The Kings of Summer

Hard to believe it, but August has arrived, signaling the coming end to summer. So far, I actually haven’t watched many new movies this summer. Now that I am faced with the short reality of my time left though, I am going to try to once again catch up. Yesterday I watched Skyfall for the second time, but I decided to not to do a post on that because it would be way too long and up to the brim with praise (Yes I loved it that much). So I wanted to do a lesser-known film and chose instead to do The Kings of Summer (fitting, don’t you think?).

The Kings of Summer follows the summer of three teenage boys (Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, and Moises Arias) who in the ultimate act of independence, decide to build and live in their own house in the woods.

The film is a good watch. Sort of like a good book that you can read to pass the time. The different sequences in the film that showed the boys building the house and living in the woods were shot beautifully and had some great images. Overall it might have been montage heavy, but I enjoyed that. The story itself did feel a bit weak at times and that is probably why this is not the kind of movie that you think about for hours after watching. Again it’s a nice short watch.

The performances were all solid, but there is one boy who needs recognition. Moises Arias. Yes the little guy who played Rico in Hannah Montana. I gotta say, this movie would not have been the same without Moises, who played the hilarious and unpredictable Biaggio. His scenes and lines had me laughing out loud, making him the best part of the movie. Gabriel Basso’s parents in the film (Marc Evan Jackson and Megan Mullally) were also pretty relateable and funny when it comes to movie parents.

At times, The Kings of Summer tries to cross too many genres and themes at once. Dysfunctional families, coming of age, adventure, comedy, etc.  However it’s enjoyable and recommended for, I’d say, teenagers and young adults since some might roll their eyes a bit at the trio’s shenanigans. It really does though make you want to venture out into the woods and escape your life.

ALL IN ALL: The Kings of Summer is a quirky film that packs a few laughs and great montages over a story that still comes up a bit short.

2013, Rated R (language), 95 minutes