Video/DVD Review: The Last Day of Summer
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this made-for-TV tween movie
addresses many of the fears/issues typical of the age group:
relating to the opposite sex, learning to deal with bullies,
and worrying that a move to a new school will affect existing
friendships. The main character discovers that it's only by
facing his fears head-on that he can move past them and welcome
the changes ahead. There's little here to worry parents of
tweens, but they may want to remind kids that mean-spirited
pranks (overturning an outhouse while a notorious bully is
inside, for instance) aren't the best way to handle
difficulties with peers.
Families can talk about facing the challenge of a new school.
Tweens: How does the idea of starting a new school make you
feel? What kinds of worries would you have about it? Do you
think this movie gives a good impression of what kids might be
afraid of about going to a new school? How? Have you
experienced any of the anxiety that Luke does? How did you
handle it? Can your friends help? Why is it important to face
your fears head on?
For Luke Malloy (Jansen Panettiere, younger brother of Heroes cheerleader Hayden), the start of this particular school year is more than just an end to the fun and freedom of summer. It's the beginning of a whole new list of dreads -- all because he's going to be starting middle school. Based on what he's heard from middle-school veterans -- like big sister Diana (Alexandra Krosney) -- the transition is pretty much a life-or-death battle. At the town carnival on Labor Day (the last day of summer), anxiety-ridden Luke longingly wishes the day would never end. Moments later, a blow to the head knocks him out cold; when he wakes up, it's the morning of Labor Day again. As the day repeats itself over and over, Luke -- like a tweenage version of Bill Murray's character in Groundhog Day -- discovers that he has the power to change its outcome, and he slowly finds ways to conquer his fears: bullies; his secret crush, Alice (Denyse Tontz), and even performing onstage with his buddies in their band, The Steel Monkey. Along the way, he also gets a lesson in the power of friendship and the importance of being honest with yourself and listening to your heart.
THE LAST DAY OF SUMMER combines tween-friendly entertainment (yes, there's some potty humor -- like passing gas and blows to the groin -- to keep the boys interested) with the kind of positive messages that kids need as they embark on the tumultuous years of middle school. And parents can rest assured that there's nothing here their tweens can't handle.
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