Summer of Sam

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Summer of Sam

R,

1999,

2h 22m,

Drama

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Watchlist

Watchlist

51%

103 Reviews

Tomatometer

59%

25,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

51%

Tomatometer

103 Reviews

59%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

During the summer of 1977, a killer known as the Son of Sam keeps all of New York City on edge with a series of brutal murders. The philandering Vinny (John Leguizamo) unwittingly almost becomes a victim of the psychopath, and soon he and numerous people in his orbit -- including his wife, Dionna (Mira Sorvino), his punk-rocker friend, Ritchie (Adrien Brody), and aspiring porn star Ruby (Jennifer Esposito) -- are trying to figure out the identity of the killer, before it's too late.

Critics Consensus

Spike Lee offers intense visuals but his storytelling feels crowded and overambitious.

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Adam Nayman

The Ringer

Mar 25, 2019

...a scorching melodrama about childhood friends-played by John Leguizamo and Adrien Brody-whose relationship reaches an emotional boiling point.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Mar 2, 2018

Summer of Sam, for all its flash and well-crafted fury, is only superficially disturbing. It's a nightmare stroll down memory lane: feel-bad nostalgia.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Sep 23, 2008

Like most of Lee's work, this bites off more than it can chew, but the breadth and energy are impressive.

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John Stark

Mac the Movie Guy

May 11, 2026

65/100

Spike lee directs this less like a serial killer film, and more like a time capsule. The cast does good work, but no one person is a standout.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Mar 12, 2026

3/4

...an erratically-paced yet mostly compelling drama...

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Leonardo Garcia Tsao

La Jornada

Sep 6, 2022

Lee doesn't manage to thread the diverse anecdotes into a cohesive narrative. [Full review in Spanish]

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Albus P

Mar 30, 2019

Terrible movie. The cast saves it, giving any semblance of quality, but absolutely not worth the time. I want a refund of the $3.99 I paid to rent this.

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Hagrid G

Apr 8, 2017

This is a film that I somehow never happened to rent way back in the days of heavy VHS viewing, so I was pleased to give it a spin on cable recently. Spike Lee tells a very interesting tale about the Son Of Sam killings, as they effect the lives of a varied cast of characters in a Brooklyn neighborhood, butting the action up against the Disco scene and the rise of the Punk movement, and I really dug it quite a bit. Good stuff, well worth a rental.

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Theodore W

Feb 20, 2017

very underrated. spike lee tells one hell of a story about being an outcast not all will appreciate

Luke P

Jan 30, 2017

Inside out of all American Italiano.

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Spike Lee

Director

John Leguizamo

Vinny

Adrien Brody

Richie

Mira Sorvino

Dionna

Jennifer Esposito

Ruby

Anthony LaPaglia

Detective Lou Petrocelli

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Synopsis

During the summer of 1977, a killer known as the Son of Sam keeps all of New York City on edge with a series of brutal murders. The philandering Vinny (John Leguizamo) unwittingly almost becomes a victim of the psychopath, and soon he and numerous people in his orbit -- including his wife, Dionna (Mira Sorvino), his punk-rocker friend, Ritchie (Adrien Brody), and aspiring porn star Ruby (Jennifer Esposito) -- are trying to figure out the identity of the killer, before it's too late.

Director: Spike Lee
Producer: Jon Kilik, Spike Lee
Screenwriter: Victor Colicchio, Spike Lee, Michael Imperioli
Distributor: MFA Filmdistribution [de], Opening Distribution, Downtown Pictures [gb], Buena Vista International [us], Touchstone Pictures, Buena Vista Pictures, New Films International
Production Co: Touchstone Pictures, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 2, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $19.3M
Runtime: 2h 22m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.37:1)

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