Review of The Flamingo Kid

1963. Naive, earnest, and affable working class 18-year-old lad Jeffrey Willis (an excellent and engaging performance by Matt Dillon) gets a summer job working as a cabana boy at the posh El Flamingo Beach Club in Long Island. Will the amiable charisma and affluent lifestyle of slick car dealership owner and ace gin rummy cardsharp Phil Brody (marvelously played to smarmy perfection by Richard Crenna) as well as the allure of the enticing Carla Samson (flawlessly embodied by the delectable Janet Jones) cause Jeffrey to forget his humble blue collar Brooklyn roots and aspirations to attend college once summer is over? Director Gary Marshall, who also co-wrote the sweet and witty script with Neal Marshall, relates the enjoyable and engrossing story at a steady pace, offers a vivid and affectionate depiction of the nifty 60's period setting, maintains an ingratiatingly easy'n'breezy tone throughout, and delivers the usual life lessons about integrity and staying true to one's actual self in a pleasant and likable matter. The adroit acting by the sturdy cast helps a whole lot: Dillon astutely nails the morally conflicted nature of his character, Crenna shines as a smooth sleazeball, Hector Elizondo likewise does first-rate work as Jeffrey's proud, honest, and hard-working father Arthur, Jessica Walter brings genuine snap and bite to her juicy role as Brody's snippy fed-up wife Phyllis, Carole Davis makes the most out of a rather minor part as Brody's snobby and sexy vamp daughter Joyce, and Fisher Stevens has a ball as Jeffrey's fast-talking smartaleck buddy Hawk. The bouncy soundtrack of choice 60's golden oldies keeps things bubbling along. Popping up in neat bits are Bronson Pinchot, Marisa Tomei, Steve Weber, and John Turturro. James A. Conter's sunny cinematography gives the picture an attractive sparkling look. A real treat.