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Summer School (1987)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 5.5/10
Reviews Counted: 28
Fresh: 17 | Rotten: 11

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 4
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 3

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Average Rating: 2.9/5
User Ratings: 26,945

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Movie Info

On the eve of his Hawaiian vacation, irresponsible high school teacher Freddy Shoop (Mark Harmon) is forced into teaching a summer-school class. His students are all malcontents and layabouts with the standard repertoire of teenaged hang-ups and hostilities (two of the kids, who can't see enough slasher movies to suit them, are hilarious precursors to Beavis and Butt-Head). Harmon would rather spend his time with history teacher Robin Bishop (Kirstie Alley), but she doesn't think much of his

PG-13, 1 hr. 38 min.

Comedy

Directed By: Carl Reiner

Written By: Jeff Franklin

In Theaters: Jul 22, 1987 Wide

On DVD: Jun 1, 2004

Paramount Home Video

Summer School Trailer & Photos

Cast

Mark Harmon
Freddy Shoop
Kirstie Alley
Robin Bishop History Te...
Robin Thomas
Phil Gills Vice Princip...
Patrick Laborteaux
Kevin Winchester
Courtney Thorne-Smith
Pam House
Dean Cameron
Francis "Chainsaw" Grem...
Gary Riley
Dave Frazier
Kelly Jo Minter
Denise Green
Ken Olandt
Larry Kazamias
Shawnee Smith
Rhonda Altobello
Lillian Adams
Grandma Eakian
Jack Blessing
Student
Vivian Bonnell
Denise's Mom
Duane Davis
Jerome Watkins
Lucy Lee Flippin
Substitute Teacher
Leigh French
Student
Courtney Gebhart
Surfer Girl
Richard S. Horvitz
Alan Eakian
Andrea Howard
Prince Hughes
Scary Inmate
Gary Imhoff
Student
Christopher Kriesa
Beach Cop
Carlos Lacamara
Beach Cop
Michael MacRae
Kevin's Dad
Frank McCarthy
Principal Kelban
Dee Dee Rescher
Woman at Strip Joint
Tommy Ryan
Examiner
Lora Staley
Student
Beau Starr
Chainsaw's Dad
Lynne Marie Stewart
Student
Amy Stock-Poynton
Kim
Darwyn Swalve
Scary Inmate
Tom Troupe
Judge
Fabiana Udenio
Anna-Maria Mazarelli
Nels Van Patten
Tommy
Gigi Vorgan
Student
Laura Waterbury
Chainsaw's Mom
Carl Reiner
Mr. Dearadorian
Jeff Silverman
Examiner
Terry Logan
Cop at Police Station
Dottie Archibald
Dave's Mom
Conroy Gedeon
Mr. Winnick
Robin Kaufman
Chainsaw's Sister
John Stark
Student

Critic Reviews for Summer School

All Critics (28) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (17) | Rotten (11) | DVD (12)

Mr. Harmon has an easygoing attractiveness, but neither he nor anyone else seems comfortable with the film's antic pace. And for all its busyness, this comedy has no real focus, ricocheting from character to character with wearying abandon.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Top Critic

Here are some of Summer School's favorite things: idiocy, illiteracy, irresponsibility, drunkenness, dumbness and debauchery. Piqued?

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Desson Thomson

Washington Post

Top Critic

The moral is a sweet one: If you try, you never fail. The world is graded on a curve.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Rita Kempley

Washington Post

Top Critic

A comedy so listless, leisurely and unspirited that it was an act of the will for me to care about it, even while I was watching it.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times

| Comment

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

A comic delight... Harmon and Alley are great together

October 26, 2008 Comment

Clint Morris

Moviehole

Another failure in Harmon's attempt to move from TV to the big screen.

July 25, 2007 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

Summer School might lack a hipster razor edge, but its funnybone personality is larger than life. It's a film I adore for its purity of intentions.

May 15, 2007 Full Review Source: DVDTalk.com

| Comment

Brian Orndorf

DVDTalk.com

Reiner keeps everything moving while letting Harmon do the heavy lifting as his young co-stars sprinkle the chuckles around.

May 14, 2007 Full Review Source: DVD Clinic

| Comment

Scott Weinberg

DVD Clinic

A bit bland compared to Reiner's Steve Martin comedies, but engagingly played.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Geoff Andrew

Time Out

Cliches abound in this silly outing. Not the brightest moment for any of those involved.

October 19, 2004 Comment

Bob Bloom

Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

Okay teen/romantic comedy with pleasant players.

August 2, 2004 Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

if there was any justice in the world we'd be seeing reruns of this on TNT every Sunday instead of endless repeats of Sixteen Candles and its ilk

May 31, 2004 Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com

| Comment

Christopher Null

Filmcritic.com

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Summer School

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Yes this is a silly, predictable, teen/romance/school comedy, but it's just so much fun, I couldn't resist it's charms. I guess what I really need is a sensitive, intelligent guy who can rollerskate. Anyway, I really enjoyed this movie, and I highly recommend it if you want to see something funny and entertaining this summer.

May 17, 2011

AJ Verser

Super Reviewer

This is one of those movies that would come on tv once in a while. I always enjoyed it everytime too.

December 16, 2008

Nani V

Super Reviewer

Summer School Quotes

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1. Larry Kazamias: I'm at my sexual peak, once a man hits 18 it's all downhill from there.
2. Freddy Shoop: Yeah, and it's a hell of a ride.
– Submitted by Fletcher R (8 months ago)

Submit a Quote from 'Summer School'

A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Please make your quotes accurate. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the RT staff.

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Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try.
Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.