Summer of Sam | Michael Badalucco, Adrien Brody

Summer of Sam | Michael Badalucco, Adrien Brody | Spike ain't no paisan

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Summer of Sam

	Summer of Sam Michael Badalucco, Adrien Brody Walt Disney Video, 2000 average customer review:based on 148 reviews view larger image
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It's important to note that Spike Lee's drama is not titled Son of Sam. Summer of Sam doesn't chronicle the killer as much as the times: the blistering hot summer of 1977 when the Big Apple's psyche was taken hostage by the lone gunman. We spot the killer (Michael Badalucco) in his mad ramblings, but the film centers on two friends from the Bronx: Vinny and Ritchie (John Leguizamo, Adrien Brody). Vinny and his wife, Dionna (Mira Sorvino), bury a bad marriage (he cheats at a drop of a hat) in the disco halls of the area. Ritchie returns to the neighborhood sporting punk hair, punk clothes, and a British accent that immediately infuriates the neighborhood boys oozing far too much testosterone. Cops, local mob leaders, and the guys on the street all have ideas who the killer is; neighborhood loners to Reggie Jackson (in the midst of World Series heroism) are on their misguided lists of suspects. When the film looks at how the citizens faced the fearful times, Lee scores with his energetic camerawork and pop soundtrack. Yet the film is banal in its domestic dramatics. The film takes large detours into Vinny's home sex life (stagnant) and Ritchie's extracurricular activities. One of the marriage arguments--though real and well acted--is so long and cliché-ridden you wonder if someone fell asleep in the editing booth. Add the point-blank killings and nonstop vulgarity and you have Lee's most unpleasant film. --Doug Thomas

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S.O.S.

This film, for the most part is great, everything except for the scene that involves an orgy. For the most part though, the cast and crew did great work, and it should of been a hit. Great DVD to own.

Spike ain't no paisan

I admire Spike Lee's talents. He has made some of the best, yes best, American films of the past few decades. "Do The Right Thing" was seminal. "Crooklyn" was never talked about much because it was not controversial. But it was one of the finest films depicting late 20th century American families, regardless of race. The recent "Inside Man" was a great caper. "Clockers' and "25th Day" were well-made Spike Joints.
Like many talented artists with a viewpoint, Spike has been controversial to say the least. I thought his arguments were weakest when he scolded Tarantino for using too much of the "N" word in his films. Glass houses Spike. But we all know Spike runs the gamut from hero to chump so what was up with "Summer Of Sam"?
Well "SOS" is really Spike laughing at Italians. Let's be honest. I do not believe I am over-reaching. The guineas who keep their manhood in the film haven't a brain cell to share amongst themselves and the two leads are sexually less than what Spike would define as Real Men. One cheats on his wife compulsively and isn't man enough to deal with it. JL's character is also shown to be almost crminally perverse. Adrian Brody's character gets even worse treatment on the manhood scale from Spike. He engages in sexual behavior that would define him as a b-tch. Spike has never portrayed African American men as sexually less-than and that says a lot. The leads' sexual hang-ups are parallaled with the Son Of Sam's and that is a real sneaky and questionable indictment. WE get it Spike. All white dudes, especially Italian and Jewish guys who you know from childhood, are freaks. And not in the cool, Rick James-way. More like in the uber-creepy Jeffrey Dahmer way.
Also, the fascinating subculture of lower East Side NY punk has never been handled more poorly in a film.
The Italian mobsters in "SOS" are cartoonish. They do not have an iota of menace. They do not seem dangerous, as many criminals in Spike's films do.
So we wonder. Did Spike get beat up by Italians growing up in the boroughs? Howard Stern got beat up by blacks growing up and for years he teased black culture mercilessly in retribution. Spike's just a little guy. Maybe Dominic or Paulie slapped him and stole his lunch money when he was a kid. Thus, "SOS" is sweet revenge for Spike. It is also, alas, one of his least accomplished films.
And I can prove it. When the dog begins literally speaking to Berkowitz, the audience howled. I cringed. "No he didn't just have the dog talk!" Yes he did.

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