The Kings Of Summer: Blu-ray Review
The Movie:
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.
We’ve all been teenagers and we’ve all had moments of frustration with our parents. This story takes that scenario and adds in an element that that I’m sure every kid wished (I know I did) they could do. They built a house in the middle of the woods where no one could find them and were just free. This was such a great coming of age story that people need to see. I can definitely see this becoming a classic eventually and could even be the perfect companion to Stand By Me. The heartfelt moments in the film were matched with the hilarious comedy from the cast which made for the perfect balance in the film. You’ll be feeling sympathy for the teens and parents and then next comes a comedic moment that makes you smile and laugh. Nick Offerman provided the sarcastic humor in the film that made for some really funny and awkward moments. Megan Mullally and her wacky behavior made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion. It almost seemed like she channeled a settled down version of Karen Walker. Haha! Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso and Moises Arias all gave stupendous performances that I feel will pave the way for future greatness in their careers. They made me remember when I was their age and how much I thought I knew everything and could survive on my own. Arias was so hilarious in all of his randomness and the delivery of his lines. He almost reminded me of myself in a way because of all that randomness and crazy things he would say. The great thing about this film is that just about anyone male or female can relate to this film and it will definitely make you think of all the angst that comes from being a teenager. You really do owe it to yourself to pick this up and check this film out.
Special Features:
Alison Brie & Eugene Cordero On-Set Interview – A brief chat (and dance) with 2 of the cast members of the film.
Deleted And Extended Scenes – A pretty good group of scenes that included an extended look at the “dancing of the pipe”.
The Long Shot Featurette – Cast and crew talk about how much they believed in the project and their dedication to it.
Frankly Speaking With Frank Toy: The Best One-Liners – A “Best of” compliation of clips from Nick Offerman’s character.
