User reviews

Well . . .this was a complete fluke for me. I was at K-Mart with a friend, and I saw this for $3.49. I figured you could hardly rent a movie for that, and the plot interested me. Having lost a friend to suicide myself, I found the movie to be very honest and real in its emotion and messages. While some of the acting was pretty B-grade, it wasn't that bad considering the obviously low budget. AND I'm shocked to say Keanu Reeves wasn't at all bad--in fact, he was quite good (and I'm not a fan)! Overall, I'd definitely recommend this movie and say it was well worth the money I paid--in fact, I'd have paid more. I'm really pleasantly surprised (for once) and glad I got the movie.

I have to confess that when I saw the title Permanent Record I thought I would be in for a John Hughes type movie about that old shibboleth of my school days the Permanent Record. But if the movie was so named to get an audience to see a film about teen suicide than a bit of deception was worth it.

Keanu Reeves stars and for the first third he's channeling Theodore 'Ted' Logan into his performance. That same goofball charm is there for a third of the film then it gets deadly serious when his best friend and fellow musician Alan Boyce commits suicide by jumping off a cliff. How Boyce's demise effects the rest of the cast is the rest of the film.

Thirty years after Permanent Record was made there are still no real answers. There were hints in Boyce's statements to those around, but how do you tell teenage angst and jitters at that stage you are entering the adult world. But we all feel that, I sure did.

Permanent Record is a most worthwhile film, one for eternity. And this goes out to those who died young for whatever reason leaving songs left unsung.

This movie was by far one of the best I've seen in quite some time. Keanu Reeves gives a very heart-felt performance while handling the things in the movie he has to handle. Also, there is some great singing in this movie. Jennifer Rubin's character sings a song at the end of the movie that I would love to be able to find. The singer, whether or not it truly is her, is terrific. The story line is serious, as is the movie, but anyone who wishes to see Keanu master his dramatic, sad role should definitely see this movie.

David is a popular student. During a late night party, David falls off a cliff. His friend Chirs (Keanu Reeves) suspects that it was suicide, but he can't figure out why. He hopes to use David's music at the school memorial, but the school cancels it after discovering the suspected suicide.

It's dark meandering tale of teenage angst. It's a good one at that. The suicide comes in a little late. At around 30 minutes, the movie gets going too slowly and too late. The audience doesn't really need to see or hear from David. He is better as a memory from the other characters.

Keanu Reeves gives another performance like 'River's Edge'. He's very effective as a disenfranchised teen. In fact, this is his story which adds to the argument to skip most of David's scenes in the beginning. Keanu's the star and the camera knows it.

Ok, the movie was not that good. Keanu has never been so bad in a role but the subject of the movie was good. Someone had commented about the movie before me and said that the point of the suicide wasn't told. HE WAS GAY! If you didn't get that you shouldn't comment. The acting was bad by all of the actors but there is one scene that's convincing; Keanu is drunk and almost hits David's younger brother and starts crying infront of David's father. His pain is kind of real there.

The fact that a movie deals with the suicide of a teen-aged boy is good so I gave the movie a 7.

I did enjoy this movie I guess. I am a fan of Keanu's and read some of the good reports about this film, so tracked it down.

My major niggle is the story line. Maybe if I had seen it when it first came out, it wouldn't feel so hackneyed and cliché ridden now. There were no real surprises for me. All the characters acted exactly as I expected them to. Some of the characters (like Chris' girlfriend) confused the hell out of me. I didn't 'get' her at all, nor the way the actress portrayed her.

Having said that, the film has its moments. And the scene so many have mentioned where Chris breaks down in the father's arms IS heartbreaking and terribly sad. You find yourself thinking 'thats what the poor kid needed - a good cuddle'. Which I guess means I did invest emotionally in this film? This part was acted very well and perfectly timed (as it comes after a minor scare).

The corny use of the song throughout the last part of the film grated a little, I must confess - but then I am not a fan of music being used this way in movies. I love a good soundtrack and live performances etc but not this kind of schmaltz.

I came away from the movie satisfied in the end, if only because Keanu's breakdown scene confirmed my belief that he is an amazingly talented actor.

