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Plot Summary: Three teenage friends, in the ultimate act of independence, decide to spend their summer building a house in the woods and living off the land.

Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts

Writer: Chris Galletta

Runtime: 93 min

Main Cast:

• Nick Robinson as Joe
• Gabriel Basso as Patrick
• Moises Arias as Biaggio
• Erin Moriarty as Kelly
• Nick Offerman as Frank
• Megan Mullally as Mrs. Keenan
• Alison Brie as Heather

Review: by Lee

I did not hear much about The Kings of Summer prior to seeing it, so it had a virtually blank slate.  I was aware that it had been called funny, and I believed it because Nick Offerman was in it.  I knew that it was an independent film, so I assumed it would be artsy.  I didn't know I would enjoy it so much.

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What I Liked:

It is very easy-going and progresses at a relaxed pace.  I know a lot of people might assume that means it is boring, but let me assure you that is not the case.  While not very much happens in some stretches, the scenes still manage to be humorous.

The movie doesn’t try too hard for laughs but is still genuinely funny.  Nick Offerman’s wit and dry humor are very much in effect, and there is the added bonus of Megan Mullally’s quirkiness.  I know some people don’t like quirky, but it isn’t over-the-top.  By far, the funniest character is Moises Aria’s Biaggio.  He is hilarious.  Everything about him is hilarious.

The acting is pretty good, especially considering that the main characters are teenagers.  Some of the actors aren’t spectacular, but the ones who are more than make up for them.

It’s beautiful.  I know it’s nothing overly special, but I really appreciate how the movie captures nature’s beauty.

The friendships seem natural and realistic.

The movie accurately portrays teaching.  It is not a big part of the movie.  In fact, it is very small, but no other movie that I have ever seen has shown realistic teacher/student interaction.  Despite its brevity, this tiny thing stuck with me and will probably make movie-goers snicker as they remember their own last days of school during high school.

What I Didn’t Like:

The dialogue, while high quality and entertaining, does not seem altogether realistic coming from common folk.  It’s not evident in every scene, only a few, so this is really just a quibble.

The foreshadowing is a little heavy, but, again, this is just a little nitpicking.  You know one of the major events that is going to happen, but it is not obvious who will be involved or when it will take place.

The children are whiny.  I get that they are teenagers, and this is pretty realistic in that regard; however, I find it hard to relate to the complaints about their family situations when I found their families to be almost idyllic.  This, yet again, is a small complaint because I know it is a fairly accurate portrayal of teen rebellion.

You can purchase The Kings of Summer on Blu Ray from Amazon here:

Images Courtesy of IMDB