Based on a true story, inspired by real events, although I suspect that inspiration comes from the fact that people have been killed by people many times over the years, and Bananarama once released a single called "Cruel Summer", this is the kind of film you can watch when you want to be reminded of the fact that many opportunities are still out there in the film industry for those who arguably don't deserve them. Because Cruel Summer is really bad. It wouldn't seem so bad if it was shown as part of some ongoing plot strand in a late-night Hollyoaks special, or even if the nastier moments were cut out to make it something shown in schools, but those involved weren't doing that. They made a feature film. It's mercifully short, but it's still a feature film.
Danny (Richard Pawulski, who I am completely unsurprised to see hasn't had a main acting role since this) is off to spend some time camping in the woods. It will help him to complete whatever checklist is required for his Duke Of Edinburgh award scheme. Danny also has autism. And he's about to become the target of someone with plenty of anger issues. Nicholas (Danny Miller) has recently split up with his girlfriend, and Julia (Natalie Martins) decides to try and help him feel better about the split by lying to him. She says that his ex had slept with Danny. Nicholas immediately goes on the warpath, with Julia in tow, and they also get Calvin (Reece Douglas) on their side, by developing the lie to say that Danny is a dangerous pedophile who needs taught a lesson.
The writing-directing team of Phillip Escott and Craig Newman seem to have found their niche nowadays in making featurettes and documentaries about other movies (both had a history with that subject matter, but , to be more accurate in my generalisation, it's Escott who has gone on to do more and more in that realm). I was not a fan of Escott’s last main doc, The Found Footage Phenomenon, but will happily watch a second instalment if it keeps him away from trying his hand at more fictional fare. The two film-makers don’t show themselves up as incompetent here, by any means, but they spectacularly fail to address fixable flaws in their work, from weak moments in the screenplay to at least one acting choice that feels sorely misjudged, at best. There are also issues with the pacing and tone that more capable people could have easily avoided, although I will admit that the third act generally builds things to an impressively bleak and unflinching finale.
I am not going to spend time here shredding the performance of Pawulski. Maybe, MAYBE, it was based on people he knew, or people he met while preparing for the role. It seems unlikely though, based on my own experiences with those who have had varying degrees of autism. Other people can decide whether to give him the benefit of the doubt or not. Miller plays his character well enough, but there is also something in his performance that had my spidey-sense tingling. Perhaps due to the script, he feels unable to commit to the character, more energetic and impressive when he is allowed to show a lack of self-control. It’s understandable that he wouldn’t spend all of his time unable to keep his violence in check, but the moments of calm don’t even hint at the undercurrent of rage surely held within. Martins does a lot better, giving easily the best and most convincing performance in the film, scheming to get in more tightly with a guy she likes, but never believing that the chain of events she sets in motion will ever go too far. Douglas also does a decent job, being the unwitting accomplice in a scheme that he soon realises is bullshit.
There is no reason to ever pick this as a main viewing choice. Better completely fictional tales have been told about this kind of thing, better documentaries can be found to show similar, and similarly upsetting, crimes. And anything else you might be seeking, whether that’s a good selection of scares or a showcase for some great acting, is available in hundreds, if not thousands, of other movies that are more deserving of your time. This is bad. Not godawful, but bad enough to recommend completely avoiding. You won’t be missing out.
3/10
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