NoFace for Film

Title:Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Year: 1982
Director: Amy Heckerling
Starring Cast: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates
Rated: R

NoFace for Film rating: 4 out of 7

Fast Times at Ridgemont High is one of those classic, high school comedy films that everyone and their brother says you absolutely must watch. After all, consider that the director is Amy Heckerling, who went on to direct the 90’s quentessential high school comedy, Clueless. And let’s not forget that Fast Times contained a cast of future superstars, some of whom have gone on to direct their own films, and even win Academy Awards (not so fast there, Judge).

Fast Times follows a whole school year in the lives of a group of fun-loving high Southern California school students. Brad (Reinhold) is living the high schooler’s dream: he’s a senior with a cool car, an all-star athlete, has a steady job at All American Burger, and a great girlfriend. His younger sister Stacy (Leigh, who at age 20 really looked like a kid!) is only 15 and works at a mall pizza place with her (supposedly) more sexually mature friend Linda (Cates). Mark (Brian Backer), a shy young man, works at the mall’s movie theater and falls for Stacy. Mark is given dating advice by his cocky best friend Mike (Robert Romanus), a self-proclaimed ladies’ man. Last, but definitely not least is Jeff Spicoli (Penn, who with this character unknowingly created a new stereotype and spawned a generation of copycats), a shaggy-haired, fun-loving, pot-smoking, surfer dude with a penchant for not wearing shirts in restaurants.

Over the course of the year, these students encounter many challenges in their lives. At times their lives become intertwined, if only for a moment. Some of the challenges the students face are innocent, such as trying to ask a girl out on a date. Others are a little more serious, such as losing one’s job. Yet others are extremely serious, such as teen pregnancy. Yep, fast times indeed.

Speaking of teen pregnancy, I’m amazed that something so serious was explored in a 1982 high school comedy. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Fast Times were a movie made today -after all, teen pregnancy was an important issue in the 2004 movie Saved!- and I wonder what critics’ reactions were back then. It’s interesting to consider then, that rather than John Hughes’ films, Heckerling’s Fast Times was the first high school comedy film to portray teens realistically.

Overall, the movie has some funny moments, but I have to admit that it’s a bit dated. I’m not just talking in terms of fashion, but some jokes just seem a little worn by today’s standards. The classic scene of Spicoli ordering a pizza in class wouldn’t really generate a chuckle these days. However, the infamous Phoebe Cates wet and topless scene never fails to elicit a positive response from any live, heterosexual male. I know this because I watched the movie with my boyfriend and he had to rewind that scene and watch it again in slow motion, pausing it at the right moment Twenty years from now, I have no about that scene will still be tops in many males’ fantasies.

Once again, I can’t get over the cast. Who could have possibly known that 20 years later, most of these young actors would become phenomenal successees? And these are just the actors who played the main characters. The “extras” alone would blow your mind. For example, a young Forrest Whitaker played the star football player. Meanwhile, Spicoli has two stoner friends who hang out with him. They barely have any speaking roles and are only known in the credits as “Stoner bud”. One is red-haired and the other is a blonde. These two young men are none other than Eric Stoltz and Anthony Edwards! From the DVD interviews we find out that Leigh, Edwards, and Stoltz were sharing an apartment at the time and went to the Fast Times auditions together.

But here’s my favorite story: a skinny kid named Nicholas was supposed to play the role of Brad, but couldn’t. At only 17 years old, Nicholas was considered a minor, and under child labor laws, he couldn’t work the long hours required of adult actors. He played “Brad’s bud” instead. He’s only in maybe two scenes and hardly says anything. But don’t worry about Nicholas. Some time later, he decided that he didn’t want to capitalize on his famous last name -Coppola- and changed his name to Cage.

Those of you who have seen this movie before, rent it again for a good laugh and a walk down memory lane. You young’uns out there can rent it too if you want- you may get a laugh as well. If not, well at least you get to see Phoebe Cates’ boobs.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Amy Heckerling, Clueless, Judge Reinhold, Sean Penn, Phoebe Cates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Anthony Edwards, Eric Stoltz, Forrest Whitaker, Nicholas Cage, Jeff Spicoli