Drugstore June, directed by Nicholaus Goossen, is a comedy-mystery-thriller film that plunges you straight into the story of 21-year-old June. She works at a drugstore, behaves like a teenager, and lives in her parents’ apartment along with her brother Jonathan. Despite being an adult, June lacks ambition and talent and is a complete freeloader. She’s obsessed with live-streaming on social media and fixated on her ex-boyfriend Davey, from whom she split two years ago and who is now going to get married soon. Yet she stalks him. However, when the drugstore where June works gets robbed, she sees an opportunity to use her free time to solve the case. Who committed the crime? Will June manage to crack the case? Let’s find out!
Spoilers Ahead
Who Is June?
June is a girl who works at a drugstore as a saleswoman, where her job is to assist customers. However, despite not being a pharmacist, she has a tendency to prescribe medication to people based on their mental situation, thinking she’s helping them by alleviating their pain. Her manager Bill scolds her for this behavior, and she promises not to do it again. On the flip side, June is a complete freeloader—she indulges in everything from ice cream to burgers and is riddled with relationship dramas like a teenager, even though she is 21. In line with the world’s new obsession with gluten-free foods, June believes she has a gluten allergy, despite evidence to the contrary. Her family teases her about it, claiming she’s allergic but still happily munches on burgers. She also harbors a personal beef with her ex-boyfriend, Davey, who works at a burger joint.
June’s day typically starts with her waking up and immediately diving into live streaming on TikTok, obsessively talking about her dreams involving her ex-boyfriend, Davey, since their breakup. Her live-streaming obsession escalates to the point where her mom interrupts, urging her to find a purpose in life beyond social media. Her obsession with Davey reaches new heights when he comes to meet her at work, threatening to get a restraining order against her once again if she doesn’t stop stalking him. At work, June tries to flirt with handsome customers, one of whom is named Owen, whose impressive tattoo on his hand really impresses her. However, her attempts are thwarted when she realizes she forgot to clock in, frustrated that she’s not getting paid. June’s mom drags her to the doctor’s office for her mandatory HPV vaccine. Despite the doctor’s sincere efforts to engage her in a sensible conversation about her issues, June spins tales of her supposed obsessions with trains, and patterns and her difficulty understanding social cues, all in a bid to convince the doctor she might be on the autism spectrum, hoping for some special treatment. Instead of grasping the medical necessity, she leaps to a wild conclusion—she thinks the doctor’s interest in her vaccination is an attempt at seduction. Thus, June’s life is a whirlwind of chaos, misguided obsessions, and a desperate search for purpose, leaving her and those around her struggling to navigate her crazy dramas.
Why Did June Think Of Helping Bill After The Drugstore Robbery?
One day, the drugstore where June works gets robbed, and June finds herself in the hot seat, facing interrogation. Asked about her role, she boldly claims she runs the place and delivers top-notch customer service. Her boss Bill quickly corrects her, reminding her that she’s just a cashier. Seeing her beloved ice cream stand in shambles in the dispensary, with melted scoops everywhere, crushes June’s heart. She goes to the police station, where officers play a game of rock-paper-scissors to decide who gets stuck dealing with her messy demeanor. The melting ice cream on her hands only adds to the mess. During questioning, June stuffs her face with chips and sips her latte, insisting on oat milk to “help her cooperate.” She explains she was with her family during the robbery, as after dinner she had a stomach issue and her car only runs three miles an hour. When asked about her ex-boyfriend’s restraining order against her, June suggests he might be behind the robbery to get back at her, knowing how much she loves ice cream. The police, getting frustrated by June’s attitude, let her go. When June learns from manager Bill that the police suspect him due to his big house purchase, suggesting that he is the one who did it, she suggests they visit the nearby bar where her father’s gambling buddies hang out. She believes they might have some clue about who did the robbery, and Bill will be saved.
Why Did Owen Get Arrested?
As June strides into the bar, she wastes no time grilling the illegal gamblers about the recent robbery. But, met with stonewalled silence, she whips out her phone, threatening to broadcast their shady dealings to her online followers. Faced with the prospect of public exposure, they reluctantly spill the beans, pointing her toward the weed joint across the street. Inside the weed store, June’s interrogation hits a dead end as even the security guard gets lost in gossip. Suddenly, chaos erupts as two armed robbers burst in, one sporting a familiar tattoo—it’s Owen, a former customer from the drugstore. Realizing June could spill their secrets, the robbers take her away, luring her with a mountain of pancakes drenched in maple syrup. They swear her to silence regarding the weed store robbery, denying any involvement in the drugstore heist. Concerned she might inform the police, they take her to their hideout. There, June opens up about her aimless life, admitting to cheating her way through school. Owen shares his backstory of dropping out of college to turn to crime after his father’s death. They bond over their shared struggles, but their hideout is soon surrounded by police, who bring June to the station for questioning. Refusing to cooperate and claiming she was seeking justice for Bill, falsely accused of the crime, June is dismissed by the police as a “thick-headed millennial.” The case is closed, but Owen and his crew are arrested. Despite June’s wild adventure, she returns to her chaotic yet ordinary life.
Who Did The Robbery?
While talking to Jonathan, her little brother, she realizes he is the one who vandalized and robbed the store to take medication for his herpes, a condition he’s too ashamed to disclose to his parents or doctors. She promises to keep his secret, but in exchange, she demands that Jonathan become her servant and do whatever she asks for for one year. Reluctantly, Jonathan agrees to her terms.
During Drugstore June‘s ending, June decides it’s time to break free from her obsession with Davey. In a bold move, she meets with him and his fiancée at Freddy’s, his workplace, where she publicly declares that she’s moving on from Davey and won’t be stalking him anymore. Despite getting banned from the food joint for her dramatic display, June’s family stands by her, proud that she’s finally taking steps towards her own happiness. While she may not be ready to leave her parents’ home just yet, she resolves to contribute more by getting off their phone plans. She realizes she’s learned valuable lessons and has become emotionally mature through her recent experiences, which seems like a significant achievement for her. Maybe she will eventually get out of her parents’ house one day, be financially independent, date normal guys, and instead of obsessing over other guys, maybe she will be able to finally prioritize her own happiness.Â
