I watched this film and I wasn't really sure what to make of it. I don't know anyone personally with autism, so I won't state an opinion on whether or not the lead actor's portrayal was accurate. But Cruel Summer seems just like an extended snuff film, even thought the snuff all came in the last 15 minutes. Up until then it was just an exercise in showing stupid, ignorant, disgusting people and how they can be manipulative, deceiptful and violent.
The main character / victim is a complete innocent that is caught up in horrible circumstances, none of his own doing. And the other three characters are completely irredeemable a-holes who deserve nothing more than death. Even the one bully that the film tries to evoke sympathy for was just too stupid for me to even care about.
But that being said, my words may be harsh since teenagers are impressionable, irrational and prone to doing stupid things. Maybe this movie was just showing how far that can go? I don't know. Can't say I liked this movie, but I didn't dislike it either. Just really didn't get the point of it. And the way the boy was murdered at the end definitely has similarities to a real life murder that happened in the UK years ago. But the lead up is definitely fiction.
The main character / victim is a complete innocent that is caught up in horrible circumstances, none of his own doing. And the other three characters are completely irredeemable a-holes who deserve nothing more than death. Even the one bully that the film tries to evoke sympathy for was just too stupid for me to even care about.
But that being said, my words may be harsh since teenagers are impressionable, irrational and prone to doing stupid things. Maybe this movie was just showing how far that can go? I don't know. Can't say I liked this movie, but I didn't dislike it either. Just really didn't get the point of it. And the way the boy was murdered at the end definitely has similarities to a real life murder that happened in the UK years ago. But the lead up is definitely fiction.