There aren’t many actors around right now who are as famous or as consistently good as Timothée Chalamet. Although his earliest great film was Interstellar, his role there isn’t too big, so it was actually a few years later that he broke out. That happened with his Academy Award-nominated turn in Call Me By Your Name. That let the world know that Chalamet was a performer to watch and pretty much everything he has been involved with since has been a critical darling and several have grossed strong numbers, making Chalamet a box office star.
The filmography of Chalamet is hard for anyone in Hollywood to match. He has blockbuster sci-fi epics in the Dune franchise, an Oscar bait biopic in A Complete Unknown, a scene-stealing supporting part in Best Picture nominee Don’t Look Up, a major musical in Wonka, and stellar roles in smaller budget projects like Marty Supreme, Bones and All, and Lady Bird. Despite his movies mostly being known by the masses, he does have a few hidden gems in there.
One of those less popular movies in Chalamet’s filmography is Hot Summer Nights, yet it’s also one of his most impressive works. Starting on June 1, Timothée Chalamet fans can check out this project on Netflix, which will open more eyes to this underrated film.
Hot Summer Nights Is A Hidden Gem
It doesn’t get mentioned when people talk about Timothée Chalamet’s best films, but Hot Summer Nights has a lot going for it. The movie is a smaller project that only grossed less than $250,000 at the box office. It was also released in 2017, which is the year that Chalamet’s star started to brighten. Between Call Me By Your Name and Lady Bird, he was featured in two of the best movies of that year, which launched him to bigger fame. That could’ve played a part in why Hot Summer Nights was overlooked by so many.
Those who have seen Hot Summer Nights can appreciate just how good it is. The film takes place in 1991 in Cape Cod during the summer and gives off some nostalgic vibes for the time period. The main premise centers on Daniel Middleton (Chalamet), a teenager who gets caught up in a dangerous drug trade. While the setup isn’t all that original, it’s the way it plays out and the performances of the cast that make it stand out.
Alas, critics weren’t too happy with the movie as it only holds a 46% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, a lot of those negative reviews discussed the script and story not being as strong as they could be. That’s understandable, yet the positives of the film make it worth checking out. Praise went to the charismatic cast and the fact that the movie is aesthetically pleasing, with some impressive visuals for something that wasn’t made for a lot of money. Some reviews praised the film for being chaotic, as it’s filled with energy from start to finish.
Timothée Chalamet Is Fantastic In This Movie
The biggest thing that makes Hot Summer Nights a movie you should check out is the performance of Timothée Chalamet. Today, we all know the confident actor for his fantastic work in major blockbusters and films that were nominated for Academy Awards. The actor himself has been nominated for three Oscars for Call Me By Your Name, A Complete Unknown, and Marty Supreme, while also winning accolades at the Actor Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Critics’ Choice Awards.
While his performance in Hot Summer Nights didn’t earn him awards acclaim, it is a great early look at just how talented Chalamet is as an actor. There’s an aloofness he brings to the character that is needed, given the situation of the plot. He works incredibly well alongside his main co-star, Maika Monroe, who has also gone on to have a great career of her own. You can clearly see the makings of a star in everything Chalamet does in this film, making it a must-see for anyone who is a fan of his work today.
The movie also works because of the talent involved around Timothée Chalamet. Maika Monroe is one of the most underrated actors around, appearing in some fantastic films like It Follows, Watcher, and Longlegs. There’s also Maia Mitchell, another overlooked actor from The Fosters and Until Dawn, as well as veterans like Thomas Jane and William Fichtner. Even though the screenplay might let them down at points, the actors and the director more than make up for it.
Where Hot Summer Nights Ranks Among Chalamet’s Best Work
As noted, Hot Summer Nights only received mixed reviews from critics. That makes it difficult to truly consider it on the same level as his best films like Dune: Part Two or Little Women. However, what we can do is look at the performance when it’s compared to his other works on the big screen, especially those that came early on in his career.
There really isn’t much for Chalamet to do in Interstellar, so it’s hard to gauge his performance there against much else. A better place to check is his fellow 2017 performances. He’s great in Lady Bird, but it’s a smaller supporting role so it does get to rank behind Hot Summer Nights, which relies heavily on his work. Lady Bird is on the shoulders of the great Saoirse Ronan. However, as good as Chalamet is in Hot Summer Nights, it’s hard to beat his work in Call Me By Your Name that year, which earned him his first Oscar nomination.
In a lot of ways, his work in Hot Summer Nights helped set the stage for some of his later performances. It helped prove that he had an impressive ability to carry a film at a young age, which he has only gotten better at over the years. Early work like Hot Summer Nights have helped him become a true star in Hollywood, making it a must-see project under his belt.
- Release Date
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July 27, 2018
- Runtime
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107 Minutes
- Director
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Elijah Bynum