The Wild Life

Straight up, I love this film. I love everything about it. It has a great soundtrack, it has a lot of recognizable faces and it is funny as hell. There are so many plots in this film and every one of them is funny in one way or another.

Where as Spicolli lit up the screen two years back, Drake is almost as memorable of a character. All he wants to do is have fun. He moves out of the house without his parent's consent, he skips work whenever he feels like it, he is obsessed with sex, he loves his drugs and booze and he tries to be a good friend. It is his lacksidaisical attitude that makes him such a joy to watch. And he comes out with some great lines. And there are so many tiny observations that you don't see coming but they make you laugh at the sheer velocity when it hits you. One particular moment is when Tommy and Bill are talking about Bill's ex girlfriend dating someone else now. At the end of the conversation, Tommy takes his huge beer bottle and just throws it over his shoulder, casually. He then says good night and the scene ends. It is a perfect scene. Tommy's world is his own. He really lives to party and have fun. When the conversation is over, his time is over and he doesn't care who he offends in the process. He has an innocence about him. "It's casual" is his favourite saying.

Another such classic scene is Reggie handing Bill a donut. He says something to him that me and my friends will never forget because we rewound the film ten times and watched that part over and over again and hurt ourselves laughing. It has to be seen to be appreciated.

Wild Life is a throw back to when teen comedies were funny, raunchy, had a good ear, entertained us and just wanted us to get lost in their world for 90 minutes. Wild Life does all those things perfectly. If this is a film that you haven't seen, give it a chance. It is a classic.

Also check out the army store guy that Jim has problems with. He is a very familiar face now and it is his first role on the big screen.

THE WILD LIFE, an underrated, extremely unappreciated and relatively obscure and unknown teenage summertime sex comedy directed by Art Linson and written by FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH creator Cameron Crowe has a somewhat deliberately facetious, misleading title...

Although two of the main characters - Chris Penn as Tom Drake, channeling brother Sean's Jeff Spicoli in jock form, and Ilan-Mitchell Smith as stoner kid Jim Conrad - are rebellious enough, the buried lead goes to Jim's big brother Bill, who, played by Eric Stoltz, moves into an apartment complex for his twenty-something independence...

For the most part, the "wild" in the title becomes something to avoid more than embrace but not for long because, after Penn's Tom, who works with Bill at the local bowling alley, moves in to share the rent, the pad becomes a dilapidated and eventually partying-till-you-drop hangout...

Meanwhile, Bill's ex girlfriend Anita, played by Lea Thompson, is a mousy donut store employee having an affair with a muscular, very married cop. And poor put-upon Bill simply gets no thrill out of life, wild or otherwise...

Unlike long-haired little brother Jim, who confidently wanders town with a ghetto blaster in hand, a cigarette always lit and most importantly, being a fan of APOCALYPSE NOW and friends with a real vet, he's entranced by the Vietnam War (when not trying to impress young cutie Cari Anne Warder)...

During the late 1970's and early 1980's, with an exception of OVER THE EDGE, not many films showcased heavy metal kids, making Jim liken to one of FAST TIMES scalper Mike Damone's customers, but in the forefront...

And on the flipside, Lea Thompson's Anita is overshadowed by her best friend in punk rock/new wave/new romance hybrid Jenny Wright as Eileen, working at a trendy neon boutique...

While dodging the advances of dorky boss Rick Moranis, she keeps at arm's length with a persistent Tom, seeking her hand in marriage while drinking beer or trying to buy some with a fake ID when not smoking pot, partying at a seedy strip club, and making a real mess of everything he touches...

And yet, the characters aside... and despite Madonna, Prince and Billy Idol being deleted from cable and home video for copyright issues... the most important element is the uniquely awesome soundtrack by Edward Van Halen, providing an eclectic mix of instrumental tracks, equally rocking, funky, soulful and jazzy, one of the few times you'll hear the iconic guitar god jamming (without a vocalist): The colorful riffs especially befit Jim's head-banger odyssey: After all, he's the one who'd probably spend quality time listening to Roth-era Van Halen on his bedroom stereo...

And while neither Penn or Stoltz are strong enough to carry the picture, their opposing synergy becomes that much more dynamic: An Oscar/Felix relationship tugging the apartment in a wishbone fashion, and, unfortunately for Bill and luckily for us, the partying Tom ultimately wins... but only somewhat.

The 'Wild Life,' like other 80s teen movies, are just one of those movies you watch not for story (since there really is no single, distinct plot directing the characters), but simply because you can have fun with the series of scattered events with which our characters wade through.

