Nostalgia-Heavy ‘Summer of ’84’ Loses Focus And Charm As It Gets Bogged Down By Plot [Fantasia Review]

Before the voice-over narration kicks in to situate the audience, we’re presented with a close-up shot of a teenager pedaling his bike down a suburban street, his colorful chunky sneakers in the center of the frame. This image (and those shoes) fit neatly both in June of 1984, where its set, and the summer of 2018, which still finds popular culture in the throes of nostalgia. RKSS—the Montreal filmmaking collective comprised of François Simard, Anouk Whissell, and Yoann-Karl Whissell—continue to follow the throwback thread of their first feature “Turbo Kid” with “Summer of ’84,” making its International Premiere at Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival.

In the world of “Summer of 84,” Ipswich, Oregon is plagued by a serial killer targeting teenage boys—and is seriously ramping up his activity. Davey (Graham Verchere), an aspiring videographer, and avid reader of “Hardy Boys” novels, has far too much time on his hands and a wild imagination. He and fellow latchkey kids Woody, Eats, and Curtis (Caleb Emery, Judah Lewis, and Cory Gruter-Andrew) come to suspect his next-door neighbor Mr. Mackey (perennial nice guy Rich Sommer)—a cop with a suspicious penchant for gardening—is, in fact, the “Cape May Killer.” In the background of this mystery is a burgeoning relationship between Davey and his former babysitter and current object of desire, Nikki (Tiera Skovbye), who’s set to move away at the end of summer because of her parents’ divorce.

Most of the runtime plays up the “is-he-or-isn’t-he the killer” mystery surrounding Mackey. Of course, the adults in the neighborhood are skeptical of the evidence that Davey and his crew have accumulated. This back-and-forth grows tedious (at 105 minutes, “Summer of 84” is a solid 15 too long), but the film does come to take on a wicked sense of humor as the case against the cop becomes less and less discreet. When the police officer is sitting on his porch, drinking a Budweiser and offering freeze pops to neighborhood children, it’s clear that the characters are winking to each other and the audience in equal measure.

The shagginess of “Summer of ’84” imbues the movie with a slacker charm, but the aimlessness and banality do begin to wear thin. Davey and his friends serve as clear analogs for the iconic Losers’ Club from “It,” albeit with less of the baggage (even though said baggage is hinted at but never fully explored, sadly) and self-conscious construction. With the exception of an African-American cop, Ipswich is about as white, straight and absent of tokenism as mainstream ‘80s culture hoped to project. The boys’ crude and profane dialogue is humorous and grating in turn, and RKSS embodies the now-political incorrectness of their favorite ‘80s films. The only female character (besides a couple suburban mothers) is Nikki, and although taking a backseat for much of the time, is a dynamic character and courageous, vulnerable and sexual confident in her response to Davey’s “Rear Window”-style voyeurism.

“Summer of ’84” plays out the dynamic between the present and wistful nostalgia, laying down brand-names and film titles like a coded language. And yet, with a young protagonist who aspires to be the next Spielberg, the RKSS film is far too plain to parallel Davey’s own ambitions. Unlike, say, “Super 8” and its attempt to resurrect the Amblin house style, “Summer of 84” remains firmly grounded in the ordinary.

There’s no Chung Chung-hoon patina on display here as is the case with the latest iteration of “It.” The cinematography by Jean-Philippe Bernier is functional if rarely exceptional, and Le Matos’ post-John Carpenter synth score seldom breaks out into invigorating themes. The technical aspect has to come as a disappointment, as these collaborators played a key role in shaping the unique world of “Turbo Kid.” “Summer of ’84” also falls short artistically in comparison to something like “It Follows,” which is similar in scope and style. That film’s expressive use of Detroit is far more memorable than Vancouver passing itself off as small-town Oregon in the ‘80s.

It’s unfair to expect RKSS to keep to the visually inventive “Mad Max”-style wasteland set out by “Turbo Kid,” but while watching “Summer of ’84,” one can’t help but think that these clearly talented filmmakers are capable of more ambitious projects. Beyond serving as a broad authority figure, the decision to make the police officer the probable serial killer gives the film its modern foothold, but RKSS don’t run very far with this resonance. Davey aptly remarks that the role of a cop is the perfect cover for a killer, and this makes for a tidy marketing hook. Unfortunately, the revelations of “Summer of ’84” aren’t much more substantial than its striking poster. [C]