SUMMER NIGHT
director: Joseph Cross; screenwriter: Jordan Jolliff; cinematographer: Michael FitzMaurice; editor: Raymond Wood; music: Dan Krysa; cast: Ellar Coltrane (Jameson), Ian Nelson (Seth), Analeigh Tipton (Mel), Callan McAuliffe (Taylor), Ella Hunt (Dana), Hayden Szeto (Caleb), Bill Milner (Rabbit), Lana Condor (Lexi), Elena Kampouris (Corin), Khris Davis (Luke), Melina Vidler (Vanessa), Victoria Justice (Harmony), Justin Chatwin (Andy); Runtime: 94; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Joseph Cross, Audrey Tommassini, Tara Ansley; Samuel Goldwyn Films; 2019)
“It gets over because its young ensemble cast is appealing.“
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A busy but not too subtle or compelling millennial coming-of-age drama about making the right emotional decisions, that’s set in a small town in Northern California. It’s a derivative film (copying such classics as Dazed & Confused) adequately directed by first-timer Joseph Cross, an actor, but too many characters are underwritten by writer Jordan Jolliff. There are just too many characters to keep track of, in this one-night stand flick. It gets over because its young ensemble cast is appealing.
In the sleepy rural town (filmed in Newnan, Georgia), it’s the last days of summer. Seth (Ian Nelson) and Jameson (Ellar Coltrane) are friends who are set to perform-and party-at the local rock bar The Alamo. Jameson is conflicted over the candid Harmony (Victoria Justice) and his on-again,off-again girlfriend Corin (Elena Kampouris), who works at The Alamo. While Seth becomes uptight when he learns that his girlfriend Mel(Analeigh Tipton) is pregnant.
Taylor (Callan McAuliffe), a drummer, playing in one of the rock bands at The Alamo, is robbed at knife-point and beaten up by strangers in the woods and is nursed by Dana (Ella Hunt). She carries a long-time crush for him. Meanwhile, another member of the clique, Lexi (Lana Condor), turns off her longtime romantically interested socially awkward friend Rabbit (Bill Milner), by telling him that she slept with a stranger at her sister’s wedding.
All these dramas unfold against a backdrop of live music performed by the best bands in town and plenty of pot smoking.
When the night draws to a close, this group of partying twenty-somethings have serious love issues to face. Making the right decision will supposedly make their adulthood be smoother. It tries showing all the angst these young adults have in getting over their irresponsible youthful days (something many other recent films have done and have done it better). In the end, this so-so film, has nothing new to say but has a good vibe.
REVIEWED ON 7/13/2019 GRADE: B-
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