When I saw this movie in the video store, I thought, "Gee, this ought to be good for a few laughs." Well, I was right to some degree, since there is some humor in the movie, but I didn't count on the compelling story and even the fine performances. The movie is about a kid named David, who seems to have the perfect life. He has a loving family with a little brother who adores him, he is accepted to a great college, he is a musical director for the school's drama production, and his band just got the opportunity to record some of their songs. But he feels very pressured, and his best friend, played by Keanu Reeves, tries to get him to lighten up a little. What nobody knows is that David feels that he can't handle the pressure anymore. One night, at a party, David goes off to the cliffs by the ocean alone. Keanu follows, but when he goes to the area where David was just standing, David has disappeared, with nowhere he could have gone but down. Keanu's life starts going down the tubes, as he is the only one who knows that David didn't die in an accident, and that information is eating him up inside. When he finally tells David's parents, he thinks that things might start to go back to normal, but, suddenly, he is taking on the responsibilities that David has left behind, including writing the music for the band. The situation is at it's worst when Keanu is driving drunk and almost runs over David's little brother. As David's father is screaming at him for being so reckless, Keanu grabs him, starts hugging him, and, tearfully, says that he was David's best friend and should have been able to stop him. This scene literally brought me to tears, and I never would have thought that Keanu Reeves would ever be able to make me cry, even though I am a big fan of his. I think this is Keanu Reeves' best performance since "River's Edge". His portrayal of this character is basically the same as his portrayal of Ted Logan in the "Bill and Ted" movies, but with much more emotion and depth. The dramatic scenes, like when he throws a book through the principal's window, are done to perfection. He is completely believable as a confused teenager who suddenly finds himself alone without a best friend. The movie itself is an accurate reproduction of the effects of suicide on the people who are left behind: David's parents, brother, and friends. This is not a lighthearted film, but it is absorbing and actually makes you care about the characters. A definite must see.

Keanu Reeves stars as a friend of a popular high school student who suddenly commits suicide...he and his friends go through emotional turmoil and share their reactions to this horrible incident...Good acting by Reeves and a young Jennifer Rubin..but on the whole is a little too much.. 4 of 10

Long before there was The Matrix, before there was a Bill and Ted, Keanu Reeves starred in Permanent Record, a movie that inexplicably has gone unnoticed. Permanent Record is a wonderful, moving, touching film about how one deals with those tragedies in life that have no explanation, and no matter how much we ask Why?, we know there will never be an answer to that question.

If you have never seen this film, my recommendation would be that the first time you view it, you watch it cold without knowing anything about what is to take place. That would mean not reading this review or any of the others posted here. After you have watched the film you will understand. The film begins as if you are watching any other film about teenagers, high school and their day to day lives. The two main characters are Chris (Keanu Reeves) and David (brilliantly portrayed by Alan Boyce), who are good friends. They play in a band together for which David is writing the music. David is a straight A student whom seems to have everything going for him. He is popular, he has been accepted into a major music college, he has a very loving, caring, wonderful set of parents (played by Barry Corbin and Kathy Baker), a younger brother who looks up to and admires him and a beautiful girl friend. Yet, we begin to see little things that hint there is something wrong in David's life. The first time you watch Permanent Record, like his family and friends, you may not even notice that things are not as perfect for David as they seem. We see the signs, but we ignore them or overlook them.

It is not long until one fateful night a tragedy occurs that will forever alter the way Chris along with his friends and classmates view their lives. We are there when it happens, along with Chris, yet like Chris, we don't actually see the event occur. At first, as Chris does also, we are sure it must have been an accident. We soon find out it was not. Instead David's family and friends are only left with questions How could this happen when David seemed to have everything going for him? Why did it happen? Couldn't they have seen it coming? Shouldn't they have been able to stop it from happening? They are questions for which there will never be any answers, not for us not for them. They must come to terms with what happens, without ever understanding. In the end that is what Permanent Record is about. There are so many things that happen in life which will be beyond our understanding or reasoning. We may look back angrily when we think about it, as Chris and his classmates surely will, as they learn their own lives are changed forever.

