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Poster for Summer of Sam

Summer of Sam

No one is safe from Son of Sam.

1999 · 2h 22m · R Crime, Drama, Thriller
Directed by Spike Lee

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Overview

Spike Lee's take on the "Son of Sam" murders in New York City during the summer of 1977 centering on the residents of an Italian-American Northeast Bronx neighborhood who live in fear and distrust of one another.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
Fresh

Like most of Lee's work, this bites off more than it can chew, but the breadth and energy are impressive.

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Rotten

This is trashy exploitation at its clumsiest. Once more, a Spike Lee movie has been undone by the earnestness of being important.

Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
Rotten

Trouble is, the overlong narrative, however entertaining from minute to minute, is a mess.

Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Rotten

The disappointment with Summer of Sam is not that it's exploitative; it's just difficult to figure out what it's supposed to be about.

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
Rotten

Lee is a powerful filmmaker who certainly knows how to have an impact on an audience, but those who survive his ministrations are likely to wonder if in this case the battle was worth the bruises.

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

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