Hot Summer Nights

This film should have everything going for it. A coming of age film featuring two of the hottest young leads of today. An 80's feel and vibe that should have made it a hit with people who like to feel that wave. It should really have been a film that I could enjoy. Unfortunately, I felt like Hot Summer Nights just got weaker as time went on and falls into genre cliches and fails to impress all around. Side note, Maika Monroe has my heart, good lord.

The film is about a kid in cape cod who links up with a rather aggressive friend who then decide to sell drugs and make good bank of off it. Along the way the lead Daniel Middleton, (Timothee Chalamet) falls in love with his partners sister (Maika Monroe). This causes waves as any type of relationship with her is strictly forbidden in her brothers eyes. Daniel has to balance his relationship and also deal with the dangers that arise in the risky business he finds himself in.

The film is well acted all around. Chalamet is obviously one of the top young actors going around. Maike Monroe is a nice talent that is emerging in these niche type creative horror films (she's also absolutely smokin' in this film as well). The two leads interaction and relationship is nice to watch but its ruined by a film that is high on nostalgic cliches and a typically 80's soundtrack and mood that feels meshed in in a not so subtle manner. There's just no creativity with this effort, it becomes a "been there seen that" type coming of age film that gets even more unimpressive as it goes along.

I was actually really looking forward to this film because it just had the marketing, vibe, and cast that should have made this film one of the best of the summer. Unfortunately, it fails to stir up any good feelings, isn't paced well, and fades away without a second thought. I mean just look at that film poster, how do you fail that? The film truly exemplifies the worst parts of hot summer nights; sticky and gross.

6/10

I guess you could be forgiven if you thought everyone on the Cape Cod peninaula was toking up after seeing Hot Summer Nights. It seems to be more popular than salt water activities.

After the death of his dad young Timothee Chalamet is sent off to spend summer in Cape Cod with his aunt who is not keeping too tight a rein on him. This innocent kid gets a growing up more than he bargained for with sex, drugs and a bit of rock and roll thrown in.

Sometimes simple acts can decide our future. Like when Chalamet is working behind the counter at a gas station convenience store and in walks Alex Roe who asks to quick hide some drugs and money before the cop who is trailing him comes in. Without thinking he does and soon he's in with Cape Cod's legendary bad boy.

Timothee Chalamet and Maika Monroe are good in their parts, Monroe playing Roe's sister and love object for Chalamet. But you riveted to the screen when Roe is on. He reminds me a lot of Christian Bale another British actor who as a great command of various American accents. Roe has a James Dean like presence on the screen.

It's good and it's not so good for the strangest of partners. I did like the use of a kid narrator for the film. He's just another of the native kids who is almost worshipful to Roe.

Can't say more, but I think the viewer will be surprised at how in the end this trio is where they are.

This coming-to-age film starring some pretty decent talent with the likes of Maika Monroe and Thomas Jane, is about a boy who becomes entangled in a world of drugs, money, and corruption during one summer in Cape Cod, now going into this movie I saw nothing but the one trailer that was released of my knowledge, and was pretty much stoked. I'm a big fan of these underground goodies not enough people talk about, also the sheer fact you had the likes of Maika (It follows), which was reason enough to get me to watch it because that was a great film, and i was throughly surprised not only with the films setting, and plot. This film has great cinematography and a all around 80's feel to it from the clothes that these kids wear all the way to the drive in movie theater. And performance from all the cast is quite well from a Timothy who did well playing a shy, awkward kid. To Thomas Jane's Odd Cop role. It's a movie that I'll reconsider watching again, maybe even owning on blu Ray. Because the rewatchability is there

Tonight I choose to check this film out. Honestly, anything A24 releases is always good! That said, I really liked this film. However, it's not perfect. I really didn't understand the main characters initial motivation for why he was doing, what he was doing, girl aside. His thirsty choices didn't really make much sense to me.

However, on the technical aspect of the movie. I really loved the flow of the film and the editing. Also, the soundtrack is sweet! the cinematography, colour, and acting was spot on. This is a film I would still recommend and would give it another watch even with the minor flaws. Because it's entertaining and has a real summer nostalgic, crime, a dark coming of age feel to it.

I'd give this a 7 out of 10.

Enjoyable coming of age/crime flick probably most suited to a younger audience. The story telling was lazy with lots of jump cuts, kind of like a highlight reel of the ups and downs of Danny's summer. You really don't see any relationships develop or get to know any characters in depth. The whole movie is more like a romanticized compilation showing only start and the end of the journey with no middle. That said it started out very superficial and over the top but ended surprisingly heavy and went against a few of my expectations.