1969, so much happened in America, and this is just one story, a drive-in style film that deals with the fears of senior Steve Guttenberg, not that he just won't graduate, or even that he'll be sent to Vietnam, but he won't get laid before he goes. Seriously, it's much more than that, and much better than the low budget release from Avco Embassy would suggest. Guttenberg works for chicken fast food restaurant owner Phil Silvers (a wisecrack for every leg and wing he sells), and is influential on his high school newspaper which gets him into constant trouble for his controversial articles. School vice principal Ed Lauter is constantly on his case about those articles, and more.
Then there's his romantic issues with cheerleader girlfriend Lisa Reeves who won't go all the way, so he turns to rumored easy time gal Meridith Baer who teaches him a few things about the high school rumor mill. Reeves, a nice girl on the surface, is far from what she pretends to be, revealing her true nature in several scenes, reminding the viewer that the mean girl wasn't invented yesterday. Guttenberg shows great promise as a young leading man, and Silvers gives a wonderful feisty performance.
Branscombe Richmond is also great as Guttenberg's co-worker and best friend. Easy to see why one of the better teen films ended up in obscurity (like "Almost Summer" from the following year, overshadowed by "Grease"), combining both comedy and drama realistically. Funny bits are highlighted by Guttenberg accidentally mistaken for a peeping tom and his conversations with his heard but unseen mother over an intercom which is cleverly dealt with in the finale.
Then there's his romantic issues with cheerleader girlfriend Lisa Reeves who won't go all the way, so he turns to rumored easy time gal Meridith Baer who teaches him a few things about the high school rumor mill. Reeves, a nice girl on the surface, is far from what she pretends to be, revealing her true nature in several scenes, reminding the viewer that the mean girl wasn't invented yesterday. Guttenberg shows great promise as a young leading man, and Silvers gives a wonderful feisty performance.
Branscombe Richmond is also great as Guttenberg's co-worker and best friend. Easy to see why one of the better teen films ended up in obscurity (like "Almost Summer" from the following year, overshadowed by "Grease"), combining both comedy and drama realistically. Funny bits are highlighted by Guttenberg accidentally mistaken for a peeping tom and his conversations with his heard but unseen mother over an intercom which is cleverly dealt with in the finale.