Summer of 69

Chloe Fineman delivers a standout performance as Santa Monica, an exotic dancer who helps high school senior Abby Flores, played by Sam Morelos, navigate her romantic endeavors. Fineman's portrayal is particularly notable for an impressive and athletic striptease scene set to Peaches' 2006 hit "Boys Wanna Be Her," showcasing her remarkable strength, flexibility, and control. Her performance has been highlighted as a pivotal moment in the film, leaving a lasting impression on both the audience and Abby's character.

Bonus for 'Grey's Anatomy' Fans:

Adding to the film's appeal, Jerrika Hinton, known for her role as Dr. Stephanie Edwards on "Grey's Anatomy," appears in "Summer of 69." Her presence adds a familiar face for fans of the long-running medical drama.

Overall Assessment:

While "Summer of 69" offers a fresh take on the teen sex comedy genre with strong performances, especially from Fineman, its reception suggests it's more of a solid entry than a perfect film. Given the mixed reviews, a 10 out of 10 rating might be generous. However, if you're a fan of quirky coming-of-age stories with a blend of humor and heart, it could be a worthwhile watch.

There seems to be a trend of more and more actors directing movies. I don't like it. To me it is self-indulgent and belittles the art of directing. For every Ben Affleck there are 49 failures that take a decent script and turn it into nothing.

To be fair Jillian Bell also wrote this movie, so she earned the right. I still would've liked to see her hand it off though. Her style of humour is riddled throughout the movie. So if that kind of thing is your style of comedy you might just have a great time with this movie. Personally, I find her style of humour a nice addition to a show or movie, rather than being the entire show.

Coming-of-age movies have been incredibly consistent throughout the last decade or so. They're actually hard to muck up it seems, but 'Summer of 69' found a way. The story was embarrassing simple and made no sense at all. Which would be fine if it was a fun ride, but it was painfully boring with its tyres stuck in the mud the entire time. A very generous 5/10.

Actress Jillian Bell makes her directorial debut with the teen comedy about friendship and unbridled sex in a film whose strength lies in its openness and authenticity.

Starring Chloe Fineman and Sam Morelos, this comedy takes us on a journey about unbridled sexual freedom and two characters who become soulmates in a humorous yet innocent way. This comedy has its amusing moments and ultimately delivers a satisfying result that can be enjoyed without any major hang-ups. A risky coming-of-age film that manages to contain ironic moments and rather dark humor that make it an absolute pleasure to watch, it's a hilarious homage to classic teen cinema, presented through the female gaze in a rather interesting directorial debut that deserves to be watched.

It's a journey through a film that doesn't discover anything new; it simply strives to place the right pieces at the right moments, resulting in a rather entertaining film. It showcases the kind of sweet, incredible friendships that make teen comedies memorable. When the credits roll, we're left with the feeling that a completely natural friendship has been forged between the characters and the audience, a sign that the journey was quite enjoyable and that we had a good time.

It's not perfect, it won't be for everyone, and the film is aware of that, but if you give it a chance, it will reward you with funny moments and two characters whose crazy antics make you laugh a lot, especially Morelos, who stands out as a budding star worth keeping an eye on.

Stumbling upon the 2025 comedy "Summer of 69" by random chance, I opted to watch the movie without knowing what I was in for. I simply opted to watch it as it was a movie that I had neither seen nor actually ever heard about. And thus, director Jillian Bell had every opportunity to entertain me here.

The storyline and script written by Jillian Bell, Jules Byrne and Liz Nico was really, really entertaining and enjoyable. There was a lot of great comedy throughout the course of the movie. It was nicely put together and brought to the screen. I was genuinely surprised with how much I enjoyed this 2025 comedy.

The only familiar faces on the cast list, for me, was actress Jillian Bell, whom also happen to both have written and directed the movie, and also actor Charlie Day. The acting performances in "Summer of 69" were good, and I was really impressed with leading actress Sam Morelos, playing Abby. Sam Morelos really carried the movie quite nicely, and she had great on-screen charisma, and she certainly seems like an actress that will go far with her talent.

If you enjoy coming of age comedies with a truly enjoyable storyline, then you most certainly should give "Summer of 69" a chance. I was genuinely and wholehearted entertained throughout the course of the 101 minutes that the movie ran for. I certainly had some good and genuine laughs.

My rating of director Jillian Bell's 2025 comedy "Summer of 69" lands on a most deserved eight out of ten stars.

I loved Chloe for this role and I know Sam was hired to be awkward but it's beyond uncomfortable that I never even thought about rooting for her! She is just not enjoyable to watch. The movie has a great idea behind it but I think too much of the casting tried or even accomplished in some instances very stereotypical casting decisions. I get it that it's a first go round for first time director, Bell, but having a MFA myself in directing I know you want to cast your friends to show others how amazing they are, you tend to lose something in the final product, and that's what it clear looks like here.