Summer of 69

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.

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.

A geeky, inexperienced, and not-so-confident girl hires a stripper to coach her on how to land a guy by performing "69".

The sort of film that rarely works on paper, but delivers in execution thanks to its sincere tone and the charm of its leading actresses! With a great budding friendship between a shy (but quite determined) teen and her bold, quick-witted and sassy mentor. Their dynamic is sweet, funny, and easily the highlight of the movie.

That said.. the film doesn't leave much of a lasting impression. No standout moments that demand a rewatch, subplots that come off as checklist items to fill in space (imagination "problems", the mascot character, highschool reunion, etc) rather than meaningful additions, a third act that stumbles and drags its feet.. With one side of its conclusion that doesn't satisfy, and instead feels rushed and undercooked.

Still, despite its flaws, the movie remains enjoyable and lightheartedly-endearing in a way that makes it easy to forgive some of its crappier moments! And the leads are very good on their roles.

A wonderful campy homage to the reinvented underdog comedy.

The cast was great - comedy gold from different actors with different backgrounds and different perspectives. From online sensations to TV icons to SNL legends. With relative newcomers that did a great job. Excellent comedic timing and charisma.

You know that the director did a great job when it feels like the talent had great fun working on this movie while maintaining a high standard of technical execution.

It's the perfect movie when you want to spend an evening forgetting about the nonsense of this world, not overthink things and have a laugh.

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.