Movie Review: The Kings of Summer

Have you ever been in a situation where you just wanted to leave everyone behind and escape to your own world? Well, this was the premise of the Kings of Summer. I was a looking for some indie movies released recently to watch and came about the trailer for this. Looked interesting so I downloaded it.

The Kings of Summer, released in 2013, tells the story of 3 friends escaping their annoying parents and try to live on their own in an uncharted part of the forest. There they build their own house and create their own summer while their family is worried sick looking for them. Their friendship are tested when a girl gets in between them. Throughout the experience/ordeal, both the boys and their families discover each other and learn to appreciate each other more.

The movie stars Nick Robinson of TV's Melissa & Joey, Gabriel Basso and Moises Arias of TV's Hannah Montana as the 3 main leads, Joe Toy, Patrick Keenan and Biaggio. Nick and Gabriel's performance are nothing to rave about but Moises' provided the most comedy. Nick Offerman as Joe's father was utterly annoying and I can sympathize why Joe would want to run away. So were Megan Mullaly and Marc Evan Jackson, as Patrick's paranoid parents. When you have a parents that even questions which shirt you're wearing today, who wouldn't want to run away? Haha.

The movie touches on the many issues any teens would be going through as they start progressing to adulthood. Friendship, love and family. I wouldn't say it's thought provoking but the underlying messages with each situation is probably something everyone of us can relate to. At times when you start feeling disconnected from the movie, the sarcastic line or comedic act gets you back in. This was my favourite line that I thought was the ultimate advice for Joe's father:

Frank (Joe's father): "I'm not a bastard am I?"

Heather (Joe's sister): "No, Dad. A bastard would make everyone around him miserable just because he is."

Yeah, I've been through that feeling of escaping from my family but it does makes you appreciate them more. This movie gave me that exact message. Like the saying "Absence makes the heart grow fonder". Give the movie a try if you don't have anything else to watch in the cinemas.