This teen movie set in the 1980s and sending up the 1980s was actually made in the 1980s. Well as teen movies goes it has the following
Hooters Virgin who loose their virginity Teenage sex Slightly crazy teacher Hooters A stoner Virgins who remain virgins And of course more hooters.
But like Saturday night fever it also has a story that has true elements and characters that you really care about.
The crazy teacher is someone you like as much as you like to make fun of. The virgins don't delve don't go into a long self analysis before having or not having sex, they just do or do not have sex. There are no horrible jocks to be destroyed, only one jock hero who is fooled into being an even greater hero.
And except one scene with bare breasts the nudity is integral to the story.
Why is this, because Cameron Crowe wrote a book based on his time in school as a young looking 25 year old journalist.
The movie hasn't aged because it takes the characters journey's very seriously and many of these themes still exist today. In addition it does not take the 1980s seriously. In fact as I watched it I had to check the release date to make sure it wasn't a late 1990s movie sending up the 1980s.
Some disappointments come from some of the characters and their relationship never really developing but this is a result of an author documenting what he sees around him rather than projecting himself into the characters.
Certainly one of the more interesting teen movies to be made, real in an unpretentious way..."It is like if Crowe didn't write it as he saw it, it would be bogus and then the movie would be bogus too."
