Ping Pong Summer (2014)

A family vacation during the summer of 1985 changes everything for a teenage boy obsessed with ping pong.

Director:

Michael Tully

Writer:

Michael Tully

Stars:

Marcello Conte, Judah Friedlander, Amy Sedaris

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marcello Conte	...	Radical Miracle
Robert Hambury	...	Old Neighbor
Helena May Seabrook	...	Michelle Miracle (as Helena Seabrook)
John Hannah	...	Brendan Miracle
Lea Thompson	...	Crandall Miracle
Francis J. Tully	...	Naked Burnt Man
Mary Ann Tully	...	Naked Burnt Man's Wife
Emmi Shockley	...	Stacy Summers
Joseph McCaughtry	...	Lyle Ace
Andy Riddle	...	Dale Lyons
Judah Friedlander	...	Anthony
Jimmy Pelletier	...	Skateboarder
Pierce Haugh	...	Weird Pool Kid
Myles Massey	...	Teddy Fryy
Susan Sarandon	...	Randi Jammer

Storyline

The year is 1985. Rad Miracle is a shy 13-year-old white kid who's obsessed with two things: ping pong and hip hop. During his family's annual summer vacation to Ocean City, Maryland, Rad makes a new best friend, experiences his first real crush, becomes the target of rich, racist local bullies, and finds an unexpected mentor in his outcast next-door neighbor. Ping Pong Summer is about that time in your life when you're treated like an alien by everyone around you, even though you know deep down you're as funky fresh as it gets.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Sport

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 June 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Desventuras de Verão

Filming Locations:

Ocean City, Maryland, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$25,781, 8 June 2014, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$25,781, 8 June 2014

Company Credits

Production Co:

Compass Entertainment, Epic Match Media, Indie Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The "I survived the Sooper Dooper Looper" tee shirt is a roller coaster from the 1970s-80s era Hersey Park amusement park in Pennsylvania. Its is a common vacation spot for Marylanders.

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Goofs

Stacy Summers asks Rad and Teddy to meet her and her friend at the "Under 21" nightclub called "H2O." H2O is a real underage dance club in Ocean City, but in 1985 it was called "Nite Lite." It didn't change to H20 until the late 90's.

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Quotes

Teddy Fryy: See that Icee cup she's always got in her hand? Well, that's not an Icee she's drinking. It's funk punch.
Radical Miracle: What's funk punch?
Teddy Fryy: Funk punch is where you combine an Icee with Pop Rocks and Pixy Stix and sometimes even COCAINE and drink it really fast. She's a funk punch junkie.

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Soundtracks

Voices Carry
Written by Aimee Mann, Michael Hausman, Robert Holmes and Joseph Pesce

User Reviews

Not inspiring and engaging as I hoped

This film is about a teenager who takes up ping pong ball by chance during a family summer holiday in a seaside town.

I guess this film is more about the story than the acting, but I still think "Ping Pong Summer" can be better in this aspect. The teenage actors are not very convincing, only the Gothic sister is good. The plot is probably supposed to be inspiring, but it turns out to be very flat and not very engaging. Maybe it's because there's no ups then downs, or maybe there's not enough intensive training, or the psychological motivation to win is not presented to be strong enough. The plot fails to interest me. I wonder why Susan Sarandon got involved with this project. And the film could have cast all unknowns to save on budget.