Indian Summer (1993)

Seven friends reunite for a week-long reunion at a summer camp in Ontario they used to attend as children which is now threatened with being closed down.

Director:

Mike Binder

Writer:

Mike Binder

Stars:

Alan Arkin, Matt Craven, Diane Lane

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alan Arkin	...	Unca Lou Handler
Matt Craven	...	Jamie Ross
Diane Lane	...	Beth Warden / Claire Everett (flashback)
Bill Paxton	...	Jack Belston
Elizabeth Perkins	...	Jennifer Morton
Kevin Pollak	...	Brad Berman
Sam Raimi	...	Stick Coder
Vincent Spano	...	Matthew Berman
Julie Warner	...	Kelly Berman
Kimberly Williams-Paisley	...	Gwen Daugherty (as Kimberly Williams)
Richard Chevolleau	...	Sam Grover
Robert K. Feldmann	...	Man in Canoe
Anne Holloway	...	Tamakwa Cook
Cliff Woolner	...	Ranger Thaddeus Clay (flashback)
Emily Creed	...	Young Jennifer

Storyline

A group of childhood friends, now in their thirties, reunite at Camp Tamakwa. Only a few of the original campers show up, but they still have a good time reminiscing. The people share experiences and grow while at the camp. They are dismayed to discover that the camp's owner, Unca Lou, is going to close the camp down.

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Plot Keywords:

1990s | ontario | canada | reunion | nostalgia | 

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Taglines:

A Comedy About Eight Friends Who Return To The Best Summer Of Their Lives!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some drug content, sensuality and language

Details

Official Sites:

Camp Tamakwa [United States]

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 April 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tamakawa

Filming Locations:

Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$14,904,910

Company Credits

Production Co:

Outlaw Productions (I),Touchstone Pictures,Touchwood Pacific Partners 1

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Black and White Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Matt Craven plays one of the adults returning to summer camp, where they have such fond memories. Craven also played a CIT (counselor in training) in Meatballs (1979), another film about summer camp. Both films were shot in Canada.

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Goofs

During the flashback to the long-ago Tamakwa-thon, as the runners pass through a crowd, the shadows of the cameraman and sound man are visible on the backs of the assembled onlookers.

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Quotes

Jennifer Morton: I've decided I wanna be just like Kelly when I grow up.
Kelly Berman: And I wanna be just like Jennifer!
Jennifer Morton: And I wanna have a body like Gwen's!
Kelly Berman: No shit!

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Crazy Credits

The counselor's assistant Stick (played by Sam Raimi) stares into the camera for the entirety of the credits.

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Connections

Referenced in Dawson's Creek: Indian Summer (1999)

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Soundtracks

Susie Q
Written by Dale Hawkins, Stan J. Lewis and Eleanor Broadwater
Performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Courtesy of Fantasy Records

User Reviews

Could there be a better feel good movie than this?

I am a sucker for films like this. Films that take you back and let you relive your childhood. I'm a grown up now and have many grown up responsibilities like a mortgage, kids, dogs, a wife and a slew of others. I enjoy my life but it is not as innocent and carefree like it was when I was twelve. Mike Binder's Indian Summer knows this and explores this like he was twelve years old. It brings you back to a time when life was simpler and much more fun. It brings you back to a time when worrying about your first kiss and wondering if you could finish the camp marathon were important issues. Indian Summer is a fantastic film and it is one that should be watched at least once a year just so you can sit back and laugh...and reminisce.

The film stars Kevin Pollak, Bill Paxton, Diane Lane and Matt Craven (to name a few) as childhood friends that are being summoned back to Camp Tamakwa by their former Head Camp Counsellor, Uncle Lou. Uncle Lou is played perfectly by Alan Arkin. He is kind of guy who is the patriarch of the group. He is also all knowing and encompasses the true spirit of a father figure and someone who understands the simple things in life. He has a hard time relating to today's kids that need a walkman blaring in their ears when they are at a place of immense beauty like Tamakwa. This is a camp that has moose wandering through the camp, leaves turning colours that God gave them and water for as far as the eye can see. Uncle Lou yearns for the days of old and asks his former campers back to the camp to see one of them will take over the camp. While they are all together again, we get to see their trials and tribulations and perhaps a new love could spring between them.

As the adults return to the camp, it isn't long before they act like kids again as the typical camp pranks get played all over again. They take toilet paper out of the stalls, the put toothpaste on sleeping bags and so on. All of this is done hilariously and with actors like Pollak and Paxton, it is all very funny stuff.

But beyond the hilarity, we get to explore some very real adult emotion that anyone can relate to. In one of my favourite scenes, Kevin Pollak and Elizabeth Perkins are overlooking a bay where they used to go canoing as kids. Pollak can't get over how small it all looks and Perkins finally tells him that the bay didn't get smaller, they just got bigger. It doesn't hammer the point home, but it does it subtly. We all grow up, we all move on and we all unfortunately can't live like we did 20 years ago. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Indian Summer is a character driven film and it is written beautifully by Mike Binder who actually did attend Camp Camp Tamakwa, (as did Sam Raimi, who played Stick in the film) and it is his fond and vivid memories of his experiences that fuel the film. There are many touching scenes and there are many hilarious ones also. Both are perfect.

I love this film. I love everything about it and it is a true hidden gem.

10/10