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Load of rubbish!!

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

I've never written review before but this film has stuck with me for the past four days and I had to write about it. I apologize in advance at my amateurish prose.I was watching Showtime late the other week and this film called ÒDark SummerÓ came on. At first I was like, This is really weird. But every time I was about to change the channel something new happened on the screen. First, the women were incredibly portrayed. I work in a hospital and I recognized all the symptoms of the underlying stress and depression. I immediately felt that the actors and I guess the director really did their research. Frank Langella who portrayed the father for too short a time (I always loved him), reminded me of a patient I had lost last year, a terrible man who treated his children terribly, just like the character Mr. Langella portrayed.I think the thing that struck me the most about the film was that it took me on an emotional roller coaster ride and constantly surprised me.I told you I am terrible at this and I have read some of the other reviews on this site and I think those people just didn't get it and were mean spirited. I loved this movie because I find that I can't get it out of my head. The performances were absolutely terrific. Connie Nielsen and Mia Kirshner as the two sisters were unbelievable to watch and literally travel with. Anne Archer gave an Oscar worthy performance and Jean Hughes Anglade whom I had never heard of before was absolutely wonderful to watch. After seeing his performance I looked up his name on this site and I want to see more films that he has done.To the people who did not like this film, I just think this movie just reminded you of things you did not like in yourself. I may not know much about movie making but it seemed to me that these actors and the director put a lot of effort into making a film that is not Hollywood fare and not an arty movie that is trying to be more than it is. ÒDark SummerÓ is a great ride (literally) and a very well put together film and I recommend it to everyone who wants something out of the ordinary that is very, very satisfying film.

"Dark Summer" or "Innocents" as it was entitled on Showtime, is a journeyman B-movie about a French cellist (Anglade) driving across country who finds himself with a couple of beautiful traveling companions (Nielsen & Kirshner) who may be a lethal liability. Among the many flaws are a musical score which is as lacking in continuity as the screenplay; too many contrived situations which seems no more than weirdness for weirdnesses sake or shock value; a noticeable absence of a story arc or an emotional anchor for the audience; and a generally concocted presentation. Nonetheless, the film has some entertainment potential for the couch potato or fans of the players. (C)

Dark Summer is a Hitchcock type thriller with solid performances from a good cast. Gregory Marquette has directed a complex and stylish film here with enough sex, murder, music, and substance to appeal to a broad audience, but there is also a dark texture to the film for fans of action thrillers like Fatal Attraction, Gone in 60 seconds. Jean Hugh Anglade leads a great cast as Huxley, a sympathetic musician who gets tangled in a web of mayhem and murder. Connie Neilsen (Gladiator, Mission to Mars) and Mia Kirshner are sisters who go with Huxley on a life changing trip. Frank Langella appears as their father, and Anne Archer steals the whole film in the final reel as their alcoholic, worn out mother. Keith David delivers as the detective with a resounding, "something goes wrong" and Robert Culp ends up on the wrong side of a shotgun as a sex crazed retired judge. The film is well shot and has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. The story itself is fairly simple. Marquette has used his cast to get the most out of the script and the bland but beautiful Midwest setting. The textures and the subleties make this film worthwhile.Fans of classical music will love the use of the cello throughout the film. The cello ends up in the middle of everything with Connie Neilsen, naked crawling across the floor towards it in one scene and a bar full of dancers reveling around it in another. Hitchcock is the all time master of directing thrillers because the pacing and tempo were always excellent. This is an early effort for an up and coming director who did get good work from the cast. To be fair, the pacing in this film changes speed a couple of times. Most of the time, the action rolls along at a good pace but some of the travel scenes and musical performances seem to slow down the film. It usually recovers though with a surprise or revelation that moves along the increasingly tough thriller. Choices plague Huxley as the film ends with decisions and tough consequences. Marquette has crafted a good, watchable film here and is likely to get more chances as a storyteller. This could make a good Saturday nite date movie for a couple eager for a film that will leave them with lots to talk about after the film ends. Did they get what they deserve ? Did they get away with it ? Watch and find out.

It is so rare to find a film that makes you really think. Where dialogue and subtext combine to bring as much dynamic as physical action.After watching Gregory Marquette's "Dark Summer" I found myself brooding about what I had just scene and catching my breath at the same time. For a first time director I was really impressed by his command of the material he himself had written.Don't get me wrong the film had some problems but they were easily overlooked by the sensational cameos. Frank Langella gives a disturbing and memorable portrayal of the two heroine's dying father. I just wish there were more of him in the movie. The same follows with Keith David who I've been a huge fan of since "Platoon". Keith always delivers the goods and he bookends the film nicely as the cynical detective but again I wish there were more of him. Robert Culp gets the meatiest role as the Judge, I don't want to give anything away but get the kids out of the room when his scenes are up!!!!The three Main characters are hypnotizing. I looked up this Jean Hugh Anglade and this actor has an amazing bio in foreign films. I would expect to have seen more of him but I felt his acting was right on the money. Connie Nielsen from "Gladiator" is deliciously dangerous as well as her deranged sister played by Mia Kirschner.The whole cast was incredibly strong, the photography was stunning and the pace is breathless. Maybe a little too much so and the film could have been more balanced. One thing for sure it is a real stunner because you are never sure where it's going until the end.