance as the unwilling instigator of the core conflict.
With medical bills piling up, Cynthia turns to her two brothers for help, and her answer to the financial stress is to sell the “dream home”. The oldest brother, Bryce, is vehemently against this idea, while the much younger brother, Miles, is stuck in the position of the deciding vote. Cox approaches the role with authenticity as a passionate advocate for disability inclusion, and her performance has you agreeing with her rationale more often than not.
Bryce is portrayed by Serafini, known for his role as Kieran Wilcox in the first two seasons of MTV’s slasher series “Scream.” This is a role that Serafini seemed more than comfortable in, as the eldest brother and the one who seemingly shared his father’s financial drive. We watch as he longs for a life of luxury, notoriety and excess as he lies in his quiet moments.
When the noise starts, however, the film seems to find its villain. Cold and pragmatic to a fault, Bryce seems to be the isolated one of the three, as his younger sister and much younger brother have a relationship completely devoid of him. Refusing to sell the property, Bryce becomes borderline feral in his approach, frequently yelling, belittling and even threatening his siblings. Grief and money are the true villains of the film, but if you are looking for a more tangible villain, Bryce is that.
Finally, that leaves Miles. Much younger than his late-thirties siblings, Miles is a college student looking to pursue a career in analytics. As the youngest, he is tasked with casting the deciding vote on whether to sell the home. We watch as the grief and pressure consume him, as his own private life unravels at the same time. Most of the film shows Miles watching him cry or suffer through his situation.
Portrayed remarkably by MacCormac, best known for the 2025 horror hit, “Clown in a Cornfield,” as well as his wave-making turn on “My Life with the Walter Boys.” MacCormac shows that his shorter filmography is no issue, as he is a powerhouse of emotion and youthful defiance. The film’s climax relies on the viewer wanting Miles to succeed, as he nearly cuts the trio into a duo by throwing Bryce down a staircase. His emotional range, which spans from cocky to grieving, to rage and sorrow, is what makes MacCormac the “winner” of the film for me.
What Worked?
At its core, this film is born from director Courtney Marsh’s own fears. She is quoted in the production notes as saying, “My greatest fear is the untimely death of my parents and the potential mayhem left in their absence. My siblings and I are so very different, from gender to age, to politics to life experience, that having to agree on any one thing has proven difficult — let alone agreeing on what to do with a shared inheritance.”
This fear is so ingrained in the film that it seems to leak into the viewer. I found myself worrying about how my own sibling and I would react in this situation.
More than just that fear, it’s the reality with which Marsh wrote the characters and dialogue that captures your attention and makes your stomach twist as the relationships only devolve, rather than improve, throughout the film.
For me, that is the best part of the film. The siblings self-destruct. The truth, at least as they see it, comes out, and all that the audience is left with is chaos. The insults still echo off the walls of the mansion as Bryce’s lifeless body lies at the bottom of the stairs. Even at the end, he is in the hospital, and a surgical waiting room is the last sight we see as Miles doesn’t apologize. He doesn’t seem as worried as Cynthia, who herself seems to be there out of duty rather than genuine want.
There’s a fearlessness in a filmmaker who refuses to make it pretty in the end. “Where Did the Adults Go?” is almost devoid of an ending. Instead, we are left wondering what comes next. Yet, like Miles, we just don’t know.
Final Verdict
“Where Did the Adults Go?” is worth your time if you’re looking for a self-contained, bold and tension-filled film. If you have complicated family relationships, be aware that this may be upsetting.
The performances are so raw, so real, that I cannot in good conscience say that I walked away feeling good after this. Instead, I felt confronted. I felt that Marsh challenged me to bear the weight of her film and that I had to pick a side.
In a way, I felt just like Miles. I wonder if that was the goal: To put the viewer in Miles’ shoes, to make us weather the storm with him. My advice? Go watch and find out for yourself!
Thanks for reading my “Where Did the Adults Go?” Review. I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself, and keep an eye out for more movies, music and show recommendations! For more entertainment and sports takes, find me on Twitter @Steve_Lawson93.
