ericrnolan "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982) is a pop-culture scared cow that needs to be skewered. I'd rate it a 2 out of 10 for being a surprisingly inept and poorly scripted 1980's "classic."I just don't understand the fervent popular reverence for this movie among people in my age bracket. It was a minor legend when I was growing up. I was a fourth grader in 1982, and gradeschool boys could be divided into two groups: 1) those who had seen the "Phoebe Cates pool scene" and 2) those who had not, but wished they had. When I mentioned on social media a couple of months ago this year that I'd never actually gotten around to seeing this movie, my friends were roundly astonished.Why do they think this film is indispensable viewing? Maybe there's something I'm missing. I'm tempted to group "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" together with other beloved 80's films that just don't resonate with me -- like the understandably campy "Tron" (1982) or the unexpectedly sleep-inducing "The Big Chill" (1983). (I couldn't even finish the latter.) But I can't compare, because I know those movies are objectively good in a lot of ways, even if they weren't to my taste.Nor am I squeamish about raunchy sex comedies. (C'mon.) I pretty fondly remember "Porky's" (1981), "Porky's II: The Next Day" (1983), and "Revenge of the Nerds" (1984). I mentioned "Porky's" to the friend with whom I watched "Fast Times" -- I told her that it wasn't highbrow entertainment, but I still remember it being crudely, blasphemously funny.This movie was just a thinly scripted small collection of vignettes, with no overall plot outside of teenagers having sexual encounters that are ... awkward and bluntly sad, for the most part. (Sean Penn's character does drugs.) The dialogue is terrible. None of the characters are likable -- even the story's nerdy, well-meaning protagonist is grating.I didn't really laugh once at anything the director intended -- I only laughed at the haircuts and the clothes. I just can't believe that the screenwriter here was Cameron Crowe, who also wrote what is possibly my favorite movie of all time -- the widely but unfairly maligned "Vanilla Sky" (2001). (Crowe apparently adapted the screenplay from a novel he wrote.)There is some enjoyment to be had in watching Penn's stoner character. It was fun seeing a well known serious actor in an early comedic role. Penn is a decent character actor, and it looks like he was having fun. I do get why kids in the 80's found him funny.It's also fun seeing the handful of other young actors who would go on to great careers (Judge Reinhold is always funny) but, again, this is something that the filmmakers can't take credit for.Hey, if you want a slice-of-life dramatic comedy about teenagers in the 1980's, then go rent "The Breakfast Club" (1985). It wasn't perfect, but it was damn good movie that tackled many of the same issues as this movie, but with intelligence and effective humor. Or, try the oddball "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (1986). Both movies portray teenagers in the 80's who are smart, likable and emphathetic, in varying degrees. I myself went to high school in the 1980's, and I assure you they were around.

MisterWhiplash I watched little bits of this before, because it's impossible to be aware of pop culture and not see some of it (ie I Love the 80s on VH1 years back couldn't help but show scenes from this, or just flipping channels on cable), but never from start to finish. Thats over tonight. And damn if this doesn't have enough charm to charge up a mall during a holiday season. The entire cast is game and having a great time, and Heckerling is able to tap into that in such a way that shows how sleazy other teen comedies of the period were; it follows the Truffaut maxim of only wanting to see the joy or pain in making a film in the former sense. But I also think Ray Walston doesn't get quite enough credit here. Of course he's the old man in the cast, literally, since the bulk of them are "kids" relatively. As I watch Walston though, he finds the perfectly droll, bemused attitude to take when up against the students ("What are you people? On DOPE?") and with Spicoli, who was the totally-method Sean Penn. I'm not sure if I saw the movie when I was much younger if he would be be as appealing; now in my 30s, I found him to be one of the funniest things in the whole thing.Jennifer Jason Leigh looks... So young. Which makes how her story turn out so wildly interesting and I love love LOVE how (spoiler) she deals with abortion as just another plot point. I cant think of other teen movies that would do that today, not to mention from a gaze that if it isn't identifiable female then it's certainly not male (take the scene where JJL loses loses her virginity and keeps looking at the scenery, is "Surf Nazis"). It's a remarkable performance among remarkable and alive performances, all tapping in to the mood of the thing: high school is lame, but this guy or chick is cool! This really is one of the most influential movies of the past 40 years isn't it? Not necessarily *best*, but its commitment to anthropology - yes, anthropology - for the world of high school at this time is spellbinding. At the leasts its value is inestimable for giving us Freaks and Geeks.

leplatypus Just by the 1st scene, I knew I will be thrilled by this movie: the 80s, a mall (for me a place of constant happiness, even without buying), teens and their n° 1 care: relationships! Frankly, compared to my french experience, those high scholars had everything to be happy, enjoy every moment of this time and maybe later feel deeply nostalgic about it… Maybe the movie is not accurate for every one, but i see that those teens had their personal room in family houses > in France, we lived all together in old, decaying buildings! Their study seems light (MCQ) > in France, we are in high school for 40 hours by week, almost like a job, with a lot of studies, papers, exercises to learn after the bell! Students come to schools in car, even if they are wreck > In France, we take fully loaded public transports! So at the end, in America, people have space and intimacy while in France it's hard to have such control… In addition, the movies happens in the 80s so that means that there were exciting music (ever heard about melodies?), cool clothes (there is something else than G-string for girls and sportswear for boys)… Finally, the cast is awesome because it's a class of future Hollywood big names and with what they do here, you can understand: Jenny is particularly moving in her discovery path, Penn is unrecognizable in the dunce, the Rat embodies that at the end good heart wins over good look, etc… So instead of being the usual crazy comedy involving teens, this one is really focused about realistic slices of life and that's why it's so interesting and gripping. It's a sort of American Graffiti, 20 years later!

Amy Adler Stacy (Jennifer Jason Leigh) has a typical teen life in California. At fifteen, she works in a pizza parlor after school and longs to have her first true romantic encounter. That's right, she's never gone "all the way". Her older brother Brad (Judge Reinhold) also works hard at his job at Burger World and has been dating a fellow student for two years. Meanwhile, surfer-student Jeff Spicolli (Sean Penn) would far rather be smoking weed or riding the waves but his parents say he must attend school his senior year. What a shock when he gets put in a history class run by the no-nonsense Mr. Hand (Ray Walston). From his first late arrival, Spicolli rubs Mr. Hand the wrong way. A year long battle ensues. Unhappily, Stacy DOES become sexually active with the wrong guys. The first, a twenty-something, doesn't have any guilt about being with a gal so young and the second partner is also an out-for- himself dirtbag. Will she ever find someone who loves her? This classic coming of age film has its funny moments. Penn is a total laugh generator and many of the teens have such awkward moments they are comedic. Forest Whitaker likewise delivers many smiles for his annihilation of the opposing football team after his car is wrecked by others. But, there are also many serious scenes and situations which make the movie a good bet for teens who need reassurance that they are not alone with problems. Leigh is terrific and all of the other young actors are, too. The sets, costumes, script, and lively direction enhance the flick as does the wonderful soundtrack. If you somehow missed this movie, as I did, make a fast track to get your hands on it soon.