Joe Toy (Nick Robinson) is constantly fighting with his father Frank (Nick Offerman). They're alone in the house after the death of the mother and the sister (Alison Brie) moved away. He fantasizes about his friend Kelly (Erin Moriarty) who already has an older boyfriend. He convinces his friend Patrick Keenan (Gabriel Basso) to spend the summer in the woods and build a house in an opening. The class weirdo Biaggio (Moises Arias) tags along.
There is a good sweet 'Stand by Me' vibe going for the most part. A couple of things did bug me. First, the house looks way too good. Joe had already shown that he has no wood working skills with his awful birdhouse. It's more likely that they throw a couple of tarps over some boxes. There is no way that they could build a 2 storey house in the woods.
Second, I thought Biaggio is way too weird. There is weird and then there is Biaggio weird. I like both Nick Robinson and Gabriel Basso. I don't know whether it's Moises Arias, or the writing, or the directing. I understand the approach the writer is attempting. However none of the quirkiness comes off as funny. A few got to be cute, but they were mostly awkward. I think it would have been better to have Biaggio mostly silent.
I do like the two guys and the girl. There is a lovely little teen soap opera going on. The adults led by Nick Offerman provide some good stuff but not all the wacky stuff works. Overall, it's one of those youth coming of age movies with some charm but not all the jokes worked.
The Kings of Summer
2013
Action / Adventure / Comedy / Drama
The Kings of Summer
2013
Action / Adventure / Comedy / Drama
Plot summary
Joe Toy, on the verge of adolescence, finds himself increasingly frustrated by his single father, Frank's attempts to manage his life. Declaring his freedom once and for all, he escapes to a clearing in the woods with his best friend, Patrick, and a strange kid named Biaggio. He announces that they are going to build a house there, free from responsibility and parents. Once their makeshift abode is finished, the three young men find themselves masters of their own destiny, alone in the woods.
Uploaded by: OTTO
Director
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLUMovie Reviews
A couple of problems bothered me
Slow Burner (in the Woods)
It's a coming of age story and it's as good as any other story that came out the last few years in that department. But it doesn't have that star power names behind it (or in front of the camera) as other movies have. The talent is still there, raw as it might be. The acting from the youth is really amazing, even if you don't agree of the actions some of them are taking.
I watched this with a friend who was as happy to catch this at a cinema as I was. Really nice cinematography and great characterizations. A nice (if slow moving) story that does not change its pace. A drama that might not be for everyone, but for those with a quirky sense of humor and look at life, it's spot on
heartwarming film
It was a heartwarming film about a summer anyone could only dream of. Although I find them building a pretty sturdy house in the woods and not getting caught for 4 weeks a little unrealistic it didn't really matter. It was the perfect kind of comedy, nothing too stupid for no reason, Biaggio was the best comic relief anyone could ever ask for! I would definitely recommend!