Reckless (1984)

Director:

James Foley

Writer:

Chris Columbus (writer)

Release Date:

3 February 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Comedy

Tagline:

Girls like Tracy never tell their parents about guys like Rourke.

Plot:

Rebellious footballer Johnny, falls for cheerleader Tracy. They come from opposite backrounds; she's from a comfortable well off family...

Plot Keywords:

School | High School Teacher | Locker | Sex In Bathroom | Motorcycle

Cast

Aidan Quinn	...	Johnny Rourke
Daryl Hannah	...	Tracey Prescott
Kenneth McMillan	...	John Rourke Sr
Cliff De Young	...	Phil Barton
Lois Smith	...	Mrs. Prescott
Adam Baldwin	...	Randy Daniels
Dan Hedaya	...	Peter Daniels
Billy Jayne	...	David Prescott (as Billy Jacoby)
Toni Kalem	...	Donna
Jennifer Grey	...	Cathy Bennario
Haviland Morris	...	Mary Pat Sykes
Pamela Springsteen	...	Karen Sybern
Susan Kingsley	...	Eileen
Adam LeFevre	...	Officer Haskell
Ellen Mirojnick	...	Physics Teacher

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Mingo Junction, Ohio, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

In one scene we see that Tracy has a Jackson Browne poster in her room - Daryl Hannah was dating Browne at the time.

Quotes:

Randy Daniels: Does that mean we're done? Huh?
Physics Teacher: You can still be friends

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mary Jane's Not a Virgin Anymore (1997)

Soundtrack:

UNDERSTANDING GRAVITY

A great 80's film that sums up the feeling of the decade

I'll admit I love this film. Quite a bit of the dialog doesn't make any sense; some of the characters are just there to hang the plot from; and Cliff DeYoung as the football coach gets most of the bad lines and his character, as well as the snotty cheerleaders, are all clichés. But these flaws don't detract from the appeal of the film.

Darryl Hannah, and Aidan Quinn in particular, have a presence and a chemistry that keeps the film vibrant and alive. This was Quinn's first film, and I've liked him ever since I first saw it. Even as a novice he's a great actor. Hannah is not as good as he, but she's still very good as a well-to-do high school senior who's looking for something different but not sure what she wants. Quinn plays the misunderstood poor boy with an alcoholic father, who is beset by teachers, father, peers and police every way he turns. Due to a random pairing for a charity dance, they are brought together and eventually discover that what they are looking for is in each other. The last shot of the film, as the camera speeds down the highway to Bob Seger's "Roll Me Away", is one of my favorite shots of any movie. I'll agree it's corny, but it works and so does this film.

The authentic steeltown atmosphere also helps to give the film a gritty realism; dark, smoggy, atmospheric and disturbing, it reminds me of the feel of the 80's. The soundtrack is superb; Romeo Void, INXS, and Kim Wilde's "Kids in America." Whenever I want to recapture that 80's feeling, when watching MTV was still new and exciting and they still played music you could take pleasure in listening to, and when the 80's groups were so avant-garde and on-the-edge, I watch this film. Sure enough, it can take me right back. Look past the sometimes inane dialog and be sure to catch this film; if you immerse yourself in the music it will work its spell. It hasn't been shown on on regular cable in years (it's rated R for some candid but convincing sex scenes), but in mid-2005 it was playing on the high definition cable channel INHD, looking and sounding fantastic. A great film for Friday or Saturday night.