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Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

Director:
Amy Heckerling
COUNTRY
USA
GENRE
Comedy/Drama
NORWEGIAN TITLE
?
RUNNING TIME
90 minutes
Producer:
Irving Azoff
Art Linson
Screenwriter (based on his novel):
Cameron Crowe


Cast includes:

CHARACTER ACTOR/ACTRESS RATING
Jeff Spicoli Sean Penn
Stacy Hamilton Jennifer Jason Leigh
Brad Hamilton Judge Reinhold
Mike Damone Robert Romanus
Mark Ratner Brian Backer ½
Linda Barrett Phoebe Cates
Mr. Hand Ray Waltson ½
Mr. Vargas Vincent Schiavelli
Charles Jefferson Forest Whitaker ½
Stoner Bud Eric Stoltz
Brad's Bud Nicolas Cage

 

Review

It is hard for me to be completely objective when revisiting the beautiful stylistic mess that was 1980s, like this film allows us to do. Amy Heckerling directs with ungracious vividness and creates a relentlessly funny and completely unsophisticated film from Cameron Crowe's bubbly script. It captures quite a bit about what being a youngster in the early eighties was about, and even if it does so in a somewhat plain manner, the film cares about its characters and the environment it depicts. Still, in retrospect, the main treat here is the undeniably charismatic assembly of young up-and-coming performers. From Jennifer Jason Leigh's cutely reserved Stacy to Sean Penn's hilarious, over-the-top Spicoli. Great fun.

Copyright © 5.2.2005 Fredrik Gunerius Fevang [HAVE YOUR SAY]