The Flamingo Kid

The Flamingo Kid is a 1984 American comedy film directed by Garry Marshall, starring Matt Dillon, Richard Crenna, Hector Elizondo, Janet Jones & Jessica Walter.

The film also starred Marisa Tomei (in her film debut), Steven Weber and Bronson Pinchot (from the 1980s sitcom "Perfect Strangers").

It was also the first film to be rated "PG-13" (although it was the fifth film to be released with that rating after films Red Dawn, The Woman in Red, Dreamscape and Dune).

Plot
Taking place in the summer of 1964, the film is about high school graduate Jeffrey Willis (Matt Dillon) who isn't quite sure what to do with his future. He takes a summer job at a private beach resort called the El Flamingo Club despite his father, Arthur (Hector Elizondo)'s reservations.

After meeting successful car dealer, Phil Brody (Richard Crenna) at the resort, Jeffrey has aspirations of becoming rich & successful just like him and develops a romance with a lovely beach girl, Carla Samson (Janet Jones), but it all starts falling apart when he learns that Brody misled him and later notices him cheating at cards.

Cast

 * Matt Dillon as Jeffrey Willis
 * Hector Elizondo as Arthur Willis
 * Richard Crenna as Phil Brody
 * Janet Jones as Carla Samson
 * Jessica Walter as Phyllis Brody
 * Fisher Stevens as Hawk Ganz
 * Bronson Pinchot as Alfred Shultz
 * Marisa Tomei as Mandy
 * Steven Weber as Paul Hirsch
 * Martha Gehman as Nikki Willis

Production
"The Flamingo Kid" was filmed in New York City.

The main location for the film was located at the Silver Gull Beach Club in Rockaway, Queens, New York inside the Gateway National Recreation Area. Jeffrey's apartment building was filmed at 39-26 62nd Street in Queens, New York City, New York.

Originally, the lead role of Jeffrey Willis was offered to Matthew Broderick, but after Broderick dropped out, the character was rewritten for Matt Dillon.

Box Office
"The Flamingo Kid" first had a limited theatrical release on December 21, 1984 where it debuted at #12 at the box office, grossing $2,015,076 during its opening weekend.

In the film's wide theatrical release on December 28, 1984, it debuted at #10 at the box office, grossing $4,437,250 in its opening weekend.

The film's total gross was $23,859,382.

Critical Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, "The Flamingo Kid" was given a 88% rating based on 17 reviews with its average rating as 6.8\10.

Roger Ebert gave the film 4 in a half stars, calling Matt Dillon "a revelation" in the film and says he has "the kind of acting intelligence that allows him to play each scene for no more than that particular scene is really about; he's not trying to summarize the message in every speech. That gives him an ease, an ability to play the teenage hero as if every day were a whole summer long."

Accolades
1985 Golden Globes
 * Richard Crenna: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (nominated)