The film tells the story of a working class boy who takes a summer job at a beach resort and learns valuable life lessons.

In the summer of 1963, Jeffrey Willis joins some friends for a day of gin rummy at El Flamingo Club, a private beach resort on Long Island for a July 4 gathering.

After the gin game and being told of the club's strict policy regarding guests, Jeffrey is upset, but not for long, since he immediately lands a job as a car valet and eventually, cabana steward.

His hero and mentor at the resort is the reigning gin rummy card game champ, Phil Brody, a salesman of exotic sports and luxury cars.

Jeffrey and his co-workers at the El Flamingo also venture to Yonkers Raceway together, risking cash on a horse tip but coming up short when the trotter breaks stride.

However, Brody, angry that he disturbed him during a dance class, reveals to him that the job opening at the car dealership is for a stock boy, not as a salesman as Jeffrey had been led to believe was his when he asked for it.

Cass Elliot, of the Mamas & The Papas fame, told producer and friend Michael Phillips about Neil Marshall's script, which took over ten years to finally get made into a film.

[5] The principal location for the movie was the Silver Gull Beach Club in Breezy Point in New York City's Rockaways, inside the Gateway National Recreation Area.

"[9] Paul Attanasio of The Washington Post stated that "The Flamingo Kid is filled with banal chatter about "dreams" and ends with TV-style happy-family hokum […].