Clumsy, cringey, and a little sweet, Summer of 69 tries to mix sex comedy with heartfelt teenage life lessons without managing to land either. Still, there is some fun to be had. A high school student and a successful stripper make for quite a strange pairing, calling on actresses Sam Morelos and Chloe Fineman to embody their respective characters to embrace their femininity. Awkwardness is the name of the game here, with the student learning vital lessons from her sex coach, and vice versa. In essence, one knows exactly what they are getting themselves into from the very beginning. Co-writer/director Jillian Bell does well with defining the interpersonal relationships and adding texture to the inherent silliness. Visual flare, on the other hand, leaves much to be desired.
For as long as she can remember, Abby (Morelos, Descendants: Rise of Red) has yearned to hook up with her hunky friend, Max (Matt Cornett, High School Musical the Musical the Series), in whatever way she can manage. Abby obsesses over every inch of Max, from his “killer green eyes” to his neck zit. She even fantasizes about marrying him. If the school mascot, Bernie the Saint Bernard, is to be believed, Max “loves to 69.” Summer of 69 gets its name from that raunchy sexual position, not from the very modern time period during which it occurs. If Max loves to 69, well then Abby will just have to learn to admire it, too. A very fun opening credits finds the number 69 emerging everywhere, as Abby imagines Max licking the side of a tuba before she gets knocked out by a soccer ball.
Apparently, Abby has some kind of strange condition wherein getting nervous makes her brain create an elaborate fantasy. This happens many times throughout, adding a sort of magical realism vibe to certain situations. Even outside this scenario, Summer of 69 never feels grounded in reality. Apart from Abby, we also follows Santa Monica (Fineman, Saturday Night Live), a stripper whose club, Diamond Dolls, is only days away from shutting its doors for good. When the two of them cross paths, Abby sees a golden opportunity to fulfill “operation 69.” Monica agrees to prepare Abby to nab Max for a cool twenty thousand dollars. The amount should be nothing too major for a viral Glitch gamer. Abby also moonlights there under the name AbbyCadaver, sporting a strange zombie mask. Relying on Abby for the money, Diamond Dolls stands a chance to remain in business.
Scripting from Bell, Jules Byrne, and Liz Nico cares less about Abby’s sexual awakening than about her finding one true friend. Before Monica, her popularity at school does not exactly speak to a high social standing. Abby’s journey comes complete with generic life lessons, bold romantic gestures, and surprising references to the underrated Risky Business. Neither Morelos nor Fineman are doing anything particularly great here, but as a casual comedy showcase, it may just do the trick for less demanding viewers. Do we actually get a 69ing scene after all the hubbub? The sexual act itself is not of importance, but merely the metaphor for a mutually beneficial friendship for the ages. As a debut effort, Jillian Bell does a decent-enough job replete with celebrity cameos, coming-of-age tropes, and preposterous conveniences. Just don’t expect a happy ending.
Prepare for a sex ed crash course to fulfill the Summer of 69, assuming the position for Hulu subscribers on Friday, May 9th.