Keanu Reeves gives an emotional depth to his character that I have never seen him bring to any film since Permanent Record. He has all the characteristics of a typical High Scool boy down, yet we are able to see the pain he is going through, and we feel it as much as he does. Alan Boyce as David, plays him with such perfection, that even when he is no longer on the screen, that we miss him along with Chris, his parents and his classmates.

The last five minutes of this film are five of the most poignant minutes I have experienced in any film. It is a scene that touches at the very heart of this film. Though we may never understand many of the tragedies that occur in life, we remember those we have lost and the things they brought to us while they were here. Then, in the end, we must move on. Sometimes there just are no answers.

A teenager who seems to have it all commits suicide. It leaves his family and his best friend (Keanu Reeves) asking a lot of questions...and blaming themselves.

Good idea, badly handled. For starters this HAS been done before 1988--mostly in TV movies and After School Specials. Aside from some swearing and dialogue (hence the PG-13 rating) this added nothing new. The outcome is predictable and Reeve's attempts at acting were truly painful to watch. He's good NOW but not in 1988. Aside from that his character was dressed like a slob and always looked so dirty is was hard to build up sympathy.

That aside the movie is dull. I saw every scene coming and every "surprise" was telegraphed. I basically couldn't wait for this thing to get over.

I have a vague recollection of seeing it in a theatre in 1988 and hating it (it bombed BADLY). It still looks lousy almost 20 years later. The subject is worth handling but it's been done better (with better acting) in countless other movies. "Ordinary People" comes to mind. You can skip this one.

Permanent Record is one of those rare movies that doesn't feel like a movie; it feels like it could have been lifted straight out of your past. While most high school movies center upon the superficialities of High School life, Permanent Record goes right for the guts of it, knowing that there are no easy answers, no simple solutions.

As such, it represents not a single stitch of calculated drama, and doesn't even really have much of a plot, substituting that instead for a series of seemingly disconnected events that don't lead anywhere definite, but still manage to give off the distinct impression that none of the characters' lives will ever be the same as they were when the movie begins.

This isn't a movie you will watch if you want to be entertained. But it is a movie that, if you are prone to such behavior, you will be thinking about even years after having seen it. To that end, it is virtually unsurpassed.

I picked up this video after reading the text on the box, the story seemed good, and it had Keanu Reeves! But after 5 minutes of watching, I noticed how horrible his acting was, he walks and talks so stupid the whole time, it's fake and not convincing. It doesn't end there, almost ALL the characters act so badly it's laughable, the only acceptable acting was by Alan Boyce (David), but the guy commits suicide early on and you don't see him again, you never even know why he did it! Everything about this movie screams low quality, I can't believe how such a thing gets released! I was tempted many times to stop watching, in fact I did, half way through it I decided to stop watching and turned the thing off, came to the IMDB to check what other's thought about it, I found zero comments (not surprised), so I decided to force myself to handle the pain and go back to finish it then come here to comment on it. The only good thing going (for me) was the high-school Rock band theme, the occasional guitar playing and singing parts, but that's not worth it.

Very bad acting and directing... Terrible movie.

When I first saw "Permanent Record", I was on a psych unit, trying to regain control of my life as a teenager. It was a movie that they'd shown to us to kind of teach us a lesson about how our actions and decisions affect the people around us. I really enjoyed this movie and wouldn't mind adding it to my collection.

I first saw this film in the early '90's and found it to be one of Keanu's hidden acting treasures. I think the guy got a bit typecast with the BILL & TED thing. But as a man who's lost several loved ones to suicide, I found this film very true to form in its point-of-view of choice... focusing on the survivor. Another viewer who described the film as 'terrible' I think missed the point by looking for an 'explanation' for the suicide. After 23 years since my own mother's death to suicide, I can tell you that you never really know 'why'. I thought PERMANENT RECORD to be a bit of subtle brilliance in its focus on the stages of healing survivors go through... those of guilt, anger, shock, and finally acceptance. The film was made for a modest budget but, I felt, showcased some wonderfully understated and powerfully touching moments. Suicide is an emotionally perplexing issue. I salute the filmmakers for tackling it with such compassion and dignity

