if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

I can't begin to describe the effect this series had on me when it first aired in the mid-80's and has continued to have on me since.Having recently purchased on DVD and re-watched a whole wave of thoughts and feelings (old and new) raced through my mind. Many things in this world don't age well but I feel 'One Summer' (With the obvious exception of the 80's clothing) is certainly not one of them. Is just as realistic, funny, sad, touching and ultimately rewarding as I remember it. Only this time watching through the eyes of a 35 year old it seems even more poignant.The Story of Billy and Icky, 2 Liverpool lads from the wrong side of the tracks who escape to Wales one summer, seemed almost embedded into my life over the last twenty or so years. It seemed to be one of those series that the kids who saw it got to grips with very easily and often chatted about at school and yet it seemed to address some very adult and serious subjects possibly for the first time for many of us.Reading the other comments on this site, its interesting to see how much of an impact it had on everyone of a certain era. TV dramas like these come along once in a blue moon and its bizarre how certain things (Jumping off the train when they reach Wales, Icky's plate-skimming antics, or the lads shear horror at being taking to the village country dance) were stuck in my memory. But there were many very touching and genuinely sad moments I had forgotten, like when they fed the mars bar to the baby birds, or when Kidder gave the boys the books he has written for them.Now re-watching this series through the eyes of an adult I can see the various subjects and themes that were important but perhaps I didn't fully understand when I was 11....that now make more sense. For example I simply thought the character of Kidda wanted a life of solitude but in light of the pain he has been through in his past life you can practically see the anguish on his face that he doesn't want the boys to live there when Billy begs him to stay, because he knows the implications it will bring. Or the way Icky hangs on everything Billy says and does, as if he were his guardian angel, we all knew kids a bit like Icky growing up.I had seen David Morrissey (Billy) in a number of things over the years and knew he had gone on to big things in Hollywood etc. but I had often wondered what happened to Spencer Leigh (Icky). It was a real pleasure watching the interview with them both on the special features. I actually found I was smiling to myself when I got to see Icky in the flesh - as he did finally get to grow up.I am sure I am not alone in the tremendous feeling of sadness with what happens to Icky half way through the final episode. That had a profound shock then and still does now.So in a way I felt comforted to see Spencer Leigh well again and laughing with his old pal. This might sound 'soft' as the boys would say but it indicates the lasting effect this series had on my psyche and growing up in general. As one other reviewer on this site comments, they don't often make TV as good as this anymore - and indeed they hardly don't. See it again.

I've just finished watching this on DVD for the first time since it was aired in 1983, when it had a huge impact on me as a twelve year old growing up in Thatcherite Britain. Certain parts of it I remembered clearly and certain parts I didn't, but I was amazed at how much this TV drama was ingrained on my psyche and yes, it's just as good as I remembered it.It tells the story of the adventures of two Liverpool lads, Billy and Icky, who steal some money and head off to Wales because one of them remembers having had a good time at a camp out there and how they are befriended and helped by a recluse called Kidder. All three of leads have dark pasts and the main theme of the story is how no matter how hard you try and how far you run, you can't escape your past.Excellent performances, haunting and memorable music and a heart-breaking story add up to a truly recommended 250 minutes.

All my friends are of the same opinion. It affected us all as 14 year olds and at a desperate time in Thatcherite England I think this play gave us all hope and taught us simple but important lessons. I recall John Sim saying something similar in an interview when promoting State od Play. He also said that it made him want to be an actor and David Morrisey (his co-star in SofP) inspired him to go do it. I remember that the clothes were cool for the time and we all wanted Icky's Tacchini tracksuit top.It is difficult to tell youngsters how bad things were int he early 80's in this country. We all thought we were going to get blown up any minute and nobody had any money.

This 5 part coming-of-age drama had a profound affect on me as a teenager. It was the first screen appearance of David Morrissey, who has since gone on to a fair level of screen success both in the UK and US. Also appearing as the troubled Icky was the brilliant Spencer Leigh, who unfortunately has not had the same success and appears to have appeared in very little since, and nothing in the last 10 years... I can still hum the haunting harmonica theme by Alan Parker.