Review of Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) by Paul P — 20 Aug 2011
Excellent 80's examination of life as a teen.
Cameron Crowe's keen eye for dialoogue and character shine through in this tale and the cast are uniformly terrific. I particularly enjoyed Judge Reinhold's Brad and his exploits. Chuck in the likes of Vincent Schiavelli (brilliant!) and Ray Walston and you have a memorable and totally enjoyable little tale.
Where this film succeeds is in its characters who are well drawn and have depth. Where Penn's Spicoli has spawned numerous impersonations, here is the original and the best. His work here is terrific and his interaction with Walston's Mr Hand is genuinely great. The music in the film is also brilliabtly judged and captures an era with precision (the Pat Benetar look in particular!).
As far as teen flicks go, this is one of the best being both funny and insightful.
This review of Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) was written by Paul P on 20 Aug 2011.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High has generally received positive reviews.
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