Reel Review and Interview: Summer of 69 Is a Perfect Summer Coming of Age Film for All Ages
Jillian Bell makes her directorial debut in the feel-good coming-of-age comedy Summer of 69. The title is a nod to Bryan Adam’s famous song of the same name, but the film uses it as a double entendre for the movie’s plot. The film stars Sam Morelos as Abby, a wallflower high school student infatuated with the ultimate high school heartthrob, Max, played by High School Musical The Musical The Series star Matt Cornett. When Abby learns Max is finally single before summer vacation, she decides she’ll finally try to get the guy of her dreams. However, when she learns of his wild sex life, she enlists the help of a local stripper named Santa Monica to help her gain confidence to hook up with Max. Saturday Night Live star Chloe Fineman stars as Santa Monica, a stripper who desperately needs money to save her club. Luckily, Abby has lots of money and is willing to pay for Santa Monica’s help. While a completely unlikely duo, these women are a match made in friendship heaven.
Jillian Bell is best known for her comedic roles in films, particularly Brittany Runs a Marathon, and was a former writer for Saturday Night Live. Reel Talk’s Ally Bonsall spoke with Bell, Fineman, Morelos, Cornett, and the incredible crew at the SXSW premiere of the film. Bell explained this story seemed like the perfect film to jump into the director’s seat for, mostly because of the strong female friendship.
Sam Morelos makes her feature film debut in this story, and she shines in the role. The That 90’s Show star is a natural in front of the camera and perfectly balances emotion with comedy. She keeps up perfectly with comedy geniuses Bell and Fineman.
Fineman’s character Santa Monica’s arc throughout the film was fantastic to watch unfold, and it’s heartwarming to watch Abby slowly tear down the walls her role model had built. Fineman does a wonderful job of playing that “older sister” trope that looks out for the younger sister and protects her. However, I’d argue that Abby teaches Santa Monica some valuable lessons too.
Fineman and Morelos are a hilarious duo together. It’s so much fun to see two women in completely different stages of life spark a friendship under such bizarre circumstances. As Bell said in our interview with her at SXSW, audiences get to see a female friendship blossom and learn that our differences shouldn’t divide us.
Cornett plays the perfect “boy next door” type with his chemistry being off the charts with Morelos. While he has less screen time than Fineman or Morelos, he makes every second on the screen count. Paula Pell, Liza Koshy, and Nicole Byer are Fineman’s girl gang who also work at the club. They’re supporting roles complement Morelos and Fineman’s humor perfectly, especially Pell who serves as incredible comic relief. Charlie Day rounds out the incredible cast as a sleazy club owner and antagonist for Santa Monica.
This film was a joy to watch from the second it began. It seems nearly impossible to find strong films that make audiences literally laugh out loud, but Bell’s incredible cast and writing left audiences crying laughing in the famous Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas. The story effortlessly blends humor with heart, and shows us that a good friend can make a life-changing impact for the better.
Will Abby get her dream guy? Find out when Summer of 69 hits Hulu later this Spring.
