Borserie it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

Kimball Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

pfate12 After being so impressed with "It Follows" I decided to have a look at David Robert Mitchell's first full-length feature. Basically what we have here is an attempted update on "Dazed and Confused" + "American Graffiti" (particularly the subplot of one male teen glimpsing a gorgeous blonde early in the movie and then spending the remainder of the runtime trying to find her) infused with a drop of 80s John Hughes sentimentality. Unfortunately "The Myth of the American Sleepover" falls well short in quality by comparison to those classics.For a movie like this to succeed it needs interesting, thoughtful characters that have interesting, thoughtful things to say. We also need the director to effectively capture dreamy nostalgia and youthful vigor. None of that is here. We're stuck with dull cookie-cutter teens and trite dialogue that is delivered by every character with a surprising level of boredom and absence of passion. The character Maggie comes closest to providing a spark but she shares screen time with too many others and is still restricted by the script.We know from "It Follows" that Mitchell is an excellent cinematographer, skillful in pacing, mood, and creating tension. We also know he is capable of portraying the human condition, traumas, and sufferings with insightful depth. He needs to improve his ability to write good dialogue, particularly when a movie is strongly dependent on it.

Chris Smith (RockPortReview) The coming of age story is a staple genre in film that seems to come and go with the times. The mid to late 1990's had "American Pie" and other such imitators, along with a revival of the teen horror movie. "Myth of the America Sleepover" is an independent drama that won a Special Jury Award at the 2010 South by Southwest Film Festival for Best Ensemble cast. The cast is populated with mostly real teens and non actors, giving it a very real and authentic look.Set in the early 1990's in a middle class Midwestern town, this film looks like it could be an autobiographical account of director David Robert Mitchell's formative years. The story meanders through the lives of several teens on the last days of summer vacation. Everybody is searching for something in one way or another. Looking for adventure, a girl seen in the grocery store and for new friends. Mitchell's film is not exploitive of its characters and rarely resorts to cheap stereotypes. Although minorities are pretty much absent, we are given the usual token black person. This being said the authenticity of the film is quite impressive and similar to what I experienced myself.This movie, unlike most, treats its characters like real people living real lives. The thoughts, anxieties and pressures are all there. This is a time before the internet and cell phones when everything was more personal and "real". But no matter what generation you grew up in there are still basic fundamentals of growing up that are universal. "Myth of the American Sleepover" is available on demand from Comcast and as always check it out!

Sack-3 I admit that I'm a fan of school-age romantic comedies. I enjoyed this movie because a lot of the scenes rang true to my experiences at that age (except for the warehouse scenes -- hello creepy). I can remember putting my hand next to a girl's hand -- almost touching -- just to see if she'd go the last half inch. I can remember trying to get a do-over with a girl that I'd let slip away during high school. I can remember walking the streets of my town hoping to run into a pretty girl that I'd seen. I can remember picking the wrong girl because society told me she was cooler. And I can remember trying to catch lightening in a bottle on the last weekend before school starts. For some reason, this movie has slid entirely under the radar, but it deserves attention.

gregking4 a poignant and fresh take on this iconic, typically American experience. This low budget independent coming of age comedy from writer/director David Robert Mitchell explores the usual themes of teen angst, friendship, sex, and the search for love. Set in Detroit on the last weekend of the summer holidays before the kids return to school, the film draws upon Mitchell's own memories of his adolescence. There are a number of sleepovers, slumber parties and pool parties happening. The film follows four teens – Rob, Scott, Maggie and Claudia - as they hang out, talk about their fears and insecurities, crushes, and look for that elusive first kiss. However, unlike most comedies aimed at an adolescent audience this low-key film eschews the usual cheap scatological and puerile humour, opting for a more in depth exploration of their concerns. Mitchell demonstrates a strong understanding of adolescent emotions and desires that brings credibility to the material, and it reeks with a strong sense of nostalgia. Mitchell maintains a deceptively meandering pace as he juggles the multiple narrative strands and moves seamlessly between the various characters. The dialogue rings true, and Mitchell teases natural performances from his unknown ensemble cast. The Myth Of The American Sleepover is an honest and affirmative coming of age film that resonates.