One Crazy Summer

PG

Released Aug 8, 1986

1 hr. 33 min.

Comedy

Romance

List

45%

20 Reviews

Tomatometer

63%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

After graduating from high school, art school hopeful Hoops McCann (John Cusack) struggles to complete his application to the Rhode Island School of Design. Resigning himself to a summer of boredom, McCann agrees to go along with his best friend, George Calamari (Joel Murray), on a family trip to Nantucket, Mass. But, after McCann and Calamari meet rocker-in-distress Cassandra (Demi Moore), it suddenly looks like it's going to be "one crazy summer."

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AL _

I'm 39 years old and have been revisiting watching this film each summer for about 15 years and ill continue to. A true comedy 80s style with a wonderful A+ cast of comedy tandems together for a truly (One Crazy Summer)!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/26/23

Full Review

Michael M

fun 80's movie that requires little thought to watch.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/09/23

Full Review

Adam1Gee

We'll begin with the very few good parts of the film. The soundtrack is wonderful like Better Off Dead and the animation sequences are well put together even if they are a bit generic. The characters are all one dimensional goofballs that hardly make a lasting impact to your memory once it's over. Hoops played by Cusack only possess interests to get the plot going along. He demonstrates how terrified he is of boats. Three fourths of the film he doesn't like boats and it's never explained why. He never opens up about it it's just to slow the progress parts of the film. He overcomes the fear not in a gradual way it's sudden as Cassandra just kisses him and that's it. They can get him as the captain to race the boat. His only hobby seems to be art and that's it. His goal of writing a love story is fulfilled but it's got no relatable problems. Demi Moore is Cassandra who is talented in singing. Her issue and the plot is to save the family's house and faculty for older people from the Beckersteds. She needs a couple hundred dollars to make the mortgage but is running out of time. She isn't making enough from her songs at the restaurants to make the money. She is then aided eventually by Hoops and his friends who plow through every problem with ease. The film itself parodies other movies but fails to make a good story. The Beckersteds are too stupid and clumsy to be a real threat to Cassandra. There's no real set up and pay off to the plot, it's characters or for the jokes. The problems any of the characters face are quickly solved by cheap, unintelligent and predictable jokes that tarnish any possible serious setbacks that the characters could face. The only time Hoops is set back is in a basketball game with Teddy Beckersted. This moment of defeat is the interrupted with Cassandra pepper spraying the bullies and everyone fleeing to safely. Hoops isn't punished for screwing with Teddy's relationship. The film allows its characters to have total control over everything and when they don't they can easily outsmart the already beat down Teddy. The characters are all shallow. They don't have any problems or even defining characteristics. Moore sings, Cusack doodles, Metcalf shouts, Goldthwait irritates and Armstrong is just kinda there. Goldthwait plays a hard to understand wacko who makes all scenes he is in pretty unbearable. He is difficult to hear about half the time and provides nothing to the plot other than being a nuisance. Armstrong's only two standout scenes are his introduction and where he saves a man from drowning. That's about it. His problems are also pretty brushed over. He is able to move in with his father after just being kicked out a few days before from the house. He has accomplished no aspects of his father's main request to join the army. He did save a life so there's a small plus there at least. The relationship between Hoops and Cassandra is just rubbish. They are granted a common goal of saving Cassandra's house and care facility and that's it. The film doesn't give them anything that they might share such as hobbies or interests. It's the worst kind of romance. No good romantic scenes between the two either. They have very few moments alone for the screen to show just them and their relationship. Basically, this film is too goofy to have serious stakes for the characters, the characters are not flushed out, there's too many characters, the jokes don't land at all as they are way too absurd and there is no real conflict or setbacks. Siskel and Ebert weren't largely right about their critiques on Better Off Dead. Most critiques thrown at that film apply here though. Not only do you know how a scene is going to play out with the jokes but it's not even amusing or even the least bit comical. Watch Better Off Dead instead!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/13/23

Full Review

Chris B

This is one of my favourite movies and it never gets old. I have probably watched it twenty times since the 80s and will probably watch it twenty more.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/07/22

Full Review

Audience Member

This is a Fun 80's film, but not a classic. It's not even close to Better Off Dead, but it does have some good laughs. My biggest question is...what happened to Savage Steve Holland? The cast of supporting characters really makes this movie funny and John Cusack and Demi Moore make it pretty average.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I've watched this every summer since it came out. It's not my favorite film, but it is definitely a nostalgic comfort food comedy for me. My husband and I both pick up new small gags every time we watch it, and that's so brilliant. I love that there are jokes planted in this thing like a great prop comic who left his whole trunk open. And my kid loves the little girl who gets back at those who make fun of her recovering dog... I love the use of animation in this story. Why can't we have more silly mixed-media comedies? Movies like this used to drop in claymation or animation for no good reason, and it was silly, and it worked. This is a very silly film, and for me, silly is very hard to achieve these days. I love Curtis Armstrong as Ack Ack, and he's so sweet and sensitive in this film. The jokes surrounding his intuitive empathetic nature against his father's battles surrounding the army surplus store are so well done. Comedy Central used to advertise this film by making fun of how Demi Moore as Cassandra sings in it. I don't think she does a horrible job, but--buying dead Grandpa's house back from the bank with a few measly Dew Drop Inn gigs? Yeah, not gonna cut it. If only poor Cassandra knew she was merely the scenery to move the plot forward to the boat race while singing, "Don't Look Back..."

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

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Savage Steve Holland

Director

John Cusack

Hoops McCann

Demi Moore

Cassandra

Joel Murray

George Calamari

Curtis Armstrong

Ack Ack Raymond

Bobcat Goldthwait

Egg Stork

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Ryan Murphy

Miami Herald

One Crazy Summer is all about this band of misfits who go to this real pretty island for the summer and meet up with this real pretty girl and then get into these real pretty dangerous situations. What shocking originality.

Rated: 1/4

Aug 17, 2021

Full Review

Pat Graham

Chicago Reader

[A] bright, occasionally imbecilic teen comedy.

Jul 25, 2007

Full Review

Nina Darnton

New York Times

John Cusack and Demi Moore are such charming personalities that they are appealing even in so silly a setting. There is a good chemistry between them. It would be interesting to see them make a film together, instead of being stock figures.

Rated: 2/5

May 21, 2003

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Fresh off 1985's Better Off Dead, writer-director Savage Steve Holland and star John Cusack reunited for One Crazy Summer, which is basically more of the same minus that great "Two dollars!" running gag.

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 21, 2021

Full Review

David Elliott

Copley News Service

One Crazy Summer is mostly another "wacky" frolic for the late-summer teen market.

Aug 17, 2021

Full Review

Tony Mastroianni

Akron Beacon Journal

One Crazy Summer has its moments and an appealing cast of talented performers. Perhaps some other time in some other movie...

Rated: 2/4

Aug 16, 2021

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

After graduating from high school, art school hopeful Hoops McCann (John Cusack) struggles to complete his application to the Rhode Island School of Design. Resigning himself to a summer of boredom, McCann agrees to go along with his best friend, George Calamari (Joel Murray), on a family trip to Nantucket, Mass. But, after McCann and Calamari meet rocker-in-distress Cassandra (Demi Moore), it suddenly looks like it's going to be "one crazy summer."

Director: Savage Steve Holland
Executive Producer: Gil Friesen, Andrew Meyer
Screenwriter: Savage Steve Holland
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: A&M Films
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 8, 1986, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $13.4M

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