Summer 2008
6.7 / 10
Summer
Shaun and Daz are vibrant kids, wasted by their experience of education. All they have is friendship and Shaun's first love Katy. From the moment Shaun steps into our world he is bound to lose. Labeled as a violent bully he destroys himself and Daz with him. Shaun has twelve years to reflect on an intense summer of love, sex and loyalty. But Daz's imminent death forces Shaun to confront his past.
Shaun and Daz are vibrant kids, wasted by their experience of education. All they have is friendship and Shaun's first love Katy. From the moment Shaun steps into our world he is bound to lose. Labeled as a violent bully he destroys himself and Daz with him. Shaun has twelve years to reflect on an intense summer of love, sex and loyalty. But Daz's imminent death forces Shaun to confront his past.
Videos & Photos
All 1 Videos & 2 Photos
cast
Full Cast & Crew
User reviews
See All 1 Reviews23 Jun 2021 by John Chard
Summer is a stunner! Every once in a while a fabulous British independent film slips under the radar and is criminally missed by a ream of cinema goers. Summer is one such film. It's directed by Kenneth Glenaan, written by Hugh Ellis and stars Robert Carlyle, Rachael Blake and Steve Evets. Shaun (Robert Carlyle) and Daz (Steve Evets) were the rouge kids on the block, best friends forever, they were constantly getting into scrapes. Thoughts of education were the furthest thing from their minds. We find Shaun now in adulthood, and now caring for Daz who is crippled and suffering from terminal cirrhosis. From here the film is told through Shaun's eyes with flashbacks to better, vibrant times, in particular the one important summer where Shaun tries to come to terms with life, loves (Blake as the girlfriend Katy) and where fate stepped in to change things. It's through these flashbacks that we learn exactly why Shaun is so devoted to his dying pal. Structured in the way it is, basically set in three time periods of the protagonists life, Summer involves the viewers to the maximum with the characters. So much so that even with the hanging sense of doom in the air, the nagging question of why is this bond so strong? makes for a fascinating, and emotionally potent experience. The material and its central themes could quite easily been given the sledgehammer treatment by Glenaan, but he directs it in such a subtle way, the final result is all the more emotionally involving. There's no soft soaping either, the plot is tough and realistic, these are real people reacting to real life issues. Something that is helped enormously by the first rate performances of Carlyle (one of his best ever performances) and Evets. Complementing the acting is Tony Slater-Ling's beautiful photography, particularly in the flashback scenes to the boys youth. The warm glow of the sun, the ripple of the water, the green and pleasant land, each serve as painful reminders to Shaun of his lost youth. Nostalgia is not thought of warmly, it is by definition here, a yearning that gnaws away at his soul. Hugh Ellis' screenplay also deserves plaudits, this may not be the easiest of viewings, since this is after all about wasted life and impending death. But there is always hope in the offering, and coupled with the odd flecks of gallows humour, Ellis has found the right balance for the story. It's downbeat of course, and you may feel like you have been through the mangler come the end. But this really is excellent film making that tells a worthy and most endearing story. With Carlyle magnetic and real and Glenaan serving notice that he's a British director fit to sit alongside Meadows, Loach and Arnold. It's hoped that more people can find and let Summer into their lives. 9/10
Genres:
Release Date:
Dec 05, 2008 (Germany,United Kingdom)
Run Time:
1hr 23`
MMPA Rating:
Original Language:
English
Production Countries:
Germany,United Kingdom
Status:
Released
Related Movies To
Summer
Summer is a stunner! Every once in a while a fabulous British independent film slips under the radar and is criminally missed by a ream of cinema goers. Summer is one such film. It's directed by Kenneth Glenaan, written by Hugh Ellis and stars Robert Carlyle, Rachael Blake and Steve Evets. Shaun (Robert Carlyle) and Daz (Steve Evets) were the rouge kids on the block, best friends forever, they were constantly getting into scrapes. Thoughts of education were the furthest thing from their minds. We find Shaun now in adulthood, and now caring for Daz who is crippled and suffering from terminal cirrhosis. From here the film is told through Shaun's eyes with flashbacks to better, vibrant times, in particular the one important summer