Pinball Summer

This is a fairly routine teen comedy, with precious few laughs and lots of guys with sex on the brain. I will, however, give this film high marks for actually "feeling" like summer. Perhaps it's just me, but I can't identify at all with a California or Florida summer...there are no palm trees around my city. So for all of the flaws in this movie, I think that I'll remember the lovely Canadian summer scenery for some time...the only part worth remembering in an otherwise forgettable film.

The one positive thing I can say about the Canadian film "Pinball Summer" (a.k.a. "Pick-Up Summer) is that it's more watchable than the typical crappy "high art" movies the Canadian government funds nowadays. Apart from that, and maybe the movie's okay production values, I am at a loss to think of anything else positive to say about this movie. First, the cast is too old. Although these guys are supposed to be teenagers, the actors all appear to be in their late 20s/early 30s. Also, there's barely a story here, just a loose subplot about a stolen trophy (a plot that gets forgotten about before the end the movie), and the pinball tournament at the end of the movie. Until then, we are bombarded by unfunny slapstick and pranks, which gets REAL tired REALLY quickly. Not recommended, unless you want to see a typical example of the tax-shelter product Canada was making in the late '70s to early '80s.

I review every movie I watch on IMDB, as a way to keep track. I watch a lot of garbage, particularly '80s boob comedies like this, and slashers. It can be hard to know what to say about these flicks; they're usually bad in a boring way.

"Pick up Summer" is an example of that. It's not really about anything, and doesn't really have any characters or memorable moments. It just shows the usual teen hijinks, mostly performed by people clearly out of their teens.

The movie doesn't even really have a protagonist. There are two obnoxious idiots - one who looks to be well into his thirties - who are in perhaps more scenes than any of the other characters. I guess they're the protagonists. They make no impression, other than vague annoyance.

Then there's a gang of biker toughs, and a fat guy who wants to join the gang, so he has to lose his virginity, and they get him a hooker while they watch the action from the windows. Not that the movie has any sex.

It does have some nudity, including some from a woman whose nipples and areolae are markedly the same colour as her breasts, and so are almost invisible.

There's also a scene where a guy rides a motorbike into water, for some reason.

This was one of my favorite movies growing up in the 80's, although back then, it was called "Pinball Summer", not "Pick-Up Summer." Being 12 years old, I thought it was hilariously brilliant when the two guys decided to stuff hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, and popcorn into the exhaust pipe of a car in the drive-in movie so when it started up, the car behind it got a blast of greasy food! Anyone going into a movie like this expecting anything more than pure hedonistic fun, stupidity, and laughs, will be sorely disappointed. However, if you want a break from your week to just chill and relive the carefree days of the early 80's then sit back and enjoy the ride!

Recently obtained a DVD of "PickUp Summer", the purchase price was rock bottom and so is this picture. The producers had to put nudity throughout the film in order to keep it interesting. This film looked like it was made in the 1950's not 80's. It is not a comedy at all, it is just a big JOKE!