Ping Pong Summer may be an inside joke, but it’s my inside joke, dammit. I grew up in Maryland going to Ocean City every summer, so this prototypical ‘80s teen comedy set in Ocean City was just a pure love fest. Yes, it’s nostalgic. Yes, it’s satirical. It’s less about mimicking the ‘80s though, and more as if this were the Ocean City comedy I wish they had made in 1985.
In 1985, Rad Miracle (Marcello Conte) visits Ocean City with his parents (John Hannah and Lea Thompson) and sister (Helena May Seabrook). He befriends aspiring beat boxing breakdancer Teddy Fryy (Myles Massey) who takes him to the Fun Hub. There, Stacy Summers (Emmi Shockley) likes Rad, but her ex-boyfriend Lyle (Joseph McCaughtry) stands in the way. There’s only one way to settle this, of course: Ping-Pong match.
I can vouch for the detail writer/director Michael Tully got right. I played Old Pro Golf and recognize the Pirate and Safari courses from the film. I went to that movie theater on rainy days. People would always mention Rehoboth Beach which seemed pointless when we had Ocean City right there. It’s not all Ocean City though. I also rode the Sooper Dooper Looper at Hershey Park, for which Rad wears a T-shirt. I remember Hammerjacks nightclub and Coed Naked Lacrosse being other local phenomena that people would advertise on their clothing. I don’t recall the Fun Hub though. That might be made up for the film.
Now, these details are not necessary to the enjoyment of Ping Pong Summer, nor should they make it feel elitist. They just create the world in which the characters can enact a story with which we’re all familiar. I’ve just never gotten to see that story played out specifically in my own childhood so it’s extra special. Seeing a naked old man sit in a sink full of ice to cool his sunburn should translate across all boundaries, so there’s something for everyone.
The gravitas with which the characters approach their relationships and impending contest is ridiculous, but sincere and authentic. The ping pong ball rolling behind the standup arcade game, I’ve been there, brother. The kids are so sweet. They’re not even horny at all, they just want to be cool and be with a pretty girl. Their hardest insults are so innocent, it’s hardly trash talk.
The way Ping Pong Summer adheres to ‘80s underdog movie formula, you should be able to figure out how it all goes. It’s not supposed to be a twist ending. It’s just an endearing throwback. Tully did find some really rare musical discoveries. I wonder if he knew Dragon Sound before Drafthouse re-released Miami Connection. With Susan Sarandon as the ping pong pro Randi Jammer, maybe they could have had a few extra training montages, but I shouldn’t be greedy. Ping Pong Summer is exactly the movie I wanted to see in 1985 and it’s still exactly the movie I want to see now.
Fred Topel is a staff writer at CraveOnline and the man behind Best Episode Ever and The Shelf Space Awards. Follow him on Twitter at @FredTopel.
