Stepping Off

In "The Real World Isn't Real," Jesse Dienstag finds solace in his family's vacation home in Pennsylvania, a place where he grapples with dual affections for two girls while escaping the pressures of his life in New York City. As he approaches his junior year in 2019, his idyllic life is disrupted when his parents' communication deteriorates, leading to increasing tensions. The onset of the Covid pandemic in March 2020 forces Jesse to confront the reality he’s been trying to avoid, blending his two worlds in unexpected ways.