Summer of Sam

Buena Vista Pictures | Release Date: July 2, 1999

1.4	USER SCORE Overwhelming dislike based on 121 Ratings

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EndermanJan 17, 2017

This film, like the dazzling but many-tentacled "He Got Game" before it, makes up in fury much of what the Italian-American neighborhood film lacks in form.

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M.CAug 7, 2008

One of my favorite films, a cult classic.

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SeanKJun 5, 2009

The film opens with a scene set in a dance club where we see one of our main characters being introduced by the sounds off the floor. Spike Lee who has grown to become a very wel known yet controversial director has always had a certain The film opens with a scene set in a dance club where we see one of our main characters being introduced by the sounds off the floor. Spike Lee who has grown to become a very wel known yet controversial director has always had a certain style to his movies that almost implement that somewherehes left his mark but in Summer of Sam we see him drop all the ethnic tensions that he seems t focus so much on lately and he gives us his best film to date. John Leguizamo gives a great and somewhat sad performance as a sex crazed disco dancin italian in the Bronx where he tries to remain faithful to his caring wife but in the end he basically messes up. Lee prsents the true nature of a city in terror as the Son of Sam sweeps through the city knocking off innocent young brunettes and any others who are so unfortunte to taste a .44 calibur. He gives us two stories which Lee works well with. The film is a very raging emotional and angry film tht shows the darker side of our world and what it use to be. Ifi had any complaints it would be the last minute love inerest that Adrien Brody seems to attach but not carry.… Expand

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DirigiblePulpFeb 1, 2015

Summer of Sam has a couple different meanings. It's not quite Son of Sam, the nickname of the serial killer the movie is ostensibly about. It's also an abbreviation for SOS, as in mayday. These are on purpose. Spike Lee centers a movie aboutSummer of Sam has a couple different meanings. It's not quite Son of Sam, the nickname of the serial killer the movie is ostensibly about. It's also an abbreviation for SOS, as in mayday. These are on purpose. Spike Lee centers a movie about paranoia, changing times, metaphorical dog collars, war, post trauma, stress, sexual revolutions, disco vs punk and scapegoats into one electric, charged, throbbing explosion of a movie. It's a bit indulgent, maybe doesn't completely add up, and isn't quite perfect in its period detail (enough about this particular punk scene being a year or two off, this is art!).

The film revolves around these murders because they represent another movement in American history. One in which the hangover from Vietnam is finally fading, and what's left is the feeling that we have been used and abused. Like dogs, wearing the collar. Adrien Brody's punk rocker represents this rebellion against the collar, against the causeless wars and manipulation. Punk, gay and uninterested in conformity. John Leguizamo (with a performance that questions how he never quite became the star he should have been), still wears the collar, refuses to treat his wife properly and sleeps around. He treats her as an object to be on a pedestal, not one to be shamed and used like all those other "free love" types.

This PTSD serial killer is hearing orders from a dog wearing its collar (literally, in one of a couple surreal sequences that clearly establish this film as metaphor and fever dream), just like Nam' and he can't stop killing. So blame the punks, the gays, the unorthodox priests, anyone but the master. You gotta fight the powers that be.… Expand

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