{{“The Sandlot”‘s Patrick Renna an extended cameo vcbgf//werfdt

It’s tempting, with all its derivations and the Gibson of it all, to write off “Monster Summer” as a disposable lark. And to an extent, it is. It’s so indebted to its influences it practically rubs your face in them, from the King-y credits font to offering “The Sandlot”‘s Patrick Renna an extended cameo as an umpire whose role expands in unexpected ways. Gibson can do this kind of role blindfolded, and with the dialogue he’s given, he kinda has to. (There’s a throwaway line about how “one wrong accusation can ruin a person’s reputation” that they had to give to him on purpose.) Still, there’s glimmers of the kind of morose, mournful energy he brought to “Signs” and “Mad Max” that help elevate what’s surely a deeply independent production.