After starring in two of last year’s most poignant coming of age films, Call Me By Your Name and Lady Bird, the young auteur takes on another emotionally demanding role in the independent drama, Hot Summer Nights. Set in the summer of 1991, writer/director Elijah Bynum’s debut film is a confident and exciting new voice in the indie film genre. The original screenplay, which ended up on the Blacklist, coupled with fantastic performances from promising young talent makes Hot Summer Nights a rush of adrenaline we can’t get enough of.
After graduating high school and with college on the horizon, the socially awkward and naive Daniel Middleton (Chalamet) is sent to spend the summer with his aunt in Cape Cod. He immediately has trouble finding his place as the “townies” treat him as an outsider and he cannot afford the luxury “summer birds” lifestyle. His isolation is interrupted when he meets alpha-male Hunter Strawberry (Alex Roe), the local drug dealer and infamous bad boy. The two strike up an unconventional relationship– Hunter introduces an asthmatic Daniel to smoking weed and, in turn, Daniel presents an opportunity for the two of them to go into business selling the product to an even larger audience, with an even bigger monetary gain. On paper, it looked like everything would work out according to plan.
What wasn’t accounted for, however, was Daniel’s growing romantic relationship with McKayla (Maika Monroe) who, unbeknownst to him, is Hunter’s younger sister. Fearing that if either of the Strawberry siblings knew about his relationship with the other they would drop him, Daniel keeps up the facade of anonymity. For a while, he reaps the benefits of his double life by dating the most beautiful girl in town while having so much disposable income he doesn’t know what to do with it all. But of course, all good things must come to an end and everything comes to a head when a large job opportunity to push cocaine comes his way and Daniel’s secret relationship with both siblings is exposed, and not on his terms.
If ‘Hot Summer Nights’ is remembered for one thing, in addition to another earnest performance from everybody’s favorite shining star Timothée Chalamet, let it be for the film’s playlist.
Hot Summer Nights has a familiar feel to it while still ringing original. It seems as if director Elijah Bynum, who was 23 years old when he wrote the script, found influence in the aesthetic of Drive and the soundtrack of Baby Driver as Hot Summer Nights feels reminiscent of these high stakes films. His specific cinematic vision incorporates neon accents and saturated visuals. The soundtrack, which includes David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity‘ and Mott The Hoople’s ‘All The Young Dudes‘, weave in and out seamlessly and contribute to some of the film’s most standout scenes. If Hot Summer Nights is remembered for one thing, in addition to another earnest performance from everybody’s favorite shining star Timothée Chalamet, let it be for the film’s playlist.
Hot Summer Nights found its home with distributors A24, who seem to have nineties nostalgia lately (or so it seems from this release and it’s highly anticipated, Jonah Hill-directed Mid90s). Incredible truth and honesty are at the heart of this coming of age film, and those looking for an emotionally-charged and vibrant story about the complexities of youth and love should look no further than Hot Summer Nights.
‘Hot Summer Nights’ is 107 minutes. Rated R for drug content and language throughout, sexual references, and some strong violence. Opening this Friday at the AMC Sunset 5 and on iTunes, VOD.
