FilmSnobReviews

Title: Summer of 84
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Director: François Simard, Anouk Whissell
Starring: Graham Verchere, Judah Lewis, Caleb Emery
Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins

What It Is: A group of kids lead by Davey (Verchere) starts to suspect that perhaps his neighbor MIGHT just be the serial killer responsible for the disappearances of multiple children who’ve since not been found. As they circumvent trying to figure this out, without the help of their parents (who don’t believe them) they’ll have a bigger challenge to prove it. Throw on top of that he is a cop and pillar of the community. As if that weren’t enough let’s add in hormones and a girl next door that Davey’s been crushing on.

What We Think: It has the feeling of the Shia LaBeouf classic Disturbia. A young man who just can’t seem to mind his own business. Its execution was not bad, but too much of the narrative is all too predictable. Perhaps that decision was supposed to be done that way, for me it took me out of the whole thing. Really there’s just enough to satisfy the mystery even if it kinda bumbles through that. If not for the characters this film wouldn’t really work. The kids have a Stranger Things vibe and the 80’s setting glorifies that.

Our Grade: C+, It leaves a well enough impression but doesn’t completely get out of the blocks. Its predictable nature does not help it in the slightest. I dug all the period aesthetics. Those helped sell the film for me as taking place in the 80’s. All the kids were really good performance wise and some of the thrills hit at the right moments. Overall a slight recommendation especially if you want an 80’s nostalgia trip. Just don’t watch Hot Summer Nights for that fix, read out review and you’ll see why.