Three 15-year-old boys build a house in the woods to escape from their unhappy homes and be the kings of summer.
Premiering at the 2013 Sundance, the comedy-drama The Kings of Summer, which passed the tomatometer, may just be another American coming-of-age tale. But what makes this little gem of an indie flick stand out is that it strikes a chord. We, at some points in our lives, just want to escape from civilization, rules, parents, or even the planet, and this movie presented the ridiculousness and impracticality of this fantasy, especially when you're a teenager. And that you're always bound to come home and face all of your life's crappy imperfections.
Joe (Nick Robinson) and Patrick (Gabriel Brasso) suffer from essentially good but highly annoying parents. Finally, they've had enough and went to build a sanctuary in the woods for a life of freedom and eternal summer, also signifying their rite of passage to manhood. A strange kid named Biaggio (Moises Arias), the film's main comic relief, enlists himself to join them, which adds a fascinating eccentricity to the film. And so, with a little twist in the heart, we simply wait for the foundation of their dreams to inevitably crumble.
Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts and penned by Chris Galleta, The Kings of Summer is visually gorgeous, playful, and poetic, albeit the shots sometimes looking like pretentious adverts. A unique, witty, artful, and poignant tale.
Also starring TV stars Nick Offerman, Megan Mullaly, and Mary Lynn Rajskub.
3.5 out of 5 stars
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