Based on his own stage play, Grosso's film is a breezy London 20something comedy that doesn't quite hold its story or characters together. Frank (Rhys) is clinging to his irresponsibility, living for free with his friend Pete (Dunster), hanging out with Pete and another mate Johnny (Salinger) and coolly ignoring the admiration of the lovely Cherry (Reilly). As he goes through the summer, he knows he needs to make a decision--either finish college or get a job. But he couldn't care less, really, and hopes for a summer of footloose fun. Real life, of course, has other things in mind.

An excellent script drowns in a sea of cliches as the characters are just too trendy and hip for real life, like they stepped straight off the pages of Loaded or Maxim. Their shallow obsession with women, aka peaches, takes away any sympathy we might have in their stories. Even Rhys' solid performance and charm only barely gets us on his side. Others are just too broad and posey to be believable, with silly accents and annoying facial tics only a comic sketch character would have. In addition, the story's nice rhythms are fragmented badly by the direction and editing, which seem to miss the point of the overall picture. Meanwhile getting a first job is treated like it's the end of life, friendships, freedom and love. It may seem like that at the time, but honestly! Maybe with a better director than himself, Grosso's nicely observant story and characters could have worked on the big screen.

adult themes, language

2.Oct.01