Freddy Shoop (Mark Harmon) is an easygoing Phys. Ed. instructor who has big plans for the summer, intending to travel to Hawaii with his girlfriend. But he ends up roped into teaching remedial English to a group of delinquent kids instead. Initially he's as reluctant to be in a classroom for the summer as they are, and they have a wacky series of "field trips" before he realizes that these kids aren't really that dumb, and he begins to take the assignment seriously - and manages to inspire them to do their best.This very likable comedy holds up pretty well 27 years later, with a first rate cast creating an engaging and memorable set of characters. Harmon does well in his first starring vehicle; he COULD have just coasted through this thing on his looks and charisma, but he shows a nice comic ability as well. Kirstie Alley is endearing as the teacher whom he persistently tries to win over, and Robin Thomas Grossman is just right as the nemesis character (the uptight vice principal of the school) who you enjoy booing all the way through the thing.The two best characters, certainly for a horror fan such as this viewer, are the laid back Francis "Chainsaw" Gremp (so nicknamed because of his love for Tobe Hoopers' "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre"), played by Dean Cameron, and his friend Dave (Gary Riley). Their love of gore climaxes in a truly fun moment as the students scare away a substitute teacher with a classroom full of splatter; naturally, a viewing of the Hooper classic occurs along the way. The other kids include football player Kevin (Patrick Labyorteaux), surfer Pam (Courtney Thorne- Smith), the dyslexic Denise (Kelly Jo Minter), underage male stripper Larry (Ken Olandt), pregnant Rhonda (Shawnee Smith), nerdy Alan (Richard Steven Horvitz), and luscious Italian exchange student Anna-Maria (Fabiana Udenio). Director Carl Reiner, who'd previously done another seasonal comedy, "Summer Rental" with John Candy, has a cameo early in the movie. Amy Stock (the "Bill & Ted" movies), Laura Waterbury ("Better Off Dead"), and Duane Davis ("Beetlejuice") all have small roles."Summer School" sometimes get silly, but never goes overboard in that regard. It remains an upbeat and watchable story from start to finish, with some serious (but not too serious) moments, and it follows the formula of "misfits make good" stories pretty well. The soundtrack also helps to add to the good vibes.Seven out of 10.

Oh gosh! I really enjoyed this movie from the first time I ever saw it. I remember it was the summer of 2000, I was 14 and it was the beginning of the summer, and I saw this movie from a local Italian TV (here this movie is called "Lezioni D'Estate", which it means "Lessons In The Summertime" and its never been in cinemas, only TV). I can recall I used to pass the entire month of June (before to go on holiday) watching this movie again and again...The VHS was always stuck in that old thrashed-up VCR...and after Summer School there was recorded "Teen Wolf"....what a perfect couple! I was dreaming about the girls and the beach and the fun....It was really so innocent at the time...even if u think about getting' high or getting' drunk or getting' laid...And I think that what makes so good Summer School is its naif spirit...there aren' to bad words and is really clean...it's not Spring Break or Revenge Of The Nerds...it's a summer teen movie bit it's not so stupid...I still really enjoyed now that I'm older. It really makes me laugh so hard...the script is brilliant, like the "I don't know anything!!!" scene. P.S. One thing more: the summer of '00 for me was great: plenty of booze and girls for the first time and my friends used to call me "Chainsaw"...Thanx to this little movie.