where Shaun tries to come to terms with life, loves (Blake as the girlfriend Katy) and where fate stepped in to change things. It's through these flashbacks that we learn exactly why Shaun is so devoted to his dying pal. Structured in the way it is, basically set in three time periods of the protagonists life, Summer involves the viewers to the maximum with the characters. So much so that even with the hanging sense of doom in the air, the nagging question of why is this bond so strong? makes for a fascinating, and emotionally potent experience. The material and its central themes could quite easily been given the sledgehammer treatment by Glenaan, but he directs it in such a subtle way, the final result is all the more emotionally involving. There's no soft soaping either, the plot is tough and realistic, these are real people reacting to real life issues. Something that is helped enormously by the first rate performances of Carlyle (one of his best ever performances) and Evets. Complementing the acting is Tony Slater-Ling's beautiful photography, particularly in the flashback scenes to the boys youth. The warm glow of the sun, the ripple of the water, the green and pleasant land, each serve as painful reminders to Shaun of his lost youth. Nostalgia is not thought of warmly, it is by definition here, a yearning that gnaws away at his soul. Hugh Ellis' screenplay also deserves plaudits, this may not be the easiest of viewings, since this is after all about wasted life and impending death. But there is always hope in the offering, and coupled with the odd flecks of gallows humour, Ellis has found the right balance for the story. It's downbeat of course, and you may feel like you have been through the mangler come the end. But this really is excellent film making that tells a worthy and most endearing story. With Carlyle magnetic and real and Glenaan serving notice that he's a British director fit to sit alongside Meadows, Loach and Arnold. It's hoped that more people can find and let Summer into their lives. 9/10
Cast & Crew of
Summer
Directors & Credit Writers
... Second Assistant Director
... Third Assistant Director
... Second Assistant Director
Cast
... Shaun
... Daz
... Katy
... Daniel
... Janice
SK
Sean Kelly... Shaun as a teenager
JD
Jo Doherty... Daz as a teenager
JT
Joanna Tulej... Katy as a teenager
... Shaun as a child
... Daz as a child
... Katy as a child
... Ann
... Doctor Price
... Mr. Tanner
... Mr Roberts (Headmaster)
... Woody (Woodwork Teacher)
SB
Sharon Bower... Mrs Biggs
... Mr Biggs
... Tracey
... Zoe
Produced By
Related Movies To
Summer
Gladiator II (2024)
0 /10
Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.
Run Time: 2hr 28` . MMPA: R / PG-13 . Release: 05 Nov 2024
Director: Jaafar Ameur , Dylan Henricson , Ridley Scott
Producer: Walter F. Parkes , Georgia Jones , Raymond Kirk
Stars: Paul Mescal , Fred Hechinger , Denzel Washington , Connie Nielsen , Joseph Quinn , Pedro Pascal
Wicked (2024)
0 /10
In the land of Oz, ostracized and misunderstood green-skinned Elphaba is forced to share a room with the popular aristocrat Glinda at Shiz University, and the two's unlikely friendship is tested as they begin to fulfill their respective destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Run Time: 2hr 42` . MMPA: PG . Release: 20 Nov 2024
Director: Jon M. Chu , Lisa Vick
Producer: Ryan Bernard Tymensky , Luke Mendes , George Ludlow
Stars: Cynthia Erivo , Ariana Grande , Jonathan Bailey , Jeff Goldblum , Michelle Yeoh , Ethan Slater
Anora (2024)
0 /10
A young sex worker from Brooklyn gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as his parents set out to get the marriage annulled.
Run Time: 2hr 19` . MMPA: R . Release: 14 Oct 2024
Director: Liza Mann , Sean Baker , Stephen Coleman
Producer: Alex Coco , Clay Pecorin , Sean Baker
Stars: Ivy Wolk , Mark Eydelstein , Mikey Madison , Yuriy Borisov , Karren Karagulian , Vache Tovmasyan
Dirty Angels (2024)
0 /10
During the United States' 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, a group of female soldiers posing as medical relief are sent back in to rescue a group of kidnapped teenagers caught between ISIS and the Taliban.
Run Time: 1hr 44` . MMPA: R . Release: 11 Dec 2024
Director: Antony Tanev , Martin Campbell , Margarita Aneva
Producer: Trevor Short , Regina Seifert , Boaz Davidson
Stars: Eva Green , Ruby Rose , Maria Bakalova , Christopher Backus , Reza Brojerdi , Jojo T. Gibbs
Memoir of a Snail (2024)
0 /10
Forcibly separated from her twin brother when they are orphaned, a melancholic misfit learns how to find confidence within herself amid the clutter of misfortunes and everyday life.
