Review of The Last American Virgin (1982) by Brett C — 12 Jul 2014

Review In A Nutshell:

The Last American Virgin is the story of sex, love, and romance through the perspective of a young teen.

I have seen enough films from the 80s to be aware of its trademarks and anticipate for its clichés, but The Last American Virgin surprised me. It explores heavily on the sense of need for youths to have sex and lose their virginity, the film provides us the ups and downs of sexual intercourse and handles it in a way that doesn't come off as irritating and senseless. Boaz Davidson, the film's director and writer, is completely aware that these themes have been covered by many films preceding this but he manages to take these over-used ideas and place insert them in a clever story with a protagonist that one can't simply not relate and empathise with.

Thought the film's main themes are about the desperation for sex, it still manages to give us a story about love and romance, told through the eyes of an underdog with intentions and values that make him so easy to like. The protagonist's, Gary, initial intentions were to pop his cherry as he personally feels that this is a need for him in order to gain a sense of fulfilment in both sexually and emotionally; He believes it is important to experience sexual intercourse in order to gain a sense of progression in his maturity and that sex is a need that must be physically satisfied. When he meets his love interest, we see a side of him that is much different when he isn't around her, the side of him that is fuelled by genuine endearment, and seeing it grow inside him is fascinating and very true to life. As this relationship develops, the aspect that impressed me the most is its ability to play out in a romanticised and cliché fashion but have its core emotions and development feel so real. The film was able to let us get inside to what Gary is feeling, and does it without having to obviously explain itself; aside from the last dialogue exchange both Gary and Karen, the love interest, have with each other, as that moment practically was just a recap of everything that Gary has went through for the last hour and a half.

When Gary's feelings for Karen started to bloom, it was handled in such a brilliant and minimalistic approach, as in most cases Gary doesn't require any dialogue or a conspicuous performance from the actor who plays him to sell us his fascination for Karen; we are treated with heavy gazes upon her that feel so strong and effective that explaining it through conversational or voice-over dialogue would have destroyed its power. This approach immediately made me recall Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, as both protagonists gain this sense of obsession and passion, consuming their lives and removing all sense of rationality. If this film failed to immerse me into the character's mind and feelings, instead leaving me distant and as an observer, then I probably wouldn't think too highly of this film.

One of the main things that my sister complained to me about this film was its ending, as it wasn't exactly what she expected. I personally felt it was perfect, and I could go into detail why I feel that way but I want this review to be spoiler-free. When I do give this film another run-through, I would elaborate more on it.

The film has an interesting soundtrack but slightly hurt by repetition. I am not a huge fan of the songs of the 80s but I do casually listen to them and I am aware with almost all of the songs that were present in this film. It featured wonderful songs by The Cars, Journey, and Quincy Jones; but some were played in the film over and over again to the point where I actually loathed during their subsequent appearances. Did the film simply run out of money that they couldn't obtain anymore? It is a damn shame, because Boaz Davidson has wonderful timing for needle drops; which is something many 80s directors lack.

The film's acting ranged from mediocre to great. Lawrence Monoson plays the film's protagonist and he does a wonderful job in the role, providing a minimal and quiet style that easily had me caring deeply for the character. I was so glad that he didn't have his character whiny, as I have seen many characters in other films similar to him that constantly whine due to the fact that they couldn't get what they want. Karen was played by Diane Franklin, who was provided the least performance in the film, which was mediocre. She played the role a little too forced for my tastes, as the bulk of the film has her spitting out lines that over-amplifies the fact that she is this sweet and innocent girl, but one can achieve that without sounding like a child actress from an Old Hollywood film. Aside from that, she fits the part perfectly, especially when judging her physical beauty; she possesses a look that isn't very common and something that males would find attractive in an un-lustful way.

The Last American Virgin is an example of a 80s film that actually handles its ideas in an effective way; providing us with an empathetic character and a story that avoids enough steps to avoid seeming predictable.