Peter Parker (Tom Holland) needs a vacation — and some friends. In the latest “Spider-Man” saga, “Brand New Day,” Peter’s all grown up and facing the struggles that many young adults have to navigate in the working world. And as a born-and-bred New York City hustler, “work-life balance” doesn’t mean anything to him.

As an independent gig worker, Peter’s taken on too much. Though his gigs just happen to be ridding his hometown of crime, he still operates essentially like any street-level, tech-enabled worker, summoned by a blinking alert on his phone, but to neutralize supervillains. And in the city that never sleeps, there’s no shortage of criminals.

In “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, written by Chris McKenna and Eric Sommers, we witness a Peter Parker who’s gotten a little grittier, and experienced the darkness of the world around him. It shows, visually. The New York that Cretton conjures for Peter to inhabit finally feels like the real thing: beautifully grimy, textured and authentic, filled with real faces, soundtracked by indie stalwarts like TV on the Radio and Tame Impala. Against this backdrop, Peter struggles with dating, depression and loneliness, like so many of us do, but he also has to save the city day in and day out.

Balance is something Peter’s always had to master. He once had to learn to shoot his webs, managing his weight between skyscrapers just so in order to fly, and while he still has his skills, internally, things have gotten out of whack. What’s happening on the inside is affecting his outside, and what he has to realize is that he can’t biohack his way out of this. Nope, he’s got to face down his own issues and trauma to get things right. Saving New York City on the daily would be easier.

Cretton, who helmed “Short Term 12,” knows how to hit an emotional beat, and he does here, again and again, with Peter’s story. Reeling from the loss of his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), Peter has overcorrected when it comes to his loved ones, wiping the memories of his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) and high school girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) in the hopes of protecting them, from him. But what Peter’s finding is that, try as he might, he simply can’t be Spider-Man alone.

Peter has to learn to invite his loved ones back in, and hope they’re willing to take that step. That’s just half the story. He also has to fight a bunch of baddies, face down a corrupt and predatory government organization, and interact with the most random grouping of MCU superheroes ever assembled.

One of his regular nemeses, Scorpion (Michael Mando), leads Peter to the Department of Damage Control, where Peter suspects a mysterious entity that has the power to possess bodies and minds is leading a nefarious attack on the agency. While he pursues that lead, he’s also struggling to manage his out-of-control arachnid hormones, reaching out to Dr. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) for help. He pines after his old pals, who now live in the city as roommates, and seeks kinship with gruff, grieving brother-in-arms (literally), Frank Castle, the Punisher (Jon Bernthal).

Cretton attempts to strap together, in the same way Peter wraps a bad guy to a building with gooey webbing, the two parts of this story: Peter’s attempts to repair his inner life, and the larger concerns of the MCU, which means tossing together a bunch of superheroes like figurines at a sleepover party. The strain sometimes shows in clunky transitions, but thematically, there is consistency across the idea of needing community in order to be this powerful. Perhaps the great responsibility isn’t to others, but to our own needs.

However, there’s plenty of charm to paper over any flaws. Holland remains appealing, his emotion palpable, especially opposite his real-life wife Zendaya. When amnesiac MJ admits she’s not in love with this Peter, the pain on his face is devastating. Holland has always been a cute Peter. Here, he’s angsty and serious, shouldering the weight of his past.

Then there’s his connection with another close friend, Bernthal (the pair first worked together on “Pilgrimage” when Holland was a teen). A scene featuring Holland, Bernthal and Zendaya ribbing and ripping on each other is all too short, but their real friendship informs the unlikely bond between your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man and the strapped-up, vengeful Punisher.

Cretton ensures that distinctive style and emotional stakes take precedence over necessary MCU groundwork. When Peter learns that he has the whole city behind him, even as an anonymous crime fighter, it’s a beautiful moment. He might be walking his own path, but he’s not walking it alone. He can be seen, and known, and just maybe he can incorporate a little more life into the balance.

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'SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY'

3 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: PG-13 (for sequences of action/violence and some language)

Running time: 2:25

How to watch: In theaters July 31

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