Summer Dreams: The Story of the Beach Boys (1990)

best movie i've ever seen.

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

I lived through the beach boys era, I was just a kid when it began but spent many a great summer at beach boys concerts throughout the 70's Including one memorable concert in the former Foxboro stadium (now the Gillette stadium) Where they performed with the band Chicago and their combined vocal and instrumental talents shone. While the movie has been panned by many I would say it is the closest thing (in motion picture form) to a real view of their history. It in some ways minimizes their impact on both the music of the time and future musicians, but is a good start for anyone interested in learning about the band and what they still mean for so many even to this day.

I saw this film a couple of years ago and being a Beach Boys fan, i was hoping the film would be a half decent biography. But as soon as they finish "God Only Knows" the film just becomes boring. It hardly documents on Brian's health problems and his road to recovery with the help of Dr. Eugene Landy, and it focuses on Dennis' involvement with Charlie Manson a bit too much. I just think it is too brief and it is hard to watch with interest when the songs finish. The film could have been so much better if they had gone more in depth and brightened it up with more songs. So much happened in the Beach Boys career that wasn't even shown in the film.

I've only seen this film twice, and will look forward to #3, as it is an excellent film. The acting is superb, the actors have the looks of each of their characters down pat, as well as the mannerisms, and the musical group, whoever they are, do a spectacular job of sounding as close as they do to the real "McCoy." I recommend this movie highly, especially if you love The beach Boys!

Being a big Beach Boy fan, I was excited to see this film. But after viewing it , I wish I had never watched this smut. Everyone knows the Beach Boys had some problems, but this was ridiculous. This movie was nothing but negativity the whole way through. I found myself overwhelmed with all the crap that was being thrown at me. I also read the book it was based upon, "Heroes and Villains" by Steven Gaines, which was just more detailed crap. Both the book and the movie seem to forget the importance of the Beach Boys, and the stronghold Brian Wilson had on the music world, and focused more on the problems. Yes there were bad times, but there were good times as well, and this movie shows few if any. This is why I do not recommend this to anyone, especially Beach Boys fans. D-