Summer of ’84 review: Eighties nostalgia galore in the follow-up to the brilliant Turbo Kid.
Summer of ’84 review by Kat Hughes.
Summer of ’84 Review
Summer of ’84 is the sophomore feature film from the team behind the batty and brilliant Turbo Kid. Given that Turbo Kid was a throwback to the uber violent movies of the eighties, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this is more of the same. You would be very, very wrong. Set during the summer of 1984 (in case the title didn’t give it away) the film follows the adventures of Davey (Graham Verchere) and his group of misfit friends. After a slew of local murders, the group begin to investigate Davey’s neighbour and local cop Mackey (Rich Sommer) whom Davey believes is a serial killer.
Expect real old-fashioned Amblin vibes as our filmmakers fully embrace the eighties aesthetics. Our group of heroes could have been lifted from a number of films of the decade, The Goonies and The Lost Boys being two that immediately spring to mind. You have the conspiracy-theory-loving leader Davey, the chubby one with a heart of gold Eats (Judah Lewis), the sex-obsessed bad-boy Woody (Caleb Emery), and the bookish straight man Farraday (Cory Gruter-Andrew). This cast of characters gives everyone someone to connect with, and the chemistry between them is effortless and therefore feels genuine.
Plot wise, again Summer of ’84 borrows from films that time period. Davey believing his neighbour to be a serial killer is not so dissimilar from both Fright Night and The Lost Boys where teenage boys believe something despicable of those in close proximity. Here the humour is dialled back from these accusations and the story keeps you guessing about who the killer really is. Whilst conjuring up the feel of fan favourite films Summer of ’84 stands apart with it’s much darker and sinister approach.
Summer of ’84 Review
Summer of ’84 begins with what has to be an homage to one of the best television shows of the nineties, Eerie, Indiana. On screen we see Davey cycling around his town on his paper route as we see glimpses of his friends and neighbours. Over the top of this we get Davey’s narration about how strange a place it is that he lives in. Being a massive fan of the series, Summer of ’84 essentially had me hooked from the opening moments. Add to that a synth-tastic soundtrack and you have the makings of a truly nostalgic teen adventure thriller.
As previously mentioned tonally, and stylistically Summer of ’84 is drastically different to Turbo Kid. Whilst there might not be exploding heads, post-apocalyptic wastelands, Viewmasters or Gnomesticks, there is a whole heap of tension, intrigue and teenage boy friendship on display to keep you entertained. More subdued than it’s predecessor, Summer of ’84 is still a love letter to a near forgotten time in cinema. Sit back, relax and let yourself be whisked back to the simpler time of 1984.
Summer of ’84 review by Kat Hughes, August 2018.
Summer of ’84 screened as part of Arrow Video Frightfest 2018.
