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.

Released in 1984, "The Flamingo Kid" is a coming-of-age beach flick. What occasionally draws me to these types of films is their youthful energy and fun spirit, as well as the oceanic locations and the women. It brings one back in time to the carefree era of his/her coming-of-age years. Thankfully, "The Flamingo Kid" shoots for something deeper than just a shallow beach flick, which the best ones do, e.g. the original "Gidget" (1959).

The story takes place in 1963 where 18-year-old Jeffrey (Matt Dillon),a plumber's son from Brooklyn, gets a summer job at a private beach club on Long Island called the El Flamingo. This was his final summer of carefree fun before going off to college, but his experiences at the club change his plans. He makes loads of money on tips, meets a beautiful blonde and becomes fascinated by a new mentor, a fast-talking businessman and card shark, Phil Brody (Richard Crenna).

Brody convinces Jeffrey that there are easier, faster (i.e. dishonest) ways to make loads of money than going off to college for years on end. When Jeffry cancels his college plans and moves out of his house it naturally creates friction with his father (Hector Elizondo). Will he go on to become the next generation's fast-talking businessman/card shark?

Almost the entire film was shot on location at a Queens' beach club with loads of gorgeous females on hand, including Jeffrey's girlfriend in the story, Carla played by Janet Jones, whose body is so well sculptured she could've been Wonder Woman (the movie even jokes about this). Carole Davis also shines as Brody's brunette daughter, Joyce, a low-key part. Cutie Marisa Tomei even has a cameo.

The bottom line is that "The Flamingo Kid" offers everything you'd want in such a film and more, including an interesting story where you care about the outcome. And, thankfully, there's NO RAUNCH (well, maybe a flash). In addition, the soundtrack includes numerous early 60's hits like "Runaround Sue," etc. What's not to like?

The film runs 1 hour, 40 minutes.

GRADE: B+/A-

Garry Marshall certainly had a feel for the mood and atmosphere of New York in the Kennedy years in directing The Flamingo Kid. I knew someone who practically lived at the Brighton Beach Baths in Brooklyn growing up and who played a mean competitive paddle tennis.

Matt Dillon is our hero protagonist at the Long Island summer beach club where the boys live for the tips. But the guests here tip like Frank Sinatra, in fact some of them are paying their way through college. They're rich and like to thrown their money around. Just have your hand out and catch as a cabana boy.

Dillon is a working class kid with parents Hector Elizondo and Jessica Walter and dad's a working guy all his life and like every other parent hopes his kid will do better than being a plumber. Funny thing is that plumbers do very well and the work is steady.

But Dillon falls under the influence of charismatic car dealer Richard Crenna who eschews the value of education. He's Donald Trump with a little more polish. He also has a nice side income in some high stakes gin rummy games with some regulars at the cabana.

Essentially Dillon has to make a choice and get an education or go to work as Crenna's dealership. For all their smoothness it would probably astound Crenna at how much he does not know, but he probably wouldn't care.

Let's say Crenna is not quite the hero Dillon first thinks he is. Matt does a lot of growing up at that cabana that summer.

The Flamingo Kid is an acting duel between Dillon and Crenna. Dillon strikes a lot of emotions as the tough kid from Brooklyn who makes the right moves in the end. Crenna does one of the best performances in his career as a charming, but sneaky and potentially dangerous if the conflict was more than a gin rummy game.

Garry Marshall gives us a winner with The Flamingo Kid.