Abby seeks to impress her crush by learning a specific sexual position, enlisting a stripper’s help. However, she realizes true self-discovery and lasting friendship are more valuable.
Chuck says:
Walking a tightrope between tawdry and heartwarming is a trick that requires a sure, deft hand. With “Summer of 69,” first-time director Jillian Bell is able to pull off this feat most of the time, this “Risky Business” redux buoyed by two strong lead performances and just enough wit to carry the day. Had the script by Jules Byrne, Liz Nico and Bell stuck to a more realistic premise, this debut would be a complete success.
Just to clarify, the title is not in reference to the year 1969, but rather the easier-said-than-done sex act that’s fascinated teens for…well, since there’s been teens. Abby (Sam Morelos) is one of the uninitiated, fascinated by and never having performed this pain-in-the- neck inducing maneuver. And with her life-long crush Max (Matt Cornett) newly single, she’s eager to discover all its ins-and-outs, having been told doing this is his favorite pastime. She figures if she can master this technique, it’ll help her win his heart and other vital parts as well.
Now I know what you’re thinking. Abby should just consult the internet and she’d be well-educated in all sorts of “numbers.” However, if she did that, there would be no story, so instead she decides to consult someone she thinks would be an expert. Enter stripper, Santa Monica (Chole Fineman), a young woman who’s realizing her best years are quickly passing her by and any potential she might have had to make something of herself is quickly dwindling.
With her upscale parents out of town, Abby asks Santa to be her sex tutor, wanting to be ready for Max once she works up the nerve to speak to him. Seeing a way to raise enough money to save the strip club where she works, she agrees, giving the young girl lessons in how to walk, how to talk and how to…do other things. Needless to say, Abby does not take to these acts like a duck to water.
Kudos to Bell for acknowledging the film’s debt to the Tom Cruise classic, as one of the bonding experiences that occurs between Abby and Santa is watching the film. Before that, there are some occasional laughs, some attempts that fall flat and an out of place sequence that finds Santa giving a private party to a group of dangerous ne’er-do-wells that nearly derails the entire movie.
What makes it all bearable are Morelos and Fineman, the two actresses bringing a sense of fun to their roles. They’re well aware how ridiculous the premise is but they manage to generate a genuine, sweet chemistry that’s effective. Equally enjoyable is Cornett, a Disney Channel alum who has a natural screen presence, his easy, self-effacing manner appealing from the start.
Of course, each of the characters reveal they’ve been pretending to be someone they’re not and all is set right. More importantly, the titular act is brushed aside as something Abby and her peers aren’t ready for, finding satisfaction with Max by watching movies together, talking and just being themselves instead. In the end, the sweet barely outweighs the lewd in “Summer,” though it would have benefited from a bit more restraint.
2 1/2 Stars
