Boomboxes, moonwalking, parachute pants, and cassette tapes! Ah, the '80's!
If you happened to grow up in the Reagen era then you may relate to some of these things. If not, no worries, as PING PONG SUMMER has you covered. The new feel-good indie comedy from director Michael Tully seeks to capture the essence of the time period, while presenting a classic underdog story in the spirit of THE KARATE KID, an actual '80's slice of awesomeness. Starring Lea Thompson and Susan Sarandon (a couple of '80's icons themselves), as well as Judah Friedlander, Amy Sedaris, and newcomer Marcello Conte (aptly named Rad Miracle in this) this looks like a fun throwback flick.
Take a look:
Here's the synopsis:
The year is 1985. Rad Miracle is a shy 13-year-old white kid who's obsessed with two things: ping pong and hip hop. During his family's annual summer vacation to Ocean City, Maryland, Rad makes a new best friend, experiences his first real crush, becomes the target of rich, racist local bullies, and finds an unexpected mentor in his outcast next-door neighbor. Ping Pong Summer is about that time in your life when you're treated like an alien by everyone around you, even though you know deep down you're as funky fresh as it gets
I was watching THE WAY WAY BACK on HBO last night and although it doesn't take place in the '80's, it has the same spirit of that era and is just an all around feel-good, coming-of-age pic, which can be rare in the typically cynical comedy genre. PING PONG SUMMER feels almost like a companion piece to that film, capturing the innocence, awkwardness, and ultimate revelations that can come from a summer vacation. Either that or I'm just feeling nostalgic. Either way, I'm looking forward to catching this one.
PING PONG SUMMER hits limited theaters and iTunes on June 6, 2014.