Coming-of-Age and Behind-the-Scenes: The True Essence of Staten Island Summer
Within Netflix’s collection of comedies, Staten Island Summer depicts a light-hearted, carefree narrative focused on friendship and youthful ambition. Most importantly, the film captures the clashing emotions of two cousins, Franky and Ben, during the first summer break after high school. However, the production set was anything but carefree. The film was shaped by the financial difficulties, hectic schedules, and personal struggles the cast and crew endured.
This film serves as a reminder of the chaos and vulnerability of young adulthood, and the off-screen struggles seem to mirror the narrative and beginning of adulthood.
The Summer Story: Laughter, Lessons and Mistakes
One of the most defining comedies on Netflix in 2015 was Staten Island Summer, highlighting the story of Franky Falcone (spiritually played by Graham Phillips) and his summer with his cousin Ben Falcone Jr. (played by Matt Bush) as school ends. The two protagonists possess qualities of restlessness and eagerness to explore life, especially the freedom that comes after school. The aspiring, socially awkward Franky struggles with the shadow of his more powerful and confident peers, and Ben is more reckless, much more focused on fun and freedom than the consequences.
These individuals spend their time at pool parties, engaging in encounters where things do not go as planned, and interacting with authority figures in ways that are at times humorous or troubling, all framed by the peculiar setting of Staten Island in the late 2000s. The central plot is social and emotional learning through blunders, humor and relationships that are forged and broken under pressure, quite literally and figuratively in the sweltering heat.
The situation is empowering precisely because of its clarity. Almost every person on the cusp of the hard realities of adult life can identify with the feeling of needing to manage their life. The ease of identifying with the story is made possible by its stark realism. Franky’s hesitant attempts to flirt, Ben’s reckless behavior, and the rival cousins are all scenarios that are part of growing up.
The first of the many challenges that had to be overcome were financial and budgetary ones. Even though New Line Cinema was the producer of Staten Island Summer, the film production had financial constraints. Because of this, Staten Island Summer used genuine houses and streets of Staten Island rather than controlled set locations. While this added to the realism of the film, it created hellish logistical issues where weather conditions, controlled large scenes of coordination with weather, and मिला raw crew coordination
Director Rhys Thomas noted in interviews that he had to adjust to constraints on budget in ways that affected the improvisation of scenes and the shooting scripts. “For example, if a location falls through or an extra doesn’t show up, the story had to adapt, fast,” he recalled. This adaptability describes the energy of the film itself. The awkward honesty of Franky, or the inexplicably reckless behavior of Ben, simulate a moment of resolution from real-time adjustment of the problem on hand.
The Burn of the Sun
The summer heat on Staten Island made for grueling conditions. The film’s cast and crew worked through the heat for hours at a time filming outdoors, sometimes for hours on end without appropriate breaks. As with the other cast members, the draining and exhausting effects of heat and sun exposure made filming water and outdoor scenes in succession at the Staten Island location difficult for Graham Phillips. This was a concern for him during the outdoor summer scene filming sessions when he became sunburned.
There was an accident on set involving a stunt of a bicycle and a swimming pool, and the actor, Matt Bush, in question for the scene had to be treated for the minor injury. The incident increased the pressure of an already constrained schedule when it had to be accounted for in the filming sequence. Exhaustion and frustration accompanied the crew on set, even when laughter was seen on screen.
To enhance the comedy, actors were directed to focus on their own experiences of adolescence while recalling and reenacting moments of shame, rejection, and loss. The emotional weight of the comedy was partly mitigated, however, by the catharsis some actors found in recalling the emotional moments. The blurring of reel and real life, in this case, was not a liability. For some it turned out to be a necessity.
Developing Acting and Balancing Fame
Staten Island Summer presented additional challenges to younger and less experienced members of the cast. For example, while Graham Phillips received praise for his dramatic performance in the television series Boardwalk Empire, comedy was a new genre for him. He had to learn not only to improvise freely, but also to integrate various improvisational comedy techniques while remaining within the frameworks of dramatic character performance. For Matt Bush, this period was critical to his career, particularly after his reputation had suffered after industry controversies and personal issues.
Even in smaller roles, supporting cast members, particularly Zendaya, bore the pressure of the performance. Balancing filming for Disney with other projects, and juggling several other commitments were part of her early career. The inordinate pressure on Zendaya did not diminish morale, and the camaraderie on set suffered. The strong work ethic, however, resulted in chemistry that was palpable.
Behind the Lens: Crew Sacrifices
While actors dealt with the heat, injuries, and their own personal pressures, the crew suffered through long, sleepless nights while trying to solve their technical challenges. “Natural sunlight and the continuity of multiple takes required marathon sessions,” recalled Cinematographer Michael Barrett. Overheating equipment and a bare-bones budget with little to no backup equipment were additional challenges. “Sound engineers dealt with the ambient noise of busy Staten Island streets, and film production assistants regularly doubled in roles to keep filming on schedule,” Barrett recalled.
The team built a close-knit environment through shared lunches on the sidewalks, and the telling of jokes fostered a collective spirit to combat the exhaustion. The film captured this camaraderie empirically, imbuing the characters with a humor, warmth and imperfection that reflected the authentic spirit of the cast and crew.
Controversies and Unseen Hurdles
The production faced no serious scandals, but a few minor controversies did arise. For example, a few filming locations received prior opposition from local residents. Weather-induced shooting delays added to the already packed cast schedule. The subjective nature of comedy also contributed to challenges with audience reception in early test screenings. Adjustments that resulted in added stress to the already tight schedule included minor edits and reshoots.
The Summer That Endures
Even with these obstacles, Staten Island Summer was captured as a vibrant and authentic film. The long, hot, and injury-laden days of cast and crew, as well as the limited budget, aligned with the emotional arcs of the film: perseverance, the growing pains of awkwardness, and friendship.
Those in the audience who connect with the fumbles of Franky or the reckless charm of Ben are, in fact, empathizing with the underlying realities in the filming of those moments. The authentic burdens these characters share are meaningful, as they are borne of lived-and-labored experience, not contrived or frivolous.
Ultimately, Staten Island Summer is not simply a narrative of a carefree summer. It is a snapshot of the battle of filmmaking— a reminder that for every seamless comedy rhythm, there is a crew enduring the heat, fatigue, and creative discord representative of the characters they embody.
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