HOT SUMMER NIGHTS (2017) - Movie Review

Director: Elijah Bynum
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Maika Monroe, Alex Roe, Emory Cohen, Thomas Jane, Maia Mitchell, William Fichtner
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance
Writer: Elijah Bynum
Runtime: 107 min
Rated: R for drug content and language throughout, sexual references, and some strong violence
Buy This Movie: DVD (Amazon), Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

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Synopsis:

Daniel Middleton (Timothée Chalamet), a likable but socially awkward recent high-school graduate, is spending the summer before college visiting his aunt on Cape Cod. Neither a "townie" nor a wealthy "summer bird" dropping in for the season, Daniel struggles to find his place-until he meets Hunter Strawberry (Alex Roe), the local bad-boy who peddles marijuana to well-off vacationers when he isn't protecting his younger sister McKayla (Maika Monroe) from overzealous male suitors. Sensing an opportunity, Daniel persuades Hunter to go into business, dealing weed up and down the Cape together as the summer heat intensifies. Newly confident, Daniel falls for McKayla, keeping their relationship secret until it becomes explosive.

Review:

"Hot Summer Nights" is a sizzling, atmospheric mix of neo-noir crime drama and coming-of-age story with a great deal of '90s nostalgia permeating every frame. Occasionaly it's unstable and uneven, but somehow still manages to keep you invested. Writer/director Elijah Bynum employs a powerful arsenal of cinematic tools, including a great soundtrack and vibrant cinematography, which come together to form an immersive experience that tingles all the senses.

The crime angle is a bit thin, which will probably disappoint those who are tuning in only for the story of teenage drug dealers. Bynum is more interested in exploring the three main characters, played by Timothée Chalamet, Maika Monroe and Alex Roe, as they go through the teenage struggles. All three deliver wonderful performances, which makes it all watchable, if a little trite. Supporting characters played by Thomas Jane and Emory Cohen add some welcome depth, and William Fichtner is a riot in a brief but very tense and memorable scene.

The movie starts well and provides an interesting narrative device via a third party narrator, and the third act is appropriately tense and visually thrilling. But the middle drags a bit. Chalamet's young, inexperienced drug kingpin is a complex enough character, but I found myself more invested in the stories of Monroe and Roe's characters, who have a very interesting arc and a tragic depth that make them far more engaging.

Overall, "Hot Summer Nights" is a flawed but interesting mix of genres, and while it probably isn't everyone's cup of tea, I would say it's well worth a watch.

SCORE: 7/10