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Hot Summer Nights

Hot Summer Nights

Drama · Crime · 2018

In 1991, a sheltered teenager comes of age during a wild summer on Cape Cod, getting rich from selling pot to gangsters, falling in love for the first time, partying, and eventually realizing that he's in way over his head.

Movie details

Hot Summer Nights

“One summer can change everything.”

2018 Drama · Crime 1h 47m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.6 / 10

Community rating

In 1991, a sheltered teenager comes of age during a wild summer on Cape Cod, getting rich from selling pot to gangsters, falling in love for the first time, partying, and eventually realizing that he's in way over his head.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Hot Summer Nights?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Requiem for a Dream

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Wasteman

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Crime · 2026

Taylor's hopes for a fresh start post-parole are jeopardised by cellmate Dee's arrival. As Dee takes Taylor under his wing, a vicious attack tests their bond, forcing Taylor to choose between protecting Dee and his own chances at freedom.

Wonderland

Wonderland

Crime · 2003

On the afternoon of July 1, 1981, Los Angeles police responded to a distress call on Wonderland Avenue and discovered a grisly quadruple homicide. The police investigation that followed uncovered two versions of the events leading up to the brutal murders - both involving legendary porn actor John Holmes.

Cape Fear

Cape Fear

Drama · 1991

Sam Bowden is a small-town corporate attorney. Max Cady is a tattooed, cigar-smoking, Bible-quoting, psychotic rapist. What do they have in common? 14 years ago, Sam was a public defender assigned to Max Cady's rape trial, and he made a serious error: he hid a document from his illiterate client that could have gotten him acquitted. Now, the cagey Cady has been released, and he intends to teach Sam Bowden and his family a thing or two about loss.

New Jack City

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Coffy

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Crime · 1973

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River's Edge

River's Edge

Crime · 1986

A group of high-school friends must come to terms with the fact that one of them, Samson, killed another, Jamie. Faced with the brutality of death, each must decide whether to turn their friend in to the police, or to help him escape the consequences of his dreadful deed.

Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Elijah Bynum

Written by

Elijah Bynum

Timothée Chalamet

Timothée Chalamet

Daniel Middleton

Maika Monroe

Maika Monroe

McKayla Strawberry

Alex Roe

Alex Roe

Hunter Strawberry

Maia Mitchell

Maia Mitchell

Amy Calhoun

Thomas Jane

Thomas Jane

Sergeant Calhoun

Emory Cohen

Emory Cohen

Dex

William Fichtner

William Fichtner

Shep

Court is in session

Put Hot Summer Nights on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.