Greenes Please don't spend money on this.

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

mhendroff this had to be the biggest waste of time in a long while. I still struggle to understand why this film was made. it was all over the place adding nothing new to the story. i know the makers probably wanted to capture the mood of the era and how the killings affected everyday life in the Bronx, but the characters in the film all had zero redeeming qualities and it was impossible to like, let alone sympathize with any of them. Avoid like the plague. i only voted 1 cos there is no zero/negative rating.

David Williams (dqcrevon) Summer of Sam is a movie that would help you understand the 70's culture in my opinion. The movie at least shows how it was to be young back then.I give it a seven out of ten because this film was lacking just little important things. The story gets confusing during some of the film . The director "Spike Lee" did a horrible job at providing a back story for some of the characters.But besides that it is a good film with graphic materiel. I wouldn't recommend this movie to any one under the age of 15 because of the sex scenes and inappropriate langue.The film shows things I didn't know what was going on such as bathhouses, and punk rock clubs where bands can play music. Or even a walk in porn theater things was different in the 70's.The film did a good job at covering that.

jackmeat My quick rating - 6,5/10. This is really more like two stories in one. First is the obvious story about David Berkowitz (for those that don't know he was a serial killer in NYC in the late 70s.) and the second story about a man who has various mental problems and drug problems. Now the two really don't have anything to do with each other minus the fact both are happening at the same time and John Leguizamos character (which was acted very well I might add) has a best friend who is fingered as the Son of Sam (the killer). The acting in this film is well above average and the story itself, even if it is partially based on a true story, which it is, was well written out to hold your attention. I am unsure how I missed this one since serial killers are a thing I tend to be interested in, but I am glad I watched this finally and if you do, I am sure you will agree it was a good flick. Enjoy.

Ben Larson If you like movies about New York, you will love Summer of Sam and it's look at Italian-Americans in the Bronx in the Summer of '77.If you like movies that focus on the characters, rather than the events, then this is a must-see movie, as the reaction of these people to the events of that summer - the soaring heat and a crazy killer who gets his messages from a dog -- is priceless.Forget the killer in the title. He is only a backdrop to the story and is no more important that the heat. What this film is really about is the reaction of these people to a Summer of fear.I love John Leguizamo (Sueño, Land of the Dead, Collateral Damage) and in all the movies I have watched with him, this is his best performance. He is friends with Adrian Brody (Sueño, The Pianist, King Kong), who is, shall we say, a little strange as a punk guitarist who makes gay porn on the side. Friendship give way to peer pressure after he wife (Mira Sorvino) leaves him, and he turns on his friend as a suspect. It really shows how being different automatically makes you feared.The film has a lot a native New Yorkers and some of my favorites, so it really is watchable. In fact, I'll give Spike Lee's treasure another turn to see what I missed.Look for Jennifer Esposito, Michael Rispoli, Bebe Neuwirth, Anthony LaPaglia, and Ben Gazzara in this great cast.Skintastic Moment: Nice shots of Patti LuPone's breasts as she fools around with hubby on the couch.