This one follows the spirit of 'Fast Times At Ridgemont High,' minus most of the controversial plot lines ('Fast Times' addresses abortion, but this one only somewhat addresses strung out vets). Although, that is not surprising since Chris Penn's character, Tom Drake, so closely models Sean Penn's character, Jeff Spicoli. This movie is what a spin-off of 'Fast Times' would be like if Jeff Spicoli were the main character.

There are essentially five main characters: Tom Drake (Penn), the anarchistic party animal; recent high school grad, Bill Conrad (a timid Eric Stolz who once played fellow surfer bonehead to Jeff Spicoli in 'Fast Times') who wants to prove that both masculinity and adulthood hinge on his having his own apartment; Anita (Lea Thompson) who is dating a sleazy cop; Eileen (the spunky Jenny Wright) who is much more independent that Anita, but no less able to entirely refuse her idiot boyfriend, Tom Drake; and Jim Conrad (Ilan-Mitchell Smith), the gloomy brother who is slightly less weirder than Josh Miller was in 'The River's Edge.' A crazy assortment of characters is typical in this variety of 80s comedy. Without a main plot, our characters' situations lead to some pretty hilarious subplots (most of them being between Tom Drake and Bill Conrad, who eventually become the 80s 'Odd Couple' when Drake moves in).

Look for minor roles by Rick Moranis, as Eileen's completely nerdy boss, Harry; Randy Quaid as drugged out Vietnam Vet, Charlie; Lee Ving (lead singer of 'Fear') who briefly appears as the cable guy; and Michael Bowen (Tommy in 'Valley Girl') as Tom Drake's equally braindead jock friend.

And, of course, it wouldn't be an 80s teen movie without boobs, beer, and house parties.

I didn't like this movie the first time I saw it because there is really no point to most things that transpire in the story. Why is the scene at the strip club or the younger brother's fascination with the war important? It doesn't matter. I watched it a second time, a little tired and giddy, and the 'Wild Life' became the perfect late night lazy movie. Turn off your brain and enjoy. (That party sequence at the end is hilarious).

While I hold its predecessor, "Fast Times At Ridgemont High," as a standard to which other teen comedies should be compared, "The Wild Life" is one of the better lesser known films from that time-and a worthy sequel, if you can call it that. I believe its tagline reads, "From the makers of FTARH, something even faster." This definitely holds true. Though it may lack the depth of the former which tackles issues like first dates, teen sex, and abortions, "The Wild Life" is, nonetheless, a great flick. It's pure chaotic fun, especially due to Chris Penn's over-the-top character, Thomas Drake. If Spicolli was high on coke instead of weed, he would be Drake. Eric Stoltz, in his first major role, is great as the straight-laced Bill Conrad. The two characters work well off one another. Think a younger, hipper Odd Couple, complete with 80's gloss. Outside of them there are so many other great things about this film worth mentioning. Lea Thompsom has never looked cuter, especially during the scenes of her working at the donut shop. Jenny Wright is just delectable and fun to watch. Rick Moranis plays a great nerd/perv who is dying to get in her pants. Thomas Drake's wrestler buddies are hysterical, especially Benny, the little Puerto Rican guy, who says some pretty memorable lines. One in particular that he yells out during a night out at a strip club had me on the floor the first time I saw it. That's saying something! Finally, the movie ends with one of the best 80's party scenes on film, ever. Look out for special appearances by Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones, Leo Penn (Sean and Chris Penn's dad), and a random Michael Jackson look-alike at the party. Throw in a score by none other than the man himself, Eddie Van Halen, and you can't go wrong. For Van Hagar fans, keep your ears open for riffs that would be found on such albums as 5150, OU812, and For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.

If anything disrupts the flow of the movie it is a small subplot involving Randy Quaid as a burned out Vietnam vet. It just seems out of place and unnecessary. Other than that, it's near perfect. If your a fan of mindless but fun 80's movies and have not yet seen this one, you're in for something special. RENT IT NOW!!!

p.s.-The credits say Cameron Crowe has a cameo as one of the cops in the film. Does he have his back turned during his scene because I have yet to find him. Someone please help me.

Fast Times it ain't. But check this movie out, it has a heart. Pour yourself a drink and enjoy. It's loaded with a slew of just-beginning stars. Sherilyn Fenn has her first on-screen credited cameo. Chris Penn, Lea Thompson, Eric Stotz, Jenny Wright, Rick Moranis, etc.--they all look so young. Oh and if you look closely the cop's wife is Nancy Wilson from the rock band Heart.