Summer School

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: July 22, 1987

CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION

30	METASCORE Generally unfavorable reviews based on 9 Critic Reviews

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Critic Reviews

Critic score Publication By date

Kevin Thomas

It's no thigh-slapper like the Rodney Dangerfield's "Back to School," but it's exceptionally good-natured and perceptive, and Harmon, in his first starring screen role, is a real charmer. [22 July 1987]

Rita Kempley

Proud to be junk food, but it still tackles the serious subjects of illiteracy, teen-age pregnancy and young adult alcoholism. [22 July 1987] Read full review

Jack Curry

Summer School is like summer school: you go, then quickly realize you would much rather be doing something else. [22 July 1987]

Janet Maslin

The film's only bright idea is a duo named Chain Saw (Cameron) and Dave (Riley), who love horror films and instigate grisly but imaginative practical jokes, like pretending to be attacked by bunnies when the class makes a field trip to a petting zoo. Read full review

Dave Kehr

It has a lack of ambition and energy that is almost total: It's the most this movie can do to roll over and ask for a little more lotion on its back. [22 July 1987]

Mick LaSalle

Harmon proves that he can act stupid, and that's not enough to make the movie funny… You're supposed to like Freddy (Harmon), and you're supposed to like his brainless students… But you hate everybody. [24 July 1987]

Desson Thomson

Here are some of Summer School's favorite things: idiocy, illiteracy, irresponsibility, drunkenness, dumbness and debauchery. Piqued? [24 July 1987] Read full review

TV Guide MagazineStaff (Non Credited)

Another failure in Harmon's attempt to move from TV to the big screen. Read full review

Roger Ebert

A comedy so listless, leisurely and unspirited that it was an act of the will for me to care about it, even while I was watching it. Read full review