The Flamingo Kid

PG-13

1984

1h 40m

Comedy

Drama

List

85%

20 Reviews

Tomatometer

55%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Brooklyn teenager Jeffrey Willis (Matt Dillon), thoroughly unhappy with his modest homestead, embraces the other-world aspects of his summer job at the posh Flamingo Club. He spurns his father (Héctor Elizondo) in favor of the patronage of smooth-talking Phil Brody (Richard Crenna) and is seduced by the ample bikini charms of club member Carla Samson (Janet Jones). But thanks to a couple of late-summer hard lessons, the teen eventually realizes that family should always come first.

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David O

(Spoilers ahead) 9/10 A underrated movie of the 80's. Matt Dillion is great in this movie and this movie has a great plot twist with Phil actually cheating to win .

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/03/21

Full Review

steve d

Matt Dillon has become a good actor but not at this point.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Awesome soundtrack, good story.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A great cast in Dillon, Elizonda and Richard "the balls" Crenna. Soundtrack is immense with The Chiffon's, Martha and the Vandellas, The Impressions and The Shilhouettes.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A great movie about coming of age one summer. Matt Dillon's performance is sterling, with great supporting characters and performances. Well written, great details to setting, and an important reminder in what makes a good person.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

william s

Even if the material is a bit chewy the performances are not especially Dillon.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Garry Marshall

Director

Matt Dillon

Jeffrey Willis

Richard Crenna

Phil Brody

Jessica Walter

Phyllis Brody

Héctor Elizondo

Arthur Willis

Molly McCarthy

Ruth Willis

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Paul Attanasio

Washington Post

The movie has an engaging surface, but it's all surface -- it's like watching an outsize TV.

Jan 4, 2018

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Dillon does a good job in his fullest, least narcissistic characterization to date.

Mar 26, 2009

Full Review

Geoff Andrew

Time Out

The performances compensate, with Dillon turning in a light and touching portrait of confused ambitions.

Jan 26, 2006

Full Review

Chase Burns

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

Watch and be reminded that no one could drink a cocktail and deliver a line like Jessica Walter.

Jan 20, 2022

Full Review

Leonard Klady

Winnipeg Free Press

It's a small picture but an enormously entertaining and satisfying movie-going experience.

Aug 19, 2021

Full Review

Rob Thomas

Capital Times (Madison, WI)

Winning comedy about a have-not among the haves.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 28, 2005

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Synopsis

Brooklyn teenager Jeffrey Willis (Matt Dillon), thoroughly unhappy with his modest homestead, embraces the other-world aspects of his summer job at the posh Flamingo Club. He spurns his father (Héctor Elizondo) in favor of the patronage of smooth-talking Phil Brody (Richard Crenna) and is seduced by the ample bikini charms of club member Carla Samson (Janet Jones). But thanks to a couple of late-summer hard lessons, the teen eventually realizes that family should always come first.

Director: Garry Marshall
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Aug 5, 2003
Runtime: 1h 40m