Directed by Carlos López Estrada
Written by and starring Marquesha Babers, Mila Cuda, Gordon Ip, Tyris Winter, and MANY more
Running time 1 hour and 35 minutes
MPAA rating Rated R for language throughout and sexual references
In theaters now, in Philly July 16 - Full list here

by Benjamin Leonard, Managing Zine Editor, Best Boy

After a successful directorial debut like Blindspotting, I kinda expected a studio to stick Carlos López Estrada on a bland, big-budget project, giving him little responsibility but drawing on his indie cred. And Disney kinda did, having him share directorial duties with three others on Raya and the Last Dragon. But before that, Estrada shot Summertime which doubles down on the notion of having poet/writer/performers baring their souls on the big screen.

Now, if the sometimes embarrassingly earnest nature of poetry is just too much for you to watch for 95 minutes, I get it. It can be tough and uncomfortable at times. At others, it may seem silly and superfluous. But let me tell you, Summertime does an excellent job of taking the work of these 25 young Los Angelinos out of their notebooks and onto the screen. The words aren’t just read, the scenes are imaginatively set and characters have been cast as the other poets so that their stories can be interwoven.

This film is an ode to LA. As I watched, I couldn’t help but think of Short Cuts and, to a lesser extent, La La Land. Summertime is much more real, diverse and working-class than either of those. Large portions of the film are spent riding on public transit, working in restaurant kitchens, or listening to buskers. But between all of these scenes, there are artistic transitions showing off local murals, architecture, and landscapes. We get to see Los Angeles for all of its beauty along with its warts.

This comes across with the characters as well. When you encounter many of the characters they come off as brash, shallow, possessive, flighty, self-involved, petty, conniving or overly meek, but this is played for humor (and at times it was quite funny). You aren’t supposed to sympathize with them at first. It’s playing on your preconceived notions of what an Angelino is. As the stories fold into each other, we get beyond the superficial.

The main thread throughout Summertime is that the characters are all relatively young and going through some sort of change in their life. Many of them are in transition from high school to college. Some are working through relationship issues. Others are adjusting to new work situations.

Through these life events, every character, or at least your understanding of them, becomes dynamic. Either they stop being such assholes, or you learn what has been causing them to be turds. It’s not an excuse, it’s an understanding. There’s an implicit message that we are all on both sides of this exercise every day. Coexisting with other humans can be exhausting. Humanity is having a little bit of tolerance and patience for others while not having to hide who you are.  For me, the performers that best represented this were Marquesha Babers, Mila Cuda, Gordon Ip and Tyris Winter. [*note to self: keep an eye out for other projects with these people*]

Summertime is equal parts funny and moving with just a dash cringe from all of the unadulterated earnestness of being built upon a foundation of poetry. The story never gets dull or slumps, the costumes and locations are attractive and solidify the SoCal setting, and the performances are all assured and fun. If you’re concerned about this being labeled a “spoken word poetry musical,”don’t be.It’s a little of all those things, but mostly it’s just a good time. Do yourself a favor and take in a unique theatrical experience.