All the Right Moves (1983)

A high school football player desperate for a scholarship and his headstrong coach clash in a dying Pennsylvania steel town.

Director:

Michael Chapman

Writers:

Pat Jordan (article), Michael Kane

Stars:

Tom Cruise, Lea Thompson, Craig T. Nelson

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Cruise	...	Stefen Djordjevic
Craig T. Nelson	...	Nickerson
Lea Thompson	...	Lisa
Charles Cioffi	...	Pop
Gary Graham	...	Greg
Paul Carafotes	...	Salvucci
Chris Penn	...	Brian (as Christopher Penn)
Sandy Faison	...	Suzie
James A. Baffico	...	Bosko
Mel Winkler	...	Jess Covington
Walter Briggs	...	Rifleman
George Betor	...	Tank
Leon	...	Shadow (as Leon Robinson)
Jonas Chaka	...	Mouse (as Jonas C. Miller)
Keith Diamond	...	Fox (as Keith Ford)

Storyline

Sensitive study of a headstrong high school football star who dreams of getting out of his small Western Pennsylvania steel town with a football scholarship. His equally ambitious coach aims at a college position, resulting in a clash which could crush the player's dreams.

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Plot Keywords:

female full frontal nudity | male full frontal nudity | coach | college | steel worker | 

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Taglines:

He plays to win

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Sport

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 October 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

All Right

Filming Locations:

Conemaugh, Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,600,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,625,486, 23 October 1983, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$17,233,166

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lucille Ball Productions, Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

First name-above-the-title top billing on a movie poster for actor Tom Cruise who didn't get such in the same year's Risky Business (1983) where Cruise had top billing but it wasn't name-above-the-title.

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Goofs

Stefan takes his plaid shirt off twice in the locker room before practice.

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Quotes

Steff: Scholarship here, no scholarship here. Who the hell gave you that power?

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Connections

Referenced in Kicking and Screaming (1995)

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Soundtracks

Blue Skies Forever
(End Title)
Performed by Frankie Miller
Music by Richard Kerr
Lyrics by Will Jennings
Produced by Jeff Barry and Brooks Arthur

User Reviews

an under-rated piece of entertainment

A few years ago, I bought the video version of All The Right Moves without having seen it before. I loved it! The characters kept my eyes glued to the screen for the whole 90 minutes.

I emphasized with Stef's internal struggle to rise above his surroundings. Stef, played by one of my fave actors Tom Cruise, is similar to his character Joel from Risky Business. Both Stef and Joel have high hopes for their futures and almost jeopardize them.

As with his character Hayden Fox on the TV series Coach, Craig T. Nelson plays a football coach who is rough around the edges but has the capacity to redeem himself later.

Lea Thompson's Lisa has more value to the movie than just another girlfriend figure. She too has hopes for the future and feels cheated by the athlete-favored scholarship programs. When Stef verbally pushes her away, she doesn't immediately forgive him; she pulls him into her world first.

Nobody (so far) has mentioned the sound track; it's my favorite part of the movie. The songs do a superb job of setting the tone for the given scene. For example, when Stef is rounding second base with Lisa in the car, the bus ride to the big football game, the party, and the end credits. Sometimes, I watch ATRM just to hear "Blue Skies Forever," sung by Frankie Miller.

All the Right Moves is a good film to watch if you like high school football; are expecting an athletic scholarship; or if you don't like your coach. This movie paved the way for other football flicks like Varsity Blues. Look for it on The Family Channel or at used-movie stores.