Ferociously funny comedy from Stephan Elliott. I felt the shock of recognition many times - I too made Super 8 films in my backyard, though it was in the 80s. All the tennis playing, above ground pools, pollywaffles, whales on beaches (this was a thing back in the way), tubs of chlorine, kids having unsafe clothes, shagpile carpets... It's all there.
The stuff with the kids is excellent. The moments involving the adults is less good - the playing is so broad and over the top, it feels different. The kids stuff is broad too but because it's kids it feels more natural. I think the film would have been better entirely from the POV of the kids.
I could have done with a little more story. So many scenes could be inserted anywhere. The adults have an orgy and there's ramifications from that but not much. Maybe more should have been made of the central romance - or if it isn't a romance and the Elliott surrogate realises he's gay, then that. Some progression at least. (An aside I didn't believe even 70s parents encouraging their 14 year old kids to have sex. Sixteen maybe - but 14 felt young to me.)
I also think Elliot missed a trick not having grandparents come into the film - 70s grandparents were their own unique breed.
Still a lot of genuine laughs, especially if you remember that time.
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