Jeremy

"Jeremy" is a lovely story of two rather awkward, sincere teens who meet, fall in love, and part on a very sad note. Robby Benson is perfect in the title role, smart, funny but not obnoxious, quietly full of feeling for this little girl he's in love with. Glynnis O'Conner is Susan, one of those shy, sincere girls that only seemed to exist in the '70s. The New York City locations add a perfect backdrop to their story.

The sweetness and sincerity of the two leads is really something to behold, with no glamorizing or slickness thrown on to wreck it. Am I nuts, or was this a better time to be a teenager? I'm old enough to remember when the kind of sincerity seen here was prized, and not that uncommon. For their first date, Jeremy offered a showing of "My Little Chickadee" for crying out loud -- and Susan was thrilled! I'm afraid most teens now would sneer at this. The music alone would sink it for most, yet at the time I'm sure it was well-received. I was sad at the end of this not just because of the heartbreaking situation faced by Jeremy and Susan, but because of how far it seems we've all gotten from the simplicity and sweetness seen here.