Ping Pong Summer

Let's be honest, this is a terrible movie. What an odd mix of veteran actors (Susan Sarandon, Leah Thompson etc.) quite literally smashing up against terrible novices like the lead character's sidekick, Myles Massey. I continue to be amazed that people are actually paid to cast movies and they come up with bad actors all the time. The sidekick role is crucial here, yet they choose a kid who can't act. Go figure. Watching Sarandon, John Hannah and Leah Thompson attempt to add some flow to the movie while working with terrible actors reminds me of Natalie Portman struggling with Robot Hayden Christensen in the Star Wars prequels. I guess it has something to do with movie budget; perhaps they ran out of money after paying Sarandon, Hannah and Thompson.

Every once it awhile we see some promise, as when Rad and his family visit his Aunt and her husband. Amy Sedaris and Robert Longstreet show how it's done and provide a hint of what the movie might have been. Also Rad's sister was more than adequate in her role.

All this aside, the movie does well with costumes and general 1980s era eastern shore vibe, that's about it. The pacing is excruciating as we wait for lead character Rad to meet up with Susan Sarandon and when he finally does, it's almost a throwaway scene and before you know it we're (mercifully) at the finish line.

If the director was attempting some sort of filmmaking homage, I missed it completely. So much more could have been done for the eastern shore/Ocean City in a movie like this. I'm being brutally honest when I say that all during the movie I kept thinking how I could have rounded up some buddies and a mini HD camera and done a much better job. I kid you not. It's that bad.

This has to be one of the strangest movies I've attempted to watch in a long time. I thought the acting would be better with the cast members present, such as Sarandon and Hannah, but they aren't on screen enough to improve the movie. Growing up in the 80's myself the nostalgia factor was definitely there. When Rad orders a suicide...yep I remember drinking those gross concoctions, lol. The movie had promise, but was more like a balloon with its air let out. If you want to watch an 80's nostalgia movie about an outcast go with The Karate Kid. Or if you want to watch a good outcast movie watch The Way, Way Back. Stay away from this stinker.

This film is about a teenager who takes up ping pong ball by chance during a family summer holiday in a seaside town.

I guess this film is more about the story than the acting, but I still think "Ping Pong Summer" can be better in this aspect. The teenage actors are not very convincing, only the Gothic sister is good. The plot is probably supposed to be inspiring, but it turns out to be very flat and not very engaging. Maybe it's because there's no ups then downs, or maybe there's not enough intensive training, or the psychological motivation to win is not presented to be strong enough. The plot fails to interest me. I wonder why Susan Sarandon got involved with this project. And the film could have cast all unknowns to save on budget.

The latest in a long line of 80s nostalgia films, 'Ping Pong Summer' differs a bit from the rest due to its indie film roots. The production is less polished and the story and characters more quirky. The results are a bit mixed, with its indie trappings being both a blessing and a curse.

The adult cast is quite good, with veterans like Susan Sarandon, John Hannah and Leah Thomson making the most of rather thankless roles. But the weight of the movie falls on the shoulders of its young first time actors, and it's here that 'Ping Pong Summer' both soars and sinks. At times there's a real charm to their performances and at others they lack the experience to lift the material to the level that it needs to work.

This is a feel good movie with a lot of heart, and though a bit uneven at times, it does reward you for sticking with it. Anyone who loves the 80s should definitely check it out. For everyone else, your mileage may vary.

The premise was great. Having grown up in the 80's, when I saw the description I had to watch this movie. The first five minutes really got my hopes up. I love nostalgia and the film was spot on as the director shot it through a mid 80's camera lens. Except for the 1989 police car, (horrible choice) everything was authentic for the most part. But the plot was too formulaic. Too many movie clichés. However, there were some funny moments. This film is only worth watching due to the fact that there's a shortage of new 80's nostalgia films like this. Because it's seen through the eyes of a young teen male, it might only be enjoyable for a guy in his forties today as he might be able to reminisce of his 80's childhood through the film.