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Matt Dillon, Richard Crenna, Hector Elizondo, Jessica Walter, Fisher Stevens ... see more see more... , Brian McNamara , Carole R. Davis , Martha Gehman , Molly McCarthy , Leon , Janet Jones , Bronson Pinchot , Melvin Allen , Seth Allen , Barbarian Brothers , Frank Campanella , Peter Costa , Googy Gress , Joe Grifasi , Michael C. Mahon , Kathi Marshall , Ron McLarty , Irving Metzman , Novella Nelson , David Paul , Peter Paul , Tracy Reiner , Bo Sabato , Richard Stahl , Sharon Thomas , Marisa Tomei , Steven Weber , Carol Williard , Steve Witting , David Berry , Eric Douglas , John Turturro , Scott Marshall , Lee Steele , Margery Simkin , Lisa Beth Ross , Leslie S. Sachs

Set in 1963, The Flamingo Kid finds 18-year-old Brooklynite Matt Dillon, the son of blue-collar Hector Elizondo, getting a taste of the Good Life by joining several of his friends at "El Flamingo", a ... read more read more...swank Long Island beach club. Wealthy car salesman Richard Crenna, the uncle of Matt's girl friend Janet Jones, befriends the boy and takes him under his wing. Thanks to Crenna's influence, Matt secures a good job at the Flamingo. The boy is bedazzled by Crenna's sumptuous lifestyle, and most especially by the older man's reputation as the Flamingo's reigning gin rummy champ. Dillon begins taking on airs, which alienates his down-to-earth father. Watch for a scene in which, while channel-surfing with his new remote control, Richard Crenna watches a fleeting clip from the old TV sitcom The Real McCoys--featuring Richard Crenna. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

40% liked it

5,266 ratings

Critics

88% liked it

17 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 45 min.

Directed by: Garry Marshall

Release Date: December 21, 1984

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DVD Release Date: February 8, 2000

Stats: 118 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (118)

  • movieguru12
    August 14, 2008
    movieguru12
    This movie is funny,and cute,and Matt Dillion is so ADORABLE!!!
  • oakman67
    January 28, 2011
    oakman67
    One of Gary Marshall's best films and one of Matt Dillon's best performances. It is a study of upper vs. working class and features superb performances from Hector Elizondo and Richard Crenna. Dillon plays Jeffery a kid from Queens who gets a job working at a posh summer club the... read more El Flamingo. Jefferey finds love in the form of Janet Jones whose Uncle Richard Crenna is a car dealership owner and resident king GIn Player at the club. Crenna befriends Jeffrey and this overides his close relationship with his own father a hardworking plumber, Hector Elizondo. THe story is well filmed and directed and it has a satisfying end.
  • perryder1
    January 4, 2007
    perryder1
    Three reasons to watch this film: Richard Crenna, Hector Elizondo, and you get to learn how to play gin rummy.

View All The Flamingo Kid Reviews

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
March 26, 2009
Variety Staff, Variety

Dillon does a good job in his fullest, least narcissistic characterization to date. Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Dillon is a revelation in this movie. Full Review

Andre Sennwald
May 20, 2003
Andre Sennwald, New York Times

Even if The Flamingo Kid comes out of sit-com country, the character and the performance effortlessly rise above their origins. Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
January 1, 2000
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

Professionally made, quite entertaining, and disappointingly hollow. Full Review

Geoff Andrew
January 26, 2006
Geoff Andrew, Time Out

The performances compensate, with Dillon turning in a light and touching portrait of confused ambitions. Full Review

Dan Fienberg
January 6, 2006
Dan Fienberg, Zap2it.com

As coming-of-age stories go, this one is an underrated treasure with Dillon and Crenna doing fantastic work.

Rob Thomas
October 28, 2005
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)

Winning comedy about a have-not among the haves.

Erik Childress
November 5, 2003
Erik Childress, Apollo Guide

The Flamingo Kid is one of those rare films that follows a traditional method of coming-of-age storytelling and then shakes it up by not dealing us mere caricatures and stereotypes. Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

The Sixties setting seems a shade gratuitous and its attitude to easy money is ambiguous, but the characters are well drawn and the story is sensitively handled. Full Review

Chuck O'Leary
October 8, 2005
Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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The Flamingo Kid Trivia

  • From New Rochelle, New York, this actor has starred in Crash, Beautiful Girls, The Outsiders, Drugstore Cowboy, The Flamingo Kid, and Herbie Fully Loaded, who is he?  Answer »
  • In the early days Matt Dillon was the......  Answer »
  • Which of the movies below was NOT directed by John Waters?  Answer »
  • What was the first movie to receive the PG-13 rating?  Answer »
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