Run Time: 1hr 34` . MMPA: R . Release: 17 Oct 2024
Director: Adam Elliot
Producer: Liz Kearney , Grace Adams , Paul Wiegard
Stars: Eric Bana , Sarah Snook , Jacki Weaver , Kodi Smit-McPhee , Dominique Pinon , Magda Szubanski
Babygirl (2024)
0 /10
A high-powered CEO puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much younger intern.
Run Time: 1hr 55` . MMPA: R . Release: 25 Dec 2024
Director: Christo Morse , Halina Reijn , Christopher Swartout
Producer: Halina Reijn , Cayanne Merrill , Erika Hampson
Stars: Nicole Kidman , Harris Dickinson , Jude Law , Antonio Banderas , Sophie Wilde , Jean Reno
Interstellar (2014)
8.7 /10
The adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.
Run Time: 2hr 49` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 05 Nov 2014
Director: Gregory J. Pawlik Jr. , Christopher Nolan , Dillon Neaman
Producer: John Papsidera , Debbie Schwab , Jenny Basen
Stars: Matthew McConaughey , Anne Hathaway , Jessica Chastain , Bill Irwin , Ellen Burstyn , Michael Caine
A Real Pain (2024)
0 /10
Mismatched cousins David and Benji reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the pair's old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
Run Time: 1hr 30` . MMPA: R . Release: 01 Nov 2024
Director: Mieszko Falana , Jesse Eisenberg , Gniewko Falana
Producer: Ali Herting , Mela Melak , Emma Stone
Stars: Jesse Eisenberg , Kieran Culkin , Ellora Torchia , Will Sharpe , Jennifer Grey , Kurt Egyiawan
Conclave (2024)
0 /10
After the unexpected death of the Pope, Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with managing the covert and ancient ritual of electing a new one. Sequestered in the Vatican with the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders until the process is complete, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could lead to its downfall.
Run Time: 2hr . MMPA: PG . Release: 25 Oct 2024
Director: Greta Silvestri , Anthony Carotenuto , Edward Berger
Producer: Martin Ware , Milan Popelka , Margherita De Luca
Stars: Ralph Fiennes , John Lithgow , Stanley Tucci , Isabella Rossellini , Lucian Msamati , Brían F. O'Byrne
Unstoppable (2024)
0 /10
Unstoppable is the inspiring true story of Anthony Robles who was born with one leg but whose unbreakable resolve empowered him to defy the odds and pursue his dreams. With the unwavering love and support of his devoted mother and the encouragement of his coaches, Anthony fights through adversity to earn a spot on the Arizona State Wrestling team on his quest to become an NCAA Champion.
Run Time: 2hr 3` . MMPA: PG-13 . Release: 06 Dec 2024
Director: Daniel Silverberg , William Goldenberg , Douglas Plasse
Producer: David Crockett , Kevin Halloran , Dani Lasser
Stars: Jharrel Jerome , Anthony Robles , Jennifer Lopez , Don Cheadle , Bobby Cannavale , Michael Peña
Intimacy (2001)
6.1 /10
Failed musician Jay abandoned his family and now earns a living as head bartender in a trendy London pub. Every Wednesday afternoon, a woman comes to his house for graphic, almost wordless, sex. One day, Jay follows her and learns about her. This eventually disrupts their relationship.
Run Time: 1hr 59` . MMPA: NR . Release: 20 Jan 2001
Director: Patrice Chéreau
Producer: Jacques Hinstin , Patrick Cassavetti , Charles Gassot
Stars: Sian Reeves , Kerry Fox , Mark Rylance , Timothy Spall , Alastair Galbraith , Marianne Faithfull
The Brutalist (2024)
0 /10
Escaping post-war Europe, visionary architect László Tóth arrives in America to rebuild his life, his work, and his marriage to his wife Erzsébet after being forced apart during wartime by shifting borders and regimes. On his own in a strange new country, László settles in Pennsylvania, where the wealthy and prominent industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren recognizes his talent for building. But power and legacy come at a heavy cost.
Run Time: 3hr 35` . MMPA: R . Release: 20 Dec 2024
Director: István Kolos , Maddie Browning , Brady Corbet
Producer: Andrew Lauren , Mark Gillespie , Max Kondziolka
Stars: Adrien Brody , Guy Pearce , Felicity Jones , Joe Alwyn , Emma Laird , Raffey Cassidy