Summer of Sam (1999)

So much average

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Summer of Sam is a movie that would help you understand the 70's culture in my opinion. The movie at least shows how it was to be young back then.I give it a seven out of ten because this film was lacking just little important things. The story gets confusing during some of the film . The director "Spike Lee" did a horrible job at providing a back story for some of the characters.But besides that it is a good film with graphic materiel. I wouldn't recommend this movie to any one under the age of 15 because of the sex scenes and inappropriate langue.The film shows things I didn't know what was going on such as bathhouses, and punk rock clubs where bands can play music. Or even a walk in porn theater things was different in the 70's.The film did a good job at covering that.

For the love of God. If I ever happen to meet Spike Lee I will thank him for making the worst movie in cinematic history. Then I will punt him like a used football. He should have his SAG card revoked and should never be allowed to make another movie and forced to move to North Korea. The Italian stereotypes were pasted on so hard that I didn't know if I was watching Summer of Sam or Living Colour with the Wayans brothers. Yes, I guess all Italians speak like 3rd graders and use the F bomb for every adjective in their vocabulary. Next was the mindless use of these Italian wonderkinds as sexual animals who fornicate every minute of the day. Adrian Brody and John Leguizamo's performances were horrid. I have seen better acting in my wife's 4 year old pre-school class. If the movie studio wanted to throw away 22 million they should have just given it away to some charity .... Not make the worst movie is history and have the mindless birdshits post a review like it was actually worth watching. I would rather have a burning hot piece of iron thrust into my urethra by Randy Johnson then to ever watch this smoking hot mound of horse manure........ I would comment on the plot if there was any semblance of one. If you really dislike someone please tell them to watch this ..... Spike Lee you should rot in hell for this ....... Thank You !!!

At the time I watched Summer of Sam, it had an average rating of 6.6/10 on IMDb. For a while, I didn't think much of the movie, as I didn't think it was supposed to be very good. However, after reading Roger Ebert's praising review, I decided to check it out. 2 hours and 20 minutes later, I was amazed. How is this movie not talked about more? This is easily one of Spike Lee's best films, along with Do the Right Thing and 25th Hour. A small detail that tells a lot about what to expect is the film's title. Most people expected a profile of the Son of Sam serial killer. However, the movie is called SUMMER of Sam, which tells what the film is about. It's about the time period and the paranoia that gripped New York during the killings, not the killer himself. There are several scenes showing the killer's life, who is played excellently by underrated actor Michael Baddalucco, but these scenes do not take up the majority of the film. Though he isn't the main character, the film belongs to Adrien Brody as wannabe punk rocker Richie, who is slowly believed to be the Son of Sam by his paranoid friends. His performance is eccentric, dramatic, and just close enough to over-the-top to be believable. The film's best sequence is about halfway through the film, in which Richie rocks out to The Who in his garage, and the scene is dazzlingly intercut with Richie moonlighting as a dancer in a sleazy club and the killer doing his business. I must also give a large applause to the film's top notch editing and soundtrack which play a big part in making the film unique. Despite any negative reviews you've heard, I highly recommend this film for any fan of unique thrillers and Spike Lee's other work.

If you like movies about New York, you will love Summer of Sam and it's look at Italian-Americans in the Bronx in the Summer of '77.If you like movies that focus on the characters, rather than the events, then this is a must-see movie, as the reaction of these people to the events of that summer - the soaring heat and a crazy killer who gets his messages from a dog -- is priceless.Forget the killer in the title. He is only a backdrop to the story and is no more important that the heat. What this film is really about is the reaction of these people to a Summer of fear.I love John Leguizamo (Sueño, Land of the Dead, Collateral Damage) and in all the movies I have watched with him, this is his best performance. He is friends with Adrian Brody (Sueño, The Pianist, King Kong), who is, shall we say, a little strange as a punk guitarist who makes gay porn on the side. Friendship give way to peer pressure after he wife (Mira Sorvino) leaves him, and he turns on his friend as a suspect. It really shows how being different automatically makes you feared.The film has a lot a native New Yorkers and some of my favorites, so it really is watchable. In fact, I'll give Spike Lee's treasure another turn to see what I missed.Look for Jennifer Esposito, Michael Rispoli, Bebe Neuwirth, Anthony LaPaglia, and Ben Gazzara in this great cast.Skintastic Moment: Nice shots of Patti LuPone's breasts as she fools around with hubby on the couch.