“Summer of Sam” marks my second foray into the films of Spike Lee. While I loved “Do the Right Thing” so much that it landed in my Top 125, “Summer of Sam” didn’t have the same impact. It was released in 1999 – 10 years after the aforementioned film. Spike Lee directed and co-wrote with Michael Imperioli (Goodfellas, The Sopranos) and Victor Colicchio.
Set in the sweltering summer of 1977, the film follows a group of friends from an Italian neighborhood in the Bronx as they navigate life amidst contemporary issues ranging from punk music to the World Series bound Yankees. Lurking in the background is serial killer David Berkowitz, who has terrorized New York City for the past year.
Summer of 1977
What Spike Lee does well is bring to life a small neighborhood swallowed whole by the immenseness of New York City. We saw his hometown streets of Bedford–Stuyvesant encapsulated perfectly in “Do the Right Thing.” Here we focus on the Italian hoods of the Bronx; Country Club, Morris Park, and Throggs Neck. The blocks are dominated by second and third generation Italians, dancing to disco and giving off a pseudo-mafia vibe enhanced by the lure of pizza and pasta.
While the characters are fictitious and somewhat cartoonish, the acting is stellar from everyone. John Leguizamo stars as Vinny, a man whose marriage is floundering due to his constant infidelity. Adrien Brody plays Ritchie, a punk rocker who is Vinny’s best friend. The beautiful Mira Sorvino portrays Vinny’s wife Dionna, and Jennifer Esposito plays Ruby, a love interest for Ritchie. My favorite character was Joey T, a low-level drug pusher played by Michael Rispoli of The Sopranos fame.
Hard Times
We get the feel for life in late 1970’s NYC. It’s a bad time for the country, and the Big Apple is feeling the strain of high crime, high cost of living, and an overall sour reputation. The heat wave and blackout bring tensions amidst friends and ethnicities, already living in fear of the Son of Sam. It’s almost impossible to envision what life at that time would have bene like.
My biggest knock on “Summer of Sam” is the 142-minute length. Scenes are drawn out in a style that reminds me of Kubrick or Scorsese, and not in a good way. The slow pacing bored me by the second act, and by the conclusion I was just waiting for it to be over.
Choose the genre
I felt much of the time spent showing David Berkowitz could have been dropped entirely. The viewer knows he’s at large and the characters in the story are living in constant fear. That would have been perfect. It’s not a movie about him, it’s a movie taking place despite him.
The shootings are graphic and add to the celerity of the investigation, but the moments depicting him in his apartment or on the streets are unnecessary. I would have liked a simpler story that focused solely on the residents. There are also points where the film becomes more comedic. I can appreciate Spike Lee himself playing a dull street reporter but frowned when we see a dog literally talking to Berkowitz.
Despite its flaws, “Summer of Sam” is a worthy watch. While it doesn’t hold up to “Do the Right Thing” it showcases Spike Lee’s abilities as a filmmaker and offers a seamless transition to a much different time.
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