On a small scale, we get a nice combo of sexual awakening, stage work, and possibly autism.

As we start to watch “Griffin in Summer,” we see some tweens performing in a school talent show. First we hear a cover version of “Your the Inspiration,” and then we hear a young boy acting out a stage production. Only he isn’t all sunshine and lollipops and rainbows; he delivers on the reality within, especially with the cursing. Whoa! I’m surprised he didn’t get in trouble. Or maybe he did off screen, but who cares?

So, what are expecting in “Griffin in Summer?” Probably a passion in theater and how this kid may be autistic. I doubt he can find himself in a “Birdman” sequel, but he can find himself on two kinds of small stages. One in art house theaters and the other in community theaters, and it’s sensory friendly in both places. If only the two main characters could be more friendly, but we’ll get to that second character in a second.

The autistic tween is Griffin (Everett Blunck), an ambitious playwright, who talks a lot and knows the stakes of an off-Broadway show. Even his friend Kara (Abby Ryder Fortson) is the director. His latest project “Regrets of Autumn,” which basically combines “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf” and “American Beauty,” is put on hold when his cast members have summer programs.

While his real estate mother-whom he calls Helen (Melanie Lynskey)-is working and his dad (Michael Esper) is doing God knows what, she hires the pool boy Brad (Owen Teague) to help around the yard for a week. He needs the money to get back to New York City. East Brooklyn to be exact. And he’s a performing artist, so maybe this guy would be perfect for Griffin’s play. They would have to cut back on the passion, considering his age and the cast being preteens.

I’m pretty sure this kid is autistic, but not the stereotypical type. I can tell by how much he talks, how he dresses with a nice shirt and pants, and how he almost thinks “See You Later” means “Later Today.” He thinks Brad will text him back, but when he doesn’t return them, Griffin decides to make a fake Facebook profile with the name Glenn Bening (Glenn Close + Annette Bening). He thinks he’s in love with the guy based on their passion for acting, and that’s why he turns Brad’s girlfriend Chloe (Kathryn Newton) against him.

I think the sexual awakening for this kid is supposed to be the bigger theme of “Griffin in Summer.” I wish Griffin and Brad weren’t such jerks to their moms (Francine Berk plays Brad’s mom) and they had better attitudes, but I’m still able to see the emotions and humor within their realities. Mostly from the kid’s perspective, especially when his choices begin to affect his collaborators and friends. Blunck (whose background includes smaller and mediocre westerns like “The Old Way” and “Rust”) does a good job adapting to the personalities of his character.

Teague manages to merge with his character, whether he tries to be a jerk or he needs to regain his ambition. And I also admire how Lynskey and Fortson deliver on the sincerity when trying to tell Griffin the difference between right and wrong. He’s blinded by how friendships and collaborations work, while he’s caught in the middle of a family tragedy, which he can hear in his room. To the parents, they can try to sugar coat things all they want, but he can still hear them arguing.

I can still tell if this kid is autistic, whether the movie tells us or not. It’s all based on his behavior, his principles, and his talkative nature. But I can also tell when “Griffin in Summer” wants to deliver a completely different message on a smaller scale. Auditions are closed.

In Select Theaters This Friday