The Summer of 42 (1971) - 8/10
The film spends the first acts telling an amusing coming of age story about 3 early to mid teenage boys as the discover sex, sexuality, biology and the social interplay between themsevles and women. And on that level it works pretty well.
There's charm in the protagnists quiet longing for the older girl next door. There's good laughs when the boys attempt to navigate this space. A stand out for me being one character running straight out of the film never to be seen again at the prospect of sitting next to a girl in theater.
During these first two acts the film is heading toward a high 6 or a low 7. You're having a good time for sure. But if you how act structure works it doesnt take a genius to smell there's a turn coming. Though tonally its very well hidden.
The strength of this film hinges on its 3rd act. And its a very very strong 3rd act.
At the top of the film the previously mentioned protagonist's previously mentioned girl next door sends her previously unmentioned fiancé away to fight in WW2, this is 1942 after all.
At the top of the 3rd act she receives a letter. He's been killed in action. Our protagonist shows up the night she finds out. What plays out is a tragic scene of a boy losing his virginity to a beautiful woman. I have a thousand thoughts on this. Id write a novel going through it.
Sex up until this point has been portrayed as a game. Like kids playing tag. In this moment a dimension of sex enters the fim thats so complicad the main character has no skills to even comprehend whats occured.
Its a great scene and the film doesnt try to contextualize it with words. It deliberately leaves it unspoken and instead asks us to process it.
It ends up being a pretty daring picture.