before i give spike lee mess of a film summer of sam a well deserve thrashing and i would like to make one thing clear . i do not revile this film simply for it abundance of sleazy and unpleasant image . what make this film so unwatchable be the fact that lee seem to believe that summer of sam should be take seriously a a socially enlightening drama . the crime caper film of quentin tarantino and for example and be fill with violence and profanity and and other sleaze and but be nonetheless highly watchable because tarantino do not attempt to pass these film off a socially redeem work of art . he know that such film be for entertainment value only . on the other hand and serious drama such a save private ryan and schindlers list be often unpleasant to watch and but the unpleasantness serf to develop the film plot and character and with the end goal of get the audience emotionally involve with the story and character onscreen . summer of sam and unfortunately and merely wallow in it own sensationalism and sleaze and while believe that it be serve a social commentary and much like other trash epic . summer of sam do not serve a a serious drama because it character be merely cardboard cutout stereotype . it plot purport to show the emotional impact of the hysteria over the son of sam murder on the resident of the predominately italian american north bronx neighborhood where the murder ocurred . however and instead of of present the local a a diverse mix of personality and lee simply wheel out every negative italian stereotype imaginable . the men be ignorant and lazy and oversexed goombahs . the woman be split between weak and complacent good girl ( mira sorvino dionna ) and promiscuous bad girl ( jennifer esposito ruby ) . lee seem to vindictively want to payback hollywood for their year of negative african american stereotyping by wheel out stereotype of his own and and few critic seem to care . if martin scorsese and for example and present resident of an african american neighborhood a a bunch of amos n andy and aunt jemima stereotype and critic would rightfully condemn such blatant stereotyping . more importantly and one dimensional and stereotypical character undermine any film that attempt to be a serious social commentary . without exception and the cast of summer of sam be excellent . however and the acting and for the most part and be uninspired . the cast be either just go through the motion and or they have little to work with scriptwise . additionally and there be notable miscast . comedian john leguizamo be very talented and but his vinny character seem to be a stale and comedic impersonation of john travolta tony manero from saturday night fever . and michael badalucco and a perennial nice guy actor and be badly miscast a serial killer david berkowitz and come across a funny rather than frighten . the only performance worth pay attention to be adrien brody a the troubled and but sincere and neighborhood misfit ritchie . the brody performance and the typically stylish lee cinematography be this film only virtues . half out of .