Director Amy Heckerling has failed to provide the raunch or poignancy that would interest young moviegoers, all of whom have seen American Graffiti and its 467 imitators. Ridgemont High? A nice place to visit, but who would want to transfer there?
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:43
Fresh:34
Rotten:9
Average Rating:6.7/10
Consensus: While Fast Times at Ridgemont High features Sean Penn's legendary performance, the film endures because it accurately captured the small details of school, work, and teenage life.
Synopsis: This highly appealing teen comedy created a host of new stars -- including Sean Penn -- and features a lively rock music soundtrack. The freewheeling story chronicles the sexual insecurities and... This highly appealing teen comedy created a host of new stars -- including Sean Penn -- and features a lively rock music soundtrack. The freewheeling story chronicles the sexual insecurities and adventures of a group of Southern California high school students. These shopping mall regulars experiment with drugs, surfing techniques and various fast-food secret sauce combinations. And in class (when they even go to class!) they wreak havoc -- especially when the pizza delivery arrives... [More]
Starring: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates
Starring: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Robert Romanus, Ray Walston, Eric Stoltz, Brian Backer, Pamela Springsteen, Martin Brest, Nicholas Coppola
Director: Amy Heckerling
Director: Amy Heckerling
Screenwriter: Cameron Crowe, Jonathan Roberts
Composer: Joe Walsh
Reviews for Fast Times at Ridgemont High
The nice thing is that Crowe and director Amy Heckerling have provided something pleasant to observe in all of these characters though they really are sadly lacking in anything gripping.
A brashly funny yet sensitive comedy that has become a cult favorite.
Director Amy Heckerling almost encourages the film's shapelessness, letting the individual moments speak for themselves, rather than molding a cohesive whole.
Lacks the frenzied energy which allowed Porky's to beat all competitors in its field.
The comedy captured the brutal realism of post-sexual-revolution high school life and has been imitated often, rarely equaled, and surpassed only once.
The filmmakers' attempts to capture the "real" high school experience run hot and cold, while the comedy quotient just doesn't cut it.
How could they do this to Jennifer Jason Leigh? How could they put such a fresh and cheerful person into such a scuz-pit of a movie?
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January 03, 2006:
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Paul Rudd has signed on to play opposite Michelle Pfeiffer in the upcoming Amy Heckerling comedy "I Could Never Be Your Woman," says The Hollywood Reporter. More...
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