The Dropout offers a sly, edgy new twist on themes from The Graduate and American Pie and is a 21st-century ‘coming-of-age’ drama.19-year-old Paul Barrett is having a tough time at university. His American girlfriend Meredith is a Silver Ring virgin who won’t put out. Their best friend Neil has a worrying crush on Paul. When Meredith dumps Paul and Neil commits suicide, Paul drops out of uni and retreats to the south-coast hometown he calls ‘Boredom-on-Sea’, where he goes to work for his uncle Jack, selling furniture to continental buyers. Two more women enter his life: Jenny, his uncle’s foxy stepdaughter; and Christine, Jack’s gold-digging mistress, the office receptionist. And Paul attracts another gay admirer. His life is heading to the brink – and taking other lives with him.Paul’s is the young voice of today – always hoping to get laid, it takes him a while to realise that what he’s really looking for is love.