Summer of '84

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Summer of ‘84 follows 4 friends; Davey, Tommy, Dale and Curtis whom are enjoying their summer. The highlight of their street is the nightime game of Manhunt. One team being hunters the others being the fugitives in a neighborhood wide game of hide and seek. During this game Davey notices a kid being assisted by his neighbor, Wayne. With Wayne’s good reputation as one of the town’s police officers Davey doesn’t think much of it. When a few days later the kid is not seen again and his picture shows up on a milk carton Davey suspects Wayne is the serial killer that was featured on the TV recently. While Davey’s obsession with conspiracy theories has made most adults not believe anything he says his friends believe just enough to help him spy on Wayne to find out evidence that Davey’s theory is correct.

The characters work very well with each other, the group feels like a real group of friends with no artificial drama between them. Davey’s obsession is well built as a good reason why the continued attempts to get his friends to follow him get more and more difficult.

Summer of ‘84 keeps its mystery throughout, letting the audience learn just as much as the boys do in their quest for the truth. A coming of age story as well interwoven as Davey’s next door neighbor begins showing more affection toward him as her parents are rumored to be separating, their romance grows but doesn’t overtake the rest of the film. The mystery is kept up until the reveal where the true horror begins.

If you look at the first two-thirds of the film you would think it was a slightly more vulgar group of kids on a quest, like you’d see in The Goonies or the opening of a Stephen King coming of age story. Once the film decides to go horror though it really throws you right into the deep end. The ending sequence will stick with me as it was so well acted, shiver inducing and oppressive.

This film did the 80s right, keeping most of the references subtle and along with the story. We do not get large periods of time with the camera having to show us, ‘Yes we are in the 80s’. This helped my immersion immensely when the setting was just that, rather than an attempt to fit as many references they can fit in the course of the film.

A strong mystery and built to the powerful ending made this film so fun to watch and leaving a very creepy feel from the eventual reveal of the. The references are not oppressive and if you are a fan of The ‘Burbs you will recognize a few lightly input lines and situations.

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