Verão 2003

I don't know why this film has such horrible reviews. I think it's a very relatable film. I watched the movie without looking at reviews prior to watching and I'm glad I did that otherwise I wouldn't have given the film the time of day. The film portrays a teen who doesn't know exactly what she wants in life or who she wants to be as a person. She struggles with controlling her emotions, and personal relationships while figuring out societal rules and how to be independent. I was 16 in 2006 and I acted very similar to the character, Jaime. Rebelling, using swear words, trying alcohol, being put in sexual situations, it's reminiscent of my teens. If I could NOT relate to the main character, I might think that the film is trashy, due to the language and sexual situations. However, I feel it did a great job at portraying how real teens behave.

One of the most real descriptions of what teenage girls go through during a pivotal summer. Raging hormones, rebellious acting out. The brother Dylan was also hilarious. If there was one thing that seemed slightly less realistic it was the fact that it was so easy for high school students to get alcohol. The language might be off putting for some of the more prudish however this is how a lot of high school girls talk whether you want to admit it or not.

The story is surprisingly engaging! The protagonist is rebellious but she is really likable. I can relate to her situation and her feelings. The story telling is great as well. I really enjoyed this light hearted coming of age comedy.

Good performances. And a few gems, both comedic and dramatic. But ultimately, it feels not quite there. Not exactly an original story, and the parts that stand out feel forced, meandering. Bonus point for casting Paul Scheer.

6 out of 10 stars

As a movie buff, I've seen Joey King around enough to know who she was before walking into this movie. But THIS role was seemingly made for her. From beginning to end, she did a phenomenal job.... effortlessly portraying Jamie.... a 16y/o girl whose rather blunt... (or RUDE - depending on how you look at it) grandmother revealed quite a few "family secrets" on her deathbed. A couple of which sent this otherwise normal family spinning out of control.

Various coming of age themes were explored (love, loss, virginity, sex positivity, friendship, growth, overcoming fears, fights with parents & friends, unforgettable summers, etc) with just a little more bluntness and vulgarity than you might be used to... particularly coming from a female protagonist (this was a good thing... trust me).

The entire cast was awesome... they had great chemistry and there were several scenes that you could tell they had a lot of fun filming together. This was a great coming of age film that I enjoyed much more than I could've possibly imagined. Great job to writer/director Becca Gleason... she nailed this one!