I've only seen this movie once. And I liked it. Yes, as someone commented, it is similar to "She's All That". Bruno Kirby was always an underated actor (i first remember him in an episode of room 222), and does a fine job here. Hey, it's not Shakespeare. It's a cute teen movie from the late 70's that kept my interest. If you're into these "coming of age" type movies, definitely try to catch this one. I don't know what I rate the movie, but I rate it better than the other people who commented.
Plot summary
In this hilarious teen movie that paved the way for Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) and The Breakfast Club (1985), Bobby DeVito (Bruno Kirby) is the "senior campaign strategist" in a highly contested high school student body presidential election. Christine Alexander (Lee Purcell) is Bobby's former girlfriend who's almost guaranteed to win the election... because her opponent got suspended. To get even with Christine for breaking up with him, Bobby puts up an unknown candidate, Darryl Fitzgerald (John Friedrich)-and the presidential race gets nasty. This irresistible '70s cult comedy classic from director Martin Davidson features Didi Conn, Tim Matheson and a rockin' soundtrack from Mike Love of The Beach Boys.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
May 27, 2022 at 03:57 PM
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not bad, worth watching
Pre - Fast Times Goodie
This is one of the most enjoyable teen movies I have ever seen (and that I wished was released to video). It was released the same year as another great comedy in which Tim Matheson played a role "Animal House" (Which is probably why it was overlooked).
One of the most memorable parts of this film would definitely be the soundtrack, which could have and should have been a formal label release. The soundtrack features a lesser-known 70's act named High Inergy whose song "We are the future", played a marquee role in the movie's Prom scene. I remember purchasing the group's album "Steppin' Out" as a kid mainly because of the look of the girls and not necessarily for their musical talents.
The closing song is one of the best ballads I have ever heard, and I can still hear it in my head. I wish I knew the group's name so that I could look for it somewhere in cyberspace.
If you liked films such as "Over the edge" and "Rich Kids", I think this is one that you will enjoy as well.
If it's "back to class, crack the books", it wouldn't be almost summer--it would be the end of summer
"Almost Summer" was worked on by four screenwriters (Judith and Sandra Berg, Martin Davidson--who also directed--and Marc Reid Rubel), yet it opens with the oldest visual cliché in the teen-movie manual: anonymous girl in a red bikini lying on a beach towel next to her suntan oil and radio. Who is she? It doesn't matter. For a film that wants to examine cutthroat high school politics with a somewhat serious face, this opening shot--more than any other--tips the writers' hand: what they really wanted to make was a girl-ogling flick on the level of "Beach Blanket Bingo". When his candidate for student body president is suspended, wheeler-dealer Bruno Kirby has to come up with a last minute replacement to challenge Lee Purcell, the class brain. Most of the actors look old enough to be in college (one of the reasons, I think, the movie didn't catch on with its target audience), although Didi Conn does her oddball outsider thing to good effect (even if the sight gag with her braces is overdone). One tires quickly of wise guy Kirby, who swears like a seasoned sailor and gambles on the side like a streetwise hustler. "Grease" beat this into theaters by three months and, while that film also featured kids too old for class, it had a real feel for classrooms and teachers and puppy love. "Almost Summer" wants to be hard-shelled and yet sentimental--the underdog as teen idol--but the dialogue is too smart and worldly and cynical. Where's the fun of being a teenager? ** from ****