RLTerry1 Return to that impressionable time in your life. However, unlike the more conventional coming of age stories, the subtext and themes of then first-time feature director Jordan Vogt-Roberts' film, written by Chris Valletta, are merely touched upon but seldom followed through in any meaningful way. The deadpan comedy and one-liners are simply tossed around instead of providing deeper meaning or introspect that may have increased the emotions felt throughout the movie. It's a very surface level movie that fails to substantially deliver the dynamic quality narrative that is typically expected of these films. That isn't to say that it is without merit; quite the contrary, it is enjoyable and is successful in taking you back to that time when you felt that no one understood you and you wanted to be treated like an adult, but still clung to the reckless freedom of hormonal youth. Understanding the consequences of one's behavior is a regularly visited theme in the movie. With gorgeous outdoor cinematography and relatable characters, The Kings of Summer contains a little something for everyone who has ever thought of running away and building a cabin in the woods for you and your buds.The Kings of Summer is about three teenagers Joe (Nick Robinson), Patrick (Gabriel Basso), and Biaggio (Moises Arias) who run away from their respective dysfunctional families and make a life for themselves out in the woods by building a house and living off the land. However, even this three-fold cord has struggles and disagreements, jealously and rage. The young men are forced to work through life's problems while dealing with the chemical and psychological changes of growing up.Have you ever just wanted to escape life? Just quit and run away to a tropical island or mountain valley? That is just what you will encounter in The Kings of Summer. Coming-of-age stories are usually some of the films that find their way onto favorite lists or those to which so many people can relate because they deal with issues many of us face while in that transitional time from teenager to adult. From lakeside high school parties to hormones and independence, this film includes some of the various turning points and learning opportunities one likely encounters while discovering who he or she are. Ordinarily, films such as this, deliver the content in such a way that it offers deeper meaning or emotional connections in the narrative. And although there are some themes and moderate introspect, the film does not go far enough in connecting the audience with the teenagers or adults in the movie. There were several lines of dialog that alluded to potential conflicts and personal struggles that could have been revisited to offer more substance in the film. That being said, the writer and director do provide relatable characters who are each very different from the other in an effort to provide audiences with a character to whom they can identify. It is important for coming-of-age movies to not only contain relatable characters but relatable situations as well. And this movie does that, just not to the extent it had the capacity to do.One of the interesting themes that can be read in The Kings of Summer is questioning one's sexual orientation. Much like in Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street 2, in which the protagonist's sexual orientation is questionable, you can find similar themes in this film. Throughout the movie, Joe is regularly making speeches on and offering up pithy comments about masculinity. Quite regularly, Joe lectures Patrick and Biaggio about what it means to me a man. At times, Joe even becomes defensive when his masculine ways are questioned. As Shakespeare penned, "…thou doth protest too loudly…" It is entirely possible that Joe is struggling to come to terms with his sexual preferences. This could explain why he would go to such drastic measures to escape his rigid father in order to discover who he is when he has to provide for himself. Other supporting evidence of this theme is simply the fact that he doesn't get the girl even though he tried much more than Patrick. When Patrick winds up with the girl, Joe is outraged and never quite gets over it. There are also the frequent trips to Boston Market instead of truly "being a man" and hunting for food. Maybe he's simply trying too hard to deny who he is developing to be? Perhaps. But, there are additionally also other themes that can be read in this unique coming-of-age story.Although this film did not receive the national attention in 2013 that it really should have, it is definitely one that is worth a watch if you enjoy this sub-genre of Drama. Ordinarily, ensemble casts can hinder effective character development and excellent storytelling, the cast in this film is handled moderately well. If there had been more focus on the personal struggles or if the film included an external goal, then it would have definitely been better and perhaps more popular. Stories in general–especially visual stories–require the principle characters to not only have internal goals, but a clearly defined external goal as well. Often the external goal can echo the internal one, but it is important to show a tangible goal. Unfortunately, the latter is lacking in the diegesis of The Kings of Summer. This movie won't likely ever have the nostalgia or cache of Stand By Me, but it does offer up a fun story with an excellent cast and some personal growth that will keep you entertained for the hour and a half runtime.

Sean Lamberger Three kids, feeling their way through the anxieties of their mid-teens, get together to build a summer retreat in the woods and escape from a droll season in their parents' homes. It's hearty and funny, a great reminder of the unseen handcuff between independence and responsibility that floats into our lives at that age. The grown-ups are particularly hilarious as stiff, out-of-touch caricatures; everything we see them as during adolescence, rolled up and amplified by a few degrees. Moises Arias is the best of the young actors, playing a weird McLovin type who somehow falls into the partnership with two long-term buddies. His heavy gaze alone is usually enough to get me chuckling, and the cryptic, emotionally-detached lines that usually sprout from his lips moments later are absurdity at its best. It can get a little self-absorbed at times, and spirals off into navel-gazing in the third act, but for a good stretch in the middle it's prime coming-of-age goodness.

Martin Bradley Coming-of-age movies come in all shapes and sizes, most of them sentimental and almost all of them wistful. Some of them are about girls finding boys but most of them are about boys finding themselves, (and sometimes girls, as well). "The Kings of Summer" belongs very much to the latter category. It's gentle, lovely to look at and saves its dramas until the end; it also happens to be very funny.Here is a movie about teenage boys growing up that isn't primarily concerned with sex or violence but with building a house in the woods. It's been compared to "Stand By Me" but it's much looser. It's more like something David Gordon Green would have done early in his career but it's much tighter. It's also a little like Malick's "The Tree of Life" but without the angst and it's beautifully played, both by the boys, (Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias), and their parents, (including Megan Mullally). I loved every sweet, tender moment.

Tss5078 Everyone thinks their parents are crazy, but in the case of Joe, Patrick, & Biaggio, their parents really are nuts. Looking to escape the insanity of their every day lives, the boys decide one summer to build a cabin in the woods, where they can live off the land like men. Nick Robinson stars as Joe, and gives a performance that is out of this world. In a film that stars three kids in the woods, it would be very easy for things to turn stupid very quickly, but as the leader of the pack, Joe not only keeps the group together, but keeps the story together. No matter what this young man does over the course of his career, he will have a hard time duplicating what was easily a career defining performance. Robinson is paired with Disney star Moises Arias, who until now I thought was just this weird little guy they used to guest in their shows. Arias plays Biaggio, easily one of the funniest characters I've seen in a very long time, some of the things that come out of his mouth are just fall on the floor funny. As the kids enjoy their time in the woods, their parents really start to show their crazy, as they go on a hunt for the lost boys. The characters were all unique in their own way, but Joe's father, played by Nick Offerman, was far and away the best, leading the parents the same way, his son lead the boys. From gigantic wontons to turtles on kites, The Kings of Summer is an extremely enjoyable film and the rare instance of a film that I wish was longer. I truly loved every second of this smart coming of age comedy, for it's uniqueness and young exciting cast. Blending dramatic and comedic elements, The Kings of Summer is that perfect mix that takes you from laughter to tears and back again. For that, this film is an easy choice for one of our must see movies!