Summer (2008)

78% of critics liked it
(9 reviews)
60% of users liked it
(265 ratings)

Gas Attack and Yasmin director Kenny Glenaan crafts this tale of loyalty, loss, and the destructive effects of social exclusion concerning two vibrant boys who unwittingly set down an intensely destructive path. Shaun and Daz are two friends who rely on each other for everything, but Shaun was bound… More Gas Attack and Yasmin director Kenny Glenaan crafts this tale of loyalty, loss, and the destructive effects of social exclusion concerning two vibrant boys who unwittingly set down an intensely destructive path. Shaun and Daz are two friends who rely on each other for everything, but Shaun was bound to lose from the very beginning. Upon being labeled the village bully, Shaun falls into a hopeless cycle of self-destruction that threatens to consume not only himself, but his first love Katy and best friend as well. Twelve years later, as Daz faces death, Shaun becomes determined to reclaim his life by confronting his past. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 35 min.
Directed By: Kenneth Glenaan
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Dec 5, 2008 Wide
Studio: Sixteen Films

Critic Reviews

Dave Calhoun, Time Out
As a portrait of stasis brought on by poverty and a study of youthful abandon gone sour in the face of zero opportunities, this is sensitive stuff, even if there's little that's surprising.
Neil Smith, Film4
Strong performances across the board elevate a small-scale tale that's easy to admire but hard to get excited about.
James Christopher, Times [UK]
Glenaan's spare film, set on a council estate in Bolsover, shows how dreams are cruelly extinguished, yet little bits of surreal magic illuminate this tough film with glimmers of hope.
Cath Clarke, Guardian [UK]
There are a few literal-minded scene-by-scene explanations too many; how undiagnosed dyslexia made a bad kid out of Shaun. It's a shame as they put the emotional heart of film at arm's-length.
Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph
A quiet film to inspire quiet admiration, Kenny Glenaan's wistful character piece has a lovely asset in Robert Carlyle - often a careless chooser of parts, but a gentle, sensitive actor in his element here.
Rob Daniel, Sky Movies
Carlyle's central turn is one of the year's most poignant and tear-jerking acting displays, easily erasing the misstep of Eragon.
, Financial Times
Carlyle is exemplary. As the grown-up dyslexic tending a dying boyhood friend (Evets) he mints extra "dialogue" - the kind not written down - with each facial response.
Anthony Quinn, Independent
Some decent performances but not enough that's distinctive to earn a recommendation.
Matthew Turner, ViewLondon
Sharply written with an award-winning performance from Robert Carlyle, this is an engaging drama that packs a powerful emotional punch.