Review of Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) by Shelby H — 24 Apr 2011

The grand-daddy and the innovative high-water mark of the smutty, coming-of-age high school T-&-A films that choked movie screens throughout the 1980's, actually a very funny production of substance, and at times a realistic statement on high school life of the time, filled with likable, well-written and acted characters by the mostly-unknown cast (Most notably, Sean Penn as stoned-out surfer-dude Jeff Spiccoli in a career-making role-).

This is to the 80's generation what "American Graffitti" was for the 50's and "Animal House" was to the early 1960's---an honest, relevant, and loving statement on the ups-and-downs and trials-and-trevails we all experience in our school life.

Other than the aforementioned Penn, the other principles (Judge Reinhold, Brian Backer, and Robert Romanus, as the Big-Man-on-Campus, lovelorn school-nerd, and slick-and-sleazy hustler, respectively-) do an admirable job as well, and the girls (Jennifer Jason-Leigh and Phoebe Cates in very-revealing roles in more ways than one-) are fantastic.

Also on hand are the formidable Ray Walston as the hard-ass, no-bullshit History teacher Mr. Hand, and Basset-Hound-faced Vincent Schiavelli as ghoulish but warm-hearted Biology teacher Mr. Vargas. Also notable as the first film appearances of Nicolas Cage, Eric Stoltz, Forest Whittaker, and Anthony Edwards.

Simply the best of its type, bar-none.