It's the summer of 63 in Brooklyn. Hawk Ganz (Fisher Stevens) and Steve Dawkins (Brian McNamara) return to the old neighborhood and invite Jeffrey Willis (Matt Dillon) to the Flamingo Club to play cards. Car dealer Phil Brody (Richard Crenna) is the best gin player in the club and father of Steve's girlfriend Joyce. Jeffrey is taken with Joyce's cousin Carla Samson (Janet Jones) from California which drives Alfred (Bronson Pinchot) jealous. He gets a job parking cars at the club. His father Arthur (Hector Elizondo) expected him to work an office job at an engineering firm for the summer. He befriends fellow newbie Fortune Smith. Jeffrey idolizes the successful Phil Brody who takes him under his wing. His wife Phyllis (Jessica Walter) isn't so keen with the lowly help when Carla invites him for dinner. This is no jab at Matt Dillon because he does this character well. I simply don't like this character. To be fair, I don't like any of the characters in this Garry Marshall movie. It's missing the usual Marshall comedic touch. There is a real good father son conflict. I could invest more into their relationship if I could feel more love than anger in the family. The few jokes fall flat for me. It's an OK coming-of-age movie.
Review of The Flamingo Kid
