Review of Teen Wolf (1985) by Aaron N — 27 Jan 2010

Harold Howard: I was hoping it would pass you by.

Scott Howard: Well, Dad it didn't pass me by. It landed on my face.

This is the kind of goofy premise that somehow works. It really shouldn't, I mean: A high school kid suddenly learns that he's a werewolf? Hilarity ensues as he learns about taking responsibility in his life, while playing on the basketball team and suddenly becoming the most popular kid in school. This film reeks of 80s cheese, but somehow, its always enjoyable to watch. Michael J. Fox is surely one of the reasons, his attitude is just the right kind to make it work. The ridiculous characters, with the exception of the awesome basketball coach, are certainly not helping, but still, this movie is bafflingly watchable.

Coach Finstock: Look Scotty, I know what you're going through. Couple years back, a kid came to me much the same way you're coming to me now, saying the same thing that you're saying. He wanted to drop off the team. His mother was a widow, all crippled up. She was scrubbing floors. She had this pin in her hip. So he wanted to drop basketball and get a job. Now these were poor people, these were hungry people with real problems. Understand what I'm saying?

Scott Howard: What happened to the kid?

Coach Finstock: I don't know. He quit. He was a third stringer, I didn't need him.