The 50 Movies Project is an annual tradition at The Warning Sign. Every year, I select 50 movies that I feel I must see in order to continue my progression as a film lover. This year I’m focusing on contemporary films (1980 to present day) that I somehow haven’t gotten around to seeing yet.
![Fast Times at Ridgemont High [1982]](https://twscritic.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/fast-times-at-ridgemont-high-poster.jpg)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High [1982]
Director: Amy Heckerling
Writer: Cameron Crowe
Country: USA
Genre: Comedy
Starring: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Robert Romanus, Brian Backer, Phoebe Cates
Running Time: 90 minutes
Fast Times at Ridgemont High is a fun movie. It’s a bit strange saying that about a film involving statutory rape and an abortion, but there’s something to be said about its assortment of entertaining characters and future movie stars.
Based on Cameron Crowe’s novel in which he went undercover at a California high school, Fast Times covers the whole spectrum of student types. Jocks, stoners, nerds, middle-class kids and sexual deviants all have an equal amount of time to show us a glimpse into their worlds.
![Fast Times at Ridgemont High [1982]](https://twscritic.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/fast-times-sean-penn.jpg)
There’s Brad Hamilton (Judge Reinhold), a fast food manager who hates wearing their awful uniforms. Nevertheless, he is a strong older brother to Stacy Hamilton (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a 15-year-old virgin who becomes obsessed with sex thanks to her best friend Linda’s (Phoebe Cates) constant praise of it. Stacy has a budding relationship with nice guy Mark Ratner (Brian Backner), though he may be too shy for his own good. Mark’s buddy, Mike Damone (Robert Romanus), a ticket-scalping slacker, tries to help him with the ladies.
At the center of it all is Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn), a surfer dude who has been “stoned since the third grade.” He is the best character in the film, hands down, mostly due to Penn’s hilarious performance. Spicoli is the kind of guy who just goes with the flow, getting high with his buds while showing up to class whenever he gets around to it. His constant truancy is the cause of a feud between him and his history teacher, Mr. Hand (Ray Walston), leading to some of the film’s most amusing moments.
![Fast Times at Ridgemont High [1982]](https://twscritic.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/fast-times-1982.jpg)
There are a lot of characters to keep track of, and many of the random subplots are left unresolved, but the film never fails to be engaging. Much of this can be attributed to the screenplay, as well as its impressive cast of young actors. Fast Times served as a bit of a launching pad for so many careers. Aside from those listed earlier, others with memorable parts include the likes of Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz and James Russo. There’s even a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role from Nicolas Cage (then Nicolas Coppola).
Although Cameron Crowe did not direct the film, his musical fingerprints are all over it. The music — which includes the likes of Jackson Browne, Don Henley and Billy Squier — is spot-on for its time period. There is a satisfactory amount of raunchiness, a seemingly obligatory part of any good teen film, with the highlight being one of the most paused scenes in movie history: Phoebe Cates emerging from the water and deciding her bikini top was no longer necessary. Fast Times at Ridgemont High is very much an 80s film and very much a teen film, but it earns high marks as both.
8/10
Fun fact: three actors in this film would go on to win an Oscar for Best Actor: Nicolas Cage, Forest Whitaker and Sean Penn.
It’s a bit uneven if you look at it nowadays, but it’s still hilarious and a perfect-snippet of Sean Penn’s career. As goofy and as iconic of a role as Spicoli may have been. Still though, you have to give it to Penn for at least being able to get past that character and actually do something amazing and great with his career. Good review Eric.
It’s crazy how many careers this movie helped launch. Three future Best Actor winners even.
I have never seen this one, so I don’t have much to say.
Except good review.
!!! Whoa James, get on that! 🙂 To me, it’s a damn classic.
That’s what a lot of people say.
And I’ll see it eventually – no doubt. Really don’t have much excuse for not having seen it before now.
Don’t feel too bad — I didn’t even see it until a couple weeks ago.
If you’re ever feeling nostalgic for the 80s, this should be your go-to flick. 🙂
LOVE that movie. I think watching it is kind of a right of passage. I went to high school in the 80s, so I can definitely relate to everything in the film. And all those characters, the jocks, stoners, girls like Linda and Stacie – all went to my high school. We had a class clown who was a little like Spicoli , but he wasn’t nearly as funny or as clueless! Glad you liked the movie! Thanks for sharing!
No problem, thank YOU for the recommendation. I had a lot of fun with the movie.
Welcome! 🙂
A seminal classic and a great introduction to Cameron Crowe. Gotta love Phoebe Cates in this movie – she’s undoubtedly memorable..!
She sure is memorable. 😀
I saw this for the first time just last year, and I agree: it’s a very fun movie. Spicoli is hilarious in a way that most stoner characters in modern comedies try to be, but fail at. Love the history exam between him and Mr. Hand at the end.
You are so right about Spicoli. The reason I held off on this one for so long was because I thought he was going to be a terrible caricature. Turns out he was the biggest highlight of the film.
I know what you mean about thinking he’d be a caricature. Turns out, he’s the character the other stoner-surfers are a caricature of.
Heh, exactly. 😀
I haven’t seen it either, always meant to but just never got around to it. Maybe I will now.
It’s one of the better teen comedies, I think. Worth a look if you’re up for an easy watch or feeling nostalgic for the 80s. 😀
Great write-up. I really really love this movie. Sure it’s not perfect, and it’s imperfections I would agree stem from it’s inability to wrap up its many subplots and the heavyloaded cast. I had absolutely no clue Nic Cage makes a cameo here. Another reason to go back and watch.
Thanks! Cage has a very, very brief role. You can see him in the back flipping burgers during the scene where Brad gets fired. I think he also makes an appearance earlier in the film, but I missed that one.
I haven’t seen this one Eric, for some reason I just never got around to it. Funny how different and dorky Sean Penn looked back then, ahah.
It’s worth a watch for Sean Penn alone. Crazy to think this and the guy who played Harvey Milk are the same person.
One of the great high school comedies of the 80s. Nice review, the payoffs on most of the characters are nice. I like the resolution of the Mr. Hand Spicolli feud. I want to do that myself sometimes with students who take up everyone else’s time. Damn I’m getting to be a crotchety old man.
Thanks! The Spicoli/Hand feud was probably my favorite story arc. I loved seeing Spicoli order pizza in class… only to have Mr. Hand give it to everyone else instead.
Very nice review Eric.
I still haven’t watched this one. I’m a bit light on 80s cinema in general, but this definitely pushes me to see it soon.
Thanks, Niels. I’m lacking in 80s cinema as well, and I was glad that this one is still quite funny today.