A Deceitful Summer

Steven Drew is a former male model with delusions that he can act, write and direct. His previous feature, "The Estate" (2011), is distinguished by a list of "worst British film ever" reviews on IMDb. This "new" (read on) effort is a sex drama with all the qualities we remember from "The Wife Swappers" (1970): a tawdry, melodramatic script; leaden direction; flat lighting; dull suburban settings; and crowd and bit players struggling with leading roles. The only comparable film to turn back the clock 50 years so successfully is "Killer B****" (2010). But Liam Galvin is David Lean compared to Drew. The lead characters are an Indian family although the representation of Indian culture is about as authentic as "Curry and Chips". The discovery of the late patriarch's private life leads his widow and her potty-mouthed Brit neighbour to swingers' clubs that are bad movie gold. Subplots are not of the remotest interest. Sex scenes are thankfully perfunctory given the awkwardness and unattractiveness of the participants. If the budget exceeded £500 I'd be surprised. The film is without doubt a cult in the making and only its previous unavailability seems to have prevented this. (Where it's been is anyone's guess. It has a 2016 copyright date but as lead player Gurdial Sira died in 2013, the film may be considerably older). Now that it has surfaced (needless to say on desperate-to-fill-its-schedule London Live) it should be snapped up for midnight screenings. We have been waiting for a successor to "The Room". This is it. I want little more than to introduce Steven Drew before the screening and congratulate him on an astounding achievement.

You'll struggle to find a more drama-filled film, but 'A Deceitful Summer' (a.k.a. 'Deceitful Love') scores low in every department.

It is, of course, a production made on, what I assume was, an extremely small budget, though that isn't necessarily something that should hold everything back - it is possible to make an appropriate film with minor financial backing.

A prime example of that is the dialogue, which is terrible throughout - it all comes across extremely unnatural, especially the sexual stuff. Other criticisms include the camera work and editing, most notably the audio quality which is dreadful.

There isn't a standout when it comes to the cast. Indiraa, if I had to pick, is the best performer. Her acting isn't all that, but she has likeable qualities to her.

Leee John does a good job with the music, I will say that. There's also a pretty nice shot towards the end involving a fruit tree.

I respect everyone associated with this, I fully understand it isn't easy to make films, but this isn't one I'd recommend.