Ping Pong Summer (2014)

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

In our lives we end up saying "that was the worst movie ever made" many, many times. I highly doubt i'll EVER say that again after watching this thing. I would need about 5 pages to explain the awfulness of this movie. It makes no sense at any point, you don't want to root for the wimpy lead kid at all, and how does the mean kid that crushed him in ping pong a week earlier now forget how to pay all together? The only good part was the fat red headed dummy who over-acts thru every scene. And well that's not "good" but it was funny. I pray the world deletes every copy of this movie and it just becomes a myth.

I got around to watching this off Showtime the other day. I "think" a friend of mine had reviewed this awhile back, and it stuck out to me. I've been reading some user comments like "bad music", "bad acting", etc.. and those who wrote comments like that obviously didn't get this movie. If you go back and watch the filmmaking style of some of the summer teen comedies of the mid 1980s, you will see THIS movie! LOL This had to have been intentionally done-?? And the soundtrack- wow! LOVED it! This was not your usual generic hodge podge of '80s tunes you hear on the air waves today- someone must've really dug through their vinyl collection to put this mix together. Right from the opening, you hear that obscure song from John Cafferty- "Tough All Over"- ANY-one remember that one-?? LOL The plot is as basic as it gets- ping pong obsessed teen goes on vacation to Ocean City with family, and gets himself into a match with a local bully. I don't know who that actor was as the main villain, but he was perfect!- just delivers these cliché'd bully lines perfectly!- and his redheaded mimmick side-kick-??- anyone sense a little homo-eroticism going on there-?? o.O Susan Sarandon has a good role as a former ping pong champ who takes our hero under her wings to transfer her wisdom, and '80s icon Lea Thompson plays his mom! And that Irish dude from "Four Weddings and a Funeral" played the dad.

For those of us who loved Michael Tully's directorial debut, SEPTIEN, it was rather surprising to discover that he had a dream. That dream is PING PONG SUMMER -- a movie so far removed from his directorial debut it is almost impossible to imagine that both were made by the same artist! There have been a number of movies that have attempted to recreate the 80's in just as many ways. Because this film is written/directed by Michael Tully you might expect that he would create something similar to David Wain's WET HOT American SUMMER … only more twisted. But that is not his intent. But this is no parody. This is not cynical.This is not even an ode to 1980's movies. PING PONG SUMMER is simply a nostalgic memory of a very specific moment not only in American culture -- but in the life of a 13 year old boy. And guess what, it's not about a boy trying to get laid or having to survive through a traumatic childhood. This is a movie about a slightly awkward kid trying to find a way to assert his identity. During a family summer vacation, an awkward 13 year old tries to find a way to assert his identity. The only problem is that he is just a bit too young and innocent to understand what that means, Rad ends up having a nice summer. We follow Rad through the summer. Things do happen, but never in an even slightly unbelievable way. The magic of the movie lies in it's simplicity. We often only see the world through the eyes of a normal kid. And we quite literally re-experience 1985 from his perspective. Hip Hop was just about to break mainstream, Boom-boxes ruled, the Arcade was THE place to be and it was crucial to master the art of achieving the perfect mix for your Icey! Oh, and do remember the obscene amount and choice of food at buffet restaurant?!?! There is actually a great deal of humor here.,but don't expect generic slapstick or crass humor. The films humor most often sneaks in just below the radar. The funniest moments are are in the way the characters react to the situations and/or comments made by others. Even when Amy Sedaris and Robert Longstreet are introduced as the "looney" aunt and uncle — the humor is not directly aimed at their inappropriate behavior. The funny aspect of this short extended family visit is in the way Rad's family creatively navigates the situation. They are family, after all. It would be hard for anyone who was between the ages of 12 to 19 in the year of 1985 not enjoy this movie. There was something bittersweet about the movie. It often feels like a memory.

Ping Pong Summer, at the time I'm writing this, has only a 5.3/10 rating. Apparently it's not too popular with viewers, but I loved it. Why? Hmm, maybe it's because I hate the 21st century, I hate the digital age and it's nice to see a movie where there's not a single damned cellular phone in sight. Maybe I'm happy to find a movie made in 2014 that doesn't have any crude humor in it. Maybe it's all the Eighties nostalgia, how the fashion, makeup, cars, music and script all matches up to the era, or maybe it's the far out animation featured in the title credits? If you're looking for a funny, old school-style movie with decent acting and a good plot, this is definitely one you'll want to see! The plot follows a very eventful summer in the life of Rad (Radical, poor kid) Miracle, a teenage boy growing up in 1985 who gets dragged along with his mom, dad and slightly gothy-looking sister to a summer house in Maryland. It's right up there with movies like The Ice Storm (1997), Harold and Maude (1972), Super 8 (2011), National Lampoon Vacation (1983), Sleepaway Camp (1983) and My Girl (1991) for memorable coming-of-age movies. I was sorta dreading Ping Pong Summer at first but I'm glad I watched it; it was hilarious without being rude, and the characters were all really original, odd in a good way, and it honestly deserves a better rep.