Summer of Sam . Tucson Weekly . 07-12-99

Summer of Sam

DIRECTED BY: Spike Lee

REVIEWED: 07-12-99

The Oxford English Dictionary defines "to sam" as "verb, transitive: to join together, as two pieces of wood." I have no idea what that has to do with this meticulously crafted re-creation of Brooklyn in the late '70s, but there is a lot of love, including that which dare not speak its name, in this psychological drama. John Leguizamo turns in a career performance as Vinny, the womanizing husband of Mira Sorivino's Dionna, who gets caught up in the hysteria surrounding the Son of Sam serial killings. As the summer heats up, Vinny's neighborhood goes crazy and a group of vigilantes begins to suspect everyone of being the deranged killer. Most notable for director Spike Lee's unerring visual sensibility, Summer of Sam stands out amongst the blockbusters and cartoons as the most adult movie of the summer.

--James DiGiovanna

Full Length Reviews
Summer of Sam
Summer of Sam
Summer of Sam
Summer of Sam
Summer of Sam

Capsule Reviews
Summer of Sam

Other Films by Spike Lee
Clockers
Four Little Girls
Get On the Bus
Girl 6
He Got Game

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Nil by Mouth
The Ice Storm
American History X

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