Odd and obscure teen movie. Ambitious senior Christine (Lee Purcell) is running unopposed for student body president after getting her rival suspended. Her ex Bobby (Bruno Kirby), rushes to find an 11th hour replacement. He enlists Darryl (John Friedrich), an unknown but likable candidate. Dirty tricks ensue on both sides as the election nears.

Almost Summer is almost completely forgotten for good reason. The premise is simply dull, and while other teen movies from this era like Malibu Beach and Van Nuys Blvd are more lighthearted, Almost Summer takes a more serious, soap-opera tone. Whoever said this was a comedy must have seen a different movie, there isn't one laugh in it. There is a food fight scene, but it seems perfunctory, as if the producers were checking it off their list.

The acting and dialogue is competent, but the actors are nearly all well into their twenties, and play it all too serious. Bruno Kirby glares and shouts at everyone, acting like a fixer for the mob, while 30 year-old Lee Purcell wears the dress and demeanor of a young attorney, not a teenager.

The main plot line is never resolved, either. Darryl wins the election with his everyman approach, but turns down the office after learning Bobby staged a drug bust earlier to boost his image. His integrity only makes the student body want him as president more. It's assumed by the final scene at the prom that he's accepted the job, but it's never made clear. There are a few other subplots, but they're not worth mentioning. All plot lines are ended abruptly, and everyone gets a partner at the prom.

Recommended only if you're a die-hard Kirby fan, or are trying to watch every last 70s teen flick. Beach Boys fans should seek out the soundtrack, composed mostly by Mike Love's side project group Celebration. The title track was written by Love, Brian Wilson, and Al Jardine, making it nearly a lost Beach Boys song.

i saw this teen comedy at a drive-in double feature along with 'thank god its Friday',which had some of the same cast. lee Purcell as a snotty b**ch type,is devilishly sexy,as she was still a hot little fox,in the Nancy Allen vein. Didi conn plays the ugly duckling type,who becomes a swan,ala 'shes all that',she shows surprisingly,an incredible set of bazookies in a tight red gown during the prom scene,who would of thought that frenchie was such a sexpot?. john Friedrich,Tim matheson and Bruno Kirby,round out the cast of guy characters and 'the beach boys' mike love adds music. this movie also had the lovely actress 'sunny Johnson',who sadly in the early 80's would pass away quite young,she would go on to appear in 'national lampoon's animal house','the night the lights went out in Georgia' and 'flashdance'. i thought this movie was pretty good at the time and it obviously had a reliable cast,this movie should definitely be repackaged in a double DVD set along with 'shes all that',as they both have a lot in common.

Practically forgotten today, this teen movie from my early teenage years is a sweet, affectionate look at the importance of school spirit and a view of the early education of political wanna-bee's. Lee Purcell's Christine Alexander is the typical do-it-all teenage girl, president of practically club she's in, head cheerleader and extremely ambitious. She's running for Student Council President, a seemingly shoo-in to win, that is until the underdog steps up to the plate. That's Tim McIntire, the kid you don't know, but...., that is until fellow student and political organizer Bruno Kirby finds him checking in late for school and realizes that he's the perfect late entry candidate to toss Christine, whom he once dated, to the curb. Kirby's cute younger sister (Didi Conn, as adorable as she was in "Grease") has a huge crush on him, and encourages McIntire all the way. Purcell, who had ruthlessly exposed the previous candidate for falsifying school documentation, has no ammo this time around, so as they face the end of their junior year, Purcell must campaign honestly. But that doesn't stop Kirby from doing all he can to get McIntire elected, something that the honest young man will have to face as a moral dilemma in a moving finale.

Never released on VHS or DVD, this is one of those nice little surprises to find if you had not seen it. Having gone to the movies practically every weekend in the summer and fall of 1978, I had seen this one, searched for it for years, and could only find the enjoyable soundtrack album. Great opening credits over the title song (featuring some clever lyrics and a Beach Boys style beat) leads to the introduction of all the major characters, reminding me of several people I knew back in those days. I had one quibble with realism, showing Purcell and several other girls in their cheerleading outfits long after the sports seasons having cheerleaders had ended. While Purcell's character is overly ambitious and determined to be a leader everywhere she goes, she's actually quite low key and not at all your stereotypical bitchy teenage girl, possibly crafty underneath in getting what she wants, but not somebody you'd find it easy to hate. Kirby seems slightly too old for his part, but does well in allowing you to overlook that, and McIntire is somebody whom everybody would be proud to call an older brother or best friend. Various other stereotypes are low-key, so there's nothing to quibble about in that area.

A minor subplot has Kirby's black friend (and school basketball hero) Tom Carter romancing the pretty Petronia Paley who has singing ambitions and keeps him at a distance when mingling with those who can help her. Paley, who would go onto major parts on "Another World" and "Guiding Light", was a decade older than her character, but she manages to pull off being a teenager miraculously. She gets to perform a Supreme's type song, while Purcell as part of her election promotion does a brief version of "Frankie & Johnny" that shows some pretty impressive dance moves. McIntire's domino follow-up is pretty cool, and while it seems outlandish now, made a big impression on me back when I was a teenager. This film is very similar to the more recent "Election" where Reese Witherspoon's over achiever character pulled way more scheming stunts to win her high school class presidency, making Purcell practically a saint when compared to her.