“Friday the 13” fifteen years later, but without Jason
Seven people in their early 30s reunite at the summer camp they attended two decades earlier as tweenagers or thereabouts. The owner still watches over them (Alan Arkin) and informs them of his plan to retire. Sam Raimi is on hand as his assistant who seems slightly mentally impaired.
"Indian Summer” (1993) was based around the writer/director’s summer camp experiences at Camp Tamakwa, which Raimi also attended as a kid. It’s similar to “Meatballs,” just with adults and only quick flashbacks of them as children at the camp.
It’s sometimes designated as a comedy, but that’s inaccurate. This is a drama in the mold of "Return of the Secaucus Seven" or “The Big Chill.” As with those movies, the amusing bits are organic to the setting. They’re cabin-in-the-woods flicks, just without a boogeyman. You have to be an adult or, at least, mature-minded to appreciate some of the material, such as when Jennifer (Elizabeth Perkins) looks in the mirror and remarks to herself.
The writer/director obviously wanted to keep everything believable and lowkey, which is fine, but this will make the film boring to some. Those who are nostalgic over summer camp will likely find more to appreciate.
In my opinion, “Return of the Secaucus Seven” is the best of the three with the later “3 Nights in the Desert” (2014) being equal in quality in its unique way.
Kimberly Williams-Paisley is notable in the feminine department as the one attendee who wasn’t present 20 years earlier and was actually only 1 year-old back then. Along with the aforementioned Perkins, Diane Lane and Julie Warner are also on hand. Perkins’ character comes across a little loud-mouthed and edgy. On the masculine side of things, Bill Paxton is on hand as sorta an early 90s’ version of Jim Morrison.
It runs 1 hour, 37 minutes, and was shot at Camp Tamakwa in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, which is a 3 hour, 10 minutes, drive north of Toronto.
GRADE: B-
