gregking4 Review of Ping Pong Summer

Ping Pong Summer (2014)

An entertaining coming of age tale and underdog story

[7/10 · 22 August 2014]

An entertaining coming of age tale and underdog story that combines elements of last year's superb The Way Way Back with elements of the 80's classic The Karate Kid. Ping Pong Summer deals with some universal themes of alienation, loneliness, friendship, embarrassing families, bullies, first crushes and first kisses, and standing up for yourself, that will resonate strongly with audiences. Rad Miracle (newcomer Marcello Conte) is obsessed with ping pong and hip hop dancing. He is a little surly when the family heads off for its annual summer holiday at the beach side town of Ocean City. Lonely, Rad wanders the streets of the seaside town, until he meets Teddy (another newcomer in Myles Massey), another lonely teen on holidays. Together they discover the joys of the Fun Hub, a boardwalk arcade full of video games and activities. But it is there that he is also humiliated by the town bully, the snotty rich kid Lyle (Joseph McCaughtry), on the ping pong table. Rad challenges Lyle to a rematch, but has no idea how to beat him until he gets some unexpected help from his eccentric next door neighbour, who is dubbed the local weirdo by the neighbourhood kids. There is a semi-autobiographical element to Ping Pong Summer, and writer/director Michael Tully captures the 80s vibe strongly through the use of costumes, music and even the archaic arcade video games. The script is full of homages to the 80s and almost overdoses on nostalgia. Also casting Lea Thompson (from the classic Back To The Future trilogy) as Rad's mother evokes the mid-80s period. Newcomer Conte delivers a nice performance as the awkward, virginal but immensely likable Rad, and Massey is engaging as the extroverted Teddy. Oscar winner Susan Sarandon has little to do in a stereotyped role as the wonderfully named Randi Jammer, but she is superb and brings a touch of authority to the material.