#FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH MOVIE#
#FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH SERIES#

Leigh looks so young, fresh, cheerful, and innocent that wedon't laugh when she gets into unhappy scenes with men - we wince. Theunnecessary detail about sexual functions isn't funny, it's distasteful.

#FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH MOVIE#

But this movie could have been a lotmore fun if it hadn't chosen to confuse embarrassment with humor. Ray Walston is suitably hateful as thedictatorial history teacher, Mr. JudgeReinhold has fun as a perennial fast-food cook who rebels against the sillyuniforms he's supposed to wear. Phoebe Cates is breathtaking as the moreexperienced girl who gives Leigh those distasteful lessons in love. Sean Penn is perfect as the pot-smoking space cadet who has beenstoned since the third grade. In addition to Leigh's work, however, there are some other goodperformances. But for the most part this movie justexploits its performers by trying to walk a tightrope between comedy andsexploitation. I suppose that's Heckerling paying dues to somemisconception of the women's movement. Itclunks to a halt now and then for some heartfelt, badly handled material aboutpregnancy and abortion. Itwas directed by a woman, Amy Heckerling - and it's sexist all the same. If this movie had been directed by a man, I'd call it sexist. Whateverhappened to upbeat sex? Whatever happened to love and lust and romance, andscenes where good-looking kids had a little joy and excitement in life, insteadof all this grungy downbeat humiliation? Why does someone as pretty as Leighhave to have her nudity exploited in shots where the only point is to show herill-at-ease? And then hersexual experiences all turn out to have an unnecessary element of realism, sothat we have to see her humiliated, disappointed, and embarrassed. She's curious about sex, so the script immediately turns herinto a promiscuous sex machine who will go to bed with anybody. Leigh, for example, plays a virginal young student atRidgemont High. The movie's cast struggles valiantly through all this dreck.Rarely have I seen so many attractive young performers invited to appear in somany unattractive scenes. There's a differencebetween raunchiness and gynecological detail. But during ascene involving some extremely frank talk about certain popular methods ofsexual behavior, even the rock fans were grossed out. I went to a sneak preview thrown by arock radio station, and the audience had come for a good time. This movie is so raunchy, however,that the audience can't quite believe it. In 2005, Fast Times at Ridgemont High was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant'.The movie's another one of those adolescent sex romps, such as' Porky's' and 'Animal House,' in which part of the humorcomes from raunchy situations and dialogue. Among the actors listed, Penn, Cage, and Whitaker would later on in their careers win the Academy Award for Best Actor, with Penn winning twice.

In addition to Penn, Reinhold, Cates and Leigh, the film marks early appearances by several actors who later became stars, including Nicolas Cage, then billing himself as Nicolas Coppola, Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz, and Anthony Edwards.

#FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH SERIES#

Hand (Ray Walston), and Stacy's brother, Brad (Judge Reinhold), a senior who works at a series of entry-level jobs in order to pay off his car, and who is pondering easing out of his relationship with his girlfriend until she dumps him. The ensemble cast of characters form two subplots with Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn), an irresponsible stoned surfer, facing off against uptight history teacher Mr. The film was directed by Amy Heckerling (in her feature film directorial debut) and chronicles a school year in the lives of sophomores Stacy Hamilton (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and Mark Ratner (Brian Backer), and their respective older friends Linda Barrett (Phoebe Cates) and Mike Damone (Robert Romanus), both of whom believe themselves wiser in the ways of romance than their younger counterparts.

As a freelance writer for Rolling Stone magazine, Crowe went undercover at Clairemont High School in San Diego, California, and wrote about his experiences. Fast Times at Ridgemont High is a 1982 American Coming of age teen comedy film written by Cameron Crowe, adapted from his 1981 book of the same name.

Fast times at ridgemont high