Algo Como Verão

I'd never want to have to bring a book to life, with all the limitations normally involved. I bought and read this series (those available at the time, then buying the rest as they became available) a few years ago, just after losing the last member of my family after taking care of her in my home for 3½ years. My emotional attachment to these books is strong because they helped me move forward, helped me adjust to a very new life. Today, when I saw the e-mail that we could buy or rent the film, I bought and watched immediately.

The music didn't help. I understand they needed to advance the story. If they'd done the book more literally, the film would've been four hours. So the filmmakers were left with difficult choices. For me, it would have been worth it to add ten minutes to more closely follow the death of (I won't tell who). Other than Harry Potter books/films, I've rarely both read and watched a story. I'd read this book three times before watching; a first. Trying to tell that much story in under 90 minutes, they were going to need to leave out significant moments, moments every reader, as much as, treasured.

Unfamiliar with any of them, I really liked the cast. I'd already decided I wouldn't (based on the trailer), but the three boys, the good friend, the parents and the sister - even the obnoxious twink bit part - were all really well done. I look forward to watching it again without taking 20-30 minutes to adjust to them not being exactly as I envisioned when reading. ( I pictured and mannered the two leads a lot like the two leads in 'Get Real', though American.) But at the end of the film, I had the same sense of the characters that I had with the books -- still liking Jace best.

The filmmakers gave a lot of effort with a lot of talent. There were a few especially well done moments of (I'll probably need to watch several times to adequately describe) unique editing/photography. I love the story. I just wish they could have found a way, other than musical numbers, to condense it. But I liked it better than I thought I would.

I want to give it a higher rating, maybe I will after another viewing or two. If you've found it to stream somewhere, and it still has a fairly low rating (currently 6.0), I'd encourage you to give it a try. There's a lot there. If you're debating whether or not to put money on it and you haven't read the book, follow your gut, and stick with it. I think you're likely to find it a rewarding, worthwhile watch in the end. If you liked/loved the book, just watch it.

First, let me say like most people who have reviewed this movie, the book is 1000 times better. I have no idea why someone read Jay Bell's book Something Like Summer and decided 'oh this would be a great musical". It's not. They could have delved more into the actual story and plot of the book and done without all of the songs, which take up so much unnecessary time rather than developing the love between the two main characters. The first time I saw this was at the gay film festival in Atlanta and there was a Q&A with the Director and the cast afterwards. I never got a chance to ask why in the hell they ruined such a great book by making this movie a musical adaptation. For anyone unfamiliar I would watch this and then go read the book. Otherwise you're going to be extremely disappointed.

I have read all of the something like books and was naturally excited to see the movie was coming out and waited what seemed to be an eternity to see it. Sadly to say I shouldn't have waited. This movie failed to incorporate any kind of value from the book. I felt disconnected and had i not read the book, would have been totally lost as nothing is connected coherently. The movie reminds me of some kid show with a bunch of preppy guys out a catalog and no clear purpose. The movie also failed to display any kind of intimacy or emotionality expected in this work. And what is with all the singing?? I literally skipped through it as it was long drawn out and irrelevant. Overall I would have to rate this movie as a failure. Giving 4 for effort.

David Santos, call me.

I'm always in for a nice gay-themed movie. But this one is unfortunately of questionable quality. It's basically a romcom, but of the most sentimental kind, never exceeding the level of simple soap-opera. As a curious extra the cast, at several, mostly odd and awkward moments, out-of the blue starts singing, by way of some sort of musical comment on the goings-on. It simply doesn't fit the story, the music itself is hardly appealing and Grant Davis is rather unimpressive as a singer.

But the story is the weakest link in this movie. Main character Ben goes over the years through a series of repeating romances with the same two lovers, every hick-up is blown into huge emotional proportions (with according epic background music) and when at last there is all of a sudden a really dramatic life-event, it's almost brushed aside within 5 minutes to give the movie it's apparently needed happy end, that by the way to me made a rather cynical impression.

I liked Davi Santos and Ben Baur, both acted fairly well, but I had some trouble with Grant Davis as main character Ben. It was a mystery to me how these two great guys - the one exotically handsome, the other sweet and loyal - apparently were fighting over this sulky and grumpy guy who slouched depressively through most of the movie and wasn't in any way attractive or even sympathetic.

All this, along with an overlong duration of almost 2 hours, made watching this movie a long and rather tedious experience.

WhenI first read Jay Bell's "SOMETHING LIKE SUMMER", I fell in love. I fell in love with the story, the characters and most importantly how he set everything up. I was moved in a way that most literature I had read failed to do. So when I found out that a movie was being made based on the book, I was over the moon. Then when I saw the movie I was left wondering what happened to Jay Bell's masterpiece? I felt like I was getting a Cliff Notes version of "Brokeback Mountain" paired with "Mamma Mia" . This is NOT what Jay Bell created. I'm not a pureist who insists the movie must be exactly like the book, however it should at least closely resemble it. This movie thusly does not. So many things were left unexplained or simply rushed through. The movie never explained the significance of Ben and the music or Tim and his art. So many key plot points were just touched upon or completely ignored. It was as though Jay Bell wasn't even involved in the production. Some of the casting descisions were spot on and others left something to be desired. I really didn't conect with the actor who portrayed Ben. I really think he was sorely miscast. The actors cast as Tim and Alison were however perfect. Even if I gad not read the book first I would have been left feeling confused by this movie. It is Not a good adaptaion of the book