There are few teen movies that I really get into. One is The Breakfast Club for its poignant portrayal of stereotyped high school students. The other is Summer School, because it is fresh, funny, and fun, every time I watch it.The format is predictable. In Summer School we have Freddy Shoop, a slacker gym teacher who longs for summer vacations, so that he doesn't have to teach! Mr. Shoop is up for tenure. Therefore, when the original Remedial English teacher wins a lottery, the dead-pan, strict, vice principle Mr. Gills is forced to hire Mr. Shoop as his replacement.The fun begins with trips to such places as amusement parks and petting zoos! But when a student's grandmother discovers that her grandson came home from an allergy attack from the animals, she marches into Mr. Gill's office demanding that the field trips stop and the education begins.Gills initially suspends Mr. Shoop for this. But Shoop asks, "What if I become a model teacher?" Gills blackmails him into keeping his job. He must get all of the students in his class to pass the English Proficiency test by the end of the term, or he loses not only his tenure, but also his job.Mr Shoop's students are smarter than they are given credit for. Most of the kids have fine potential, but are lazy to get their work done. Mr. Shoop bribes them by granting a favor to each student in exchange for them to show up, make an effort, and study for the proficiency test.I suppose the sticking part of this movie is why the students should have to be bribed to want to learn? However, it is a plus how Shoop begins to believe in the kids and gets them to instill confidence in themselves. In this type of movie, there are several "set backs" along the way as expected. But in the end, despite the student's average scores being below a 70%, (And the average scores of the students incidentally are NOT correct when you calculate the number of students whose scores are announced at the film's conclusion! The producers forget to do some basic math homework!) The head principle over-rides Gills' recommendation that Mr. Shoop be fired based on the improvements from the pre-test scores to post test scores and grants Mr. Shoop's tenure.One can not expect a serious motivational movie such as Lean on Me or Stand and Deliver from this. However, Summer School has a pleasant comic element without disintegrating into slapstick. Mark Harmon is great as the teacher and two stand out performances are the actors who play "Chainsaw" and "Dave" who are the human equivalent of "Beavis and Butthead!" For parents, there is some gross "special effects violence" when the kids recreate a scene from "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," which gives the film a PG-13 rating. (Some commercial TV/standard cable stations edit out this scene completely.) There are maybe one or two swear words in the film, but nothing really objectionable for a young teen crowd.A very entertaining movie and fine repeated viewing for most teens and their families. I recommend that everyone attend "Summer School!" You'll have a great time!

I have never been a fan of teen comedies for many reasons that I can't possibly list here. Most are menial, mediocre movies that have little or no effort put into them and usually just fall down the pits into low brow comedy including but not limited to scatological humor and/or perverse sexual jokes. Am I saying all comedies of this nature are like that? No, absolutely not. I really enjoyed "American Wedding". Though there are others like "The New Guy" that are just plain awful. While "Summer School" has nothing to offer the film medium in terms of new stuff, it manages to be an enjoyable romp.The story concerns a gym teacher, who goes by the name "Shoop" (Mark Harmon). School has ended for summer vacation and students and teachers alike are eager to get out. The exception is for the teachers who have to teach the summer school students. When the original English teacher supposed to teach the summer school students bails out, the Vice Principal (Robin Thomas), puts Shoop on the job. If all goes well, Shoop will get tenure. But considering the type of kids Shoop will have to deal it, it will be a long road ahead. Shoop also strikes an unsuccessful string of dates with another summer school teacher, Ms. Bishop (Kristie Alley). Will Shoop be able to get the kids to study and not only get a date with Ms. Bishop? It's one of the hardest to things to review a film that is good, but offers little in being able to be discussed. The actors overall seem to be having a fun time with the characters they portray. They aren't dull for a moment and everyone brings they're own amounts of energy to the roles they play. Mark Harmon in particular has not only a lot of energy, but has charisma that helps to add to his characters enjoyable nature. This not only helps with his on-screen chemistry with Kristie Alley's character. They play well off one another in key scenes very well, and are overall fun to watch. Robin Thomas also does well as the stereotypical evil principal.The comedy works for the most part in this movie because it deals with clichés and stereotypes, and plays exactly off of both. The students all have "Breakfast Club-like" stereotypes including a jock, nerd, losers, and outcasts. The writers and director Carl Reiner seem to enjoy these clichés and go far to make them funny, but not crossing that edge into annoyance and stupidity. All of this culminates into somewhat of a non-stereotypical which satisfied me and partly surprised me, which I'd prefer not to give away as it help adds more to this funny movie.Overall, if you just want to see a movie that you know you will have a goodtime at, "Summer School" might just be the selection for. Just don't go in any with any expectations. I went in with bad and came out with good. As Alfred Hitchcock would say "It's only a movie."