I have to first comment on why the overall rating was only 6.2 and it shows that most people do not understand or get this type of movie. First and foremost the song sung solo by the young lady at the end of the movie MADE the movie more of what it already was, beautiful, truthful, hard-hitting and well-spoken. Because for one to understand any good movie you must also accept and understand the moving and deep music that goes along with it. This movie dealt with a very hard-hitting subject that to this day is still very much real. It is not cliché or taboo. It is very real and I myself have known several people to commit suicide. The real point here is understanding just what the director intended you to get, and most did not get this movie, and even admitted it openly. I got every part of this movie and loved every part of it, and although it is hard to deal with, this is what makes it such a good movie. It is not made to entertain you, but to move you and to educate you. This is not made for opinion, for discussion or for interpretation. This movie was made to last a lifetime, and it has to those who can grasp it completely. It is not about the actors, whom did an excellent job, but about what it says.

I was a teen when this movie came out...and actually didn't see it right when it was first released. Admitedly I probably initially watched it because of Keanu Reeves...bu wow, what a gem. The story really had a profound effect on me. Probably because when I watched it I was near the same age of the characters in the flick, and I lost a dear friend to suicide just after high school. Warranted me seeing the movie a few more times. Even to this day I remember this show...I have searched for this movie to rent and watch again, but to no avail! I'm sure that one day it will cross my path again! If not, then it will just remain one of those gems from my teenage years that helped me cope through a difficult time.

Ok so it is a 80's flick and it shows, but all in all it is a great movie. I am a big fan of Keanu Reeves, I rented every movie the guy did. This movie is hard to find, but it is worth a search to find. It is a great heart catcher. And for all the girls who love Keanu will rewind over and over again to see the heart wrentching scene of him crying. I loved every bit of this movie.

Keanu Reeves' Permanent Record is an extremely moving depiction of what it is like to have a person in your life die. The cast is excellent at showing emotions without getting animated. Richard Bradford is my personal standout actor, providing the viewer with a delightful and subtle performance as the caring headmaster that everyone wishes they had at school. Keanu gives another excellent performace that shows why it is that he is in such demand for his services, coming across as a regular guy having to deal with a terrible situation.

The soundtrack is also brilliant (its just a shame that its almost impossible to find) with many songs that will have you grabbing for a guitar. With many classic tracks from the eighties and a brilliant performace of The Pirates Of Penzance this is a soundtrack that ranks up there with the best.

This is one of my favourite 80's flicks. It deals with a serious topic, but at the same time, is touching, humourous, and entertaining.

This movie doesn't focus on action or plot; it focuses on characters. The characters and their interactions with one another are the forte of the film. Notice the wonderful relationships between David and Chris, David and his mother, Chris and M.G., Chris and Mr. Verdell... and it goes on and on.

The music is another highlight of the movie. The school production and the rock band provided an interesting stage for the story line.

The acting was terrific. Alan Boyce (David) was a particular stand-out (with the exception of his guitar strumming scene... heh). He was absolutely captivating. The writing was good. There are a lot of memorable lines in this movie (i.e. Chris to M.G., "Make sense, will ya?"... I love that line.) The opening sequence and the closing sequence were really well done.

To conclude, I think Permanent Record is a great movie and it is an underrated 80's flick.

Contrary to the opinion expressed by the gentleman above, this movie did a great job of portraying the feelings of those close to a young person who lost his life. its obvious to me that my friend from Amman has never lost anyone close to him in such a manner. its safe to disregard his comments. this is an excellent movie, and I highly recommend it.

Andrew

This film was way ahead of its time. In this day and age, teenage suicides happen often, and appear in the press. This is a movie, set in the 80s, and really has a powerful effect on you. To start with, I was trying to figure out why the main character decided to kill himself. It never really says. But the movie concentrates more on what David's close friends feel on his suicide. The film focuses heavily on Keanu Reeves character, Chris. He features in some of the film's most powerful scenes, and although he plays his Ted character, goofy and gangly, he really acts his socks off. He also features in an almost painful crying scene.

There's a terrific song, which unfortunately isn't available. It's worked on throughout the film, but it really comes to light towards the end. It's called "Wishing On Another Lucky Star", performed by J.D. Souther.

This is a very powerful movie, although it didn't leave much of an effect on me. I was expecting it to leave me with something at the end of the movie, but this kinda movie has been done better in recent years - The Virgin Suicides for example.