Summer of Sam (1999)

reviewed by
Holly Baublitz


Personally, I am a horror-movie fan. However, being a true movie buff, I see just about every new release that comes out. When I heard about "Summer of Sam" I thought it would be a good "shock factor" movie. Then I had second thoughts.. I have never cared much for Spike Lee's movies, especially how they all seem to be laced with racial undertones, sometimes unnecessarily, at times. But, I went with my father, who went simply for the "shock factor" thinking it was going to be a "bloody movie about the killings".

I will admit, it was quite bloody. The murder scenes are shown and they aren't in any way made easy or glorified. However, the movie is not based on the murderer, the murders or the victims. The victims names aren't even mentioned at all that I can remember in the movie, and, although the murderer is portrayed, he isn't the basis of the movie. The movie is more about society around the time of the murders, and the murders and killings are simply a backdrop for a story about a group of friends growing up in New York. John Leguizamo plays one of the main "tough guys", portraying a young husband to Mira Sorvino that you can't help but hate and feel sorry for at the same time. Sorvino is absolutely star-struck in this movie, looking wonderful as ever but also giving a performance that makes you feel for her as well as her situation. The one car scene, in which she is accusing her husband, Leguizamo, of cheating on her with her cousin is absolutely amazing, one which drew applause from the audience of the theater in which I was in. I know I was cheering for her. You GO, Girl!

The murderer is in no way glorified. He is portrayed as a sick, psychotic man who, even in this movie, is not clear as to why he is killing except for the fact that he is seriously messed up in the head. The movie deals with the prejudices of the area and time, with the "tough guys" of the neighborhood thinking they can go out and single-handedly find the .44 caliber killer with their own brains and "process of elimination". It deals with society and it has a story simply backlogged by the horrible events of the murders. At the end, of course, the murderer is caught, but that isn't the end of the movie. Without giving away the end, let's just say that you leave the movie with a sense of relief that the sick psycho was caught, but another feeling of dread that there is such harsh prejudice in this world that some people cannot see past appearances... even when it comes to their own friends.

Spike Lee overlooked the racial proponents of his past films and, although a slight racial slur in the middle of the movie during the "black out riot news report", there is more to his movie than race for once. It is NOT a shock-film, but a combination of a great script, cinematography and acting which, put all together in a nut-shell, ended up to be a great story placed in a not-so-great time in history. If war films can be made and films can be made about families living in the time of World War I or II, this can be equivelent to it.. it's simply about a group of people living through a very frightening and scary point in our history. Granted, it wasn't a very happy time, but neither was the Invasion of Normandy and Speilberg didn't get any flack about his "Saving Private Ryan". Lee.. Good job. Keep it up, and I applaud you for doing this movie with taste and respect. It came out to be, in my mind, a real eye opener and a work of art. !!!!

If you agree or disagree, I accept CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. Nothing rude,
please! =) Thanks.
- Jeanie

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