If now he is mostly forgotten, Andrew McCarthy was all over the place in the eighties. Starring in successful teen films, he became a heartthrob, while retaining his persona of the sweet, innocent guy, for whom fame was rather unwanted. 1983's "Class" marked his debut, and started his short age of glory.
McCarthy plays Jonathan, an innocent country boy who goes to a prep school with the help of a scholarship. There, he meets Skip (Rob Lowe), a dominant, charming guy with apparently lots of sexual experience. Poor Jonathan falls for his pranks, but has something that the quite vulgar, irritable Skip doesn't; tenderness. So, when Skip understands his roommate's will to take this big step towards adulthood that the "first time" is, he suggests he go to a bar, where there are many women longing for company. And so he does, and really meets someone. Ellen (Jacqueline Bisset), a rich, seductive woman who attracts him like a magnet does steel. These two will start a relationship that will take a wrong turn when Skip understands with whom his loyal friend makes love. It's someone as close as can get.
Despite the engaging plot, the film doesn't function because of its cast's uninspired performances. Rob Lowe, arguably the most significant of the so-called "Brat Pack" members, here exhibited only immaturity and could not act convincingly in the scenes involving conflict with his friend. Jacqueline Bisset, while serving well the role of the attractive woman, acted too artificially for a romantic movie and thus left no particular impression. As for Cliff Robertson, here playing her oppressive husband, he personified the rich capitalist, that is, the archetype of the successful 80's businessman without any distinguishing traits, and consequently was as forgettable as the rest of the cast.
Andrew McCarthy was a case by himself; his role was the most likeable and relatable in the whole film. He was, essentially, the average youth of the time, searching for their first sexual experiences and wanting to escape from their parents. The youth of an age characterised by carelessness, in which teenage issues were explored seriously for the first time. Yet, the John Hughes era didn't start for another one year. And so, neither did deep teenage characters. Jonathan is kind, he respects his partner, but we are supposed to feel pity for his inexperience in sexual matters, and for his childish curiosity. The age when every teenager is accepted for what they are hasn't come yet, and the sensitive McCarthy has thus no place to express his real nature in a positive way.
"Class" is ostensibly about the way one's social standing can obstruct their having a relationship with someone belonging to another part of society. This is where its title comes from. Jonathan is too poor, too simple to have a relationship with Ellen. He comes from the countryside, while she lives in the city, and is married to a capitalist, while Jonathan has virtually no money to spend. Unfortunately, this aspect of the film is left unexploded, replaced by gags more suited to a sex romp.
For all the "class" that Skip seems to have, one of his pranks now feels extremely dated. Upon hearing that Jonathan will go find a partner, he challenges him to bring back her underwear, in order to show that he they made love. This move would be similarly repeated one year later, in John Hughes's classic, "Sixteen Candles", again by a nerdy, unpopular character, this time played by Anthony Michael Hall. While such a scene would maybe be acceptable in a film in the style of, say, "Animal house" (1978), or "Porky's" (1982), what with their relentless vulgarity and emphasis on sex, it changes the character of "Class" and makes what started as a romantic teen film now look more than a cheap copy of the latter two.
This film does not succeed because it tries balancing love and lust. Is it about love between two people of different ages and social classes, or a celebration of teenage enthusiasm? Neither the director, Lewis John Carlino, nor the cast seems to know what "Class" really is, and thus change their performances too abruptly for them to make any sense. Due to the film's dual nature, it feels too rushed, since it has little to n substance, and the issue arising from Bisset's romance with McCarthy is resolved too quickly.
Starting the career of one of the decade's most recognisable actors, "Class", is, nevertheless saved by his performance. Only through his trademark sweetness does the film keep some little quality as a romantic comedy. He was the only one who seemed to keep some of his dignity when faced with pranks, ridicule, and disappointment. He showed, not for the last time, that he, indeed had some class.
McCarthy plays Jonathan, an innocent country boy who goes to a prep school with the help of a scholarship. There, he meets Skip (Rob Lowe), a dominant, charming guy with apparently lots of sexual experience. Poor Jonathan falls for his pranks, but has something that the quite vulgar, irritable Skip doesn't; tenderness. So, when Skip understands his roommate's will to take this big step towards adulthood that the "first time" is, he suggests he go to a bar, where there are many women longing for company. And so he does, and really meets someone. Ellen (Jacqueline Bisset), a rich, seductive woman who attracts him like a magnet does steel. These two will start a relationship that will take a wrong turn when Skip understands with whom his loyal friend makes love. It's someone as close as can get.
Despite the engaging plot, the film doesn't function because of its cast's uninspired performances. Rob Lowe, arguably the most significant of the so-called "Brat Pack" members, here exhibited only immaturity and could not act convincingly in the scenes involving conflict with his friend. Jacqueline Bisset, while serving well the role of the attractive woman, acted too artificially for a romantic movie and thus left no particular impression. As for Cliff Robertson, here playing her oppressive husband, he personified the rich capitalist, that is, the archetype of the successful 80's businessman without any distinguishing traits, and consequently was as forgettable as the rest of the cast.
Andrew McCarthy was a case by himself; his role was the most likeable and relatable in the whole film. He was, essentially, the average youth of the time, searching for their first sexual experiences and wanting to escape from their parents. The youth of an age characterised by carelessness, in which teenage issues were explored seriously for the first time. Yet, the John Hughes era didn't start for another one year. And so, neither did deep teenage characters. Jonathan is kind, he respects his partner, but we are supposed to feel pity for his inexperience in sexual matters, and for his childish curiosity. The age when every teenager is accepted for what they are hasn't come yet, and the sensitive McCarthy has thus no place to express his real nature in a positive way.
"Class" is ostensibly about the way one's social standing can obstruct their having a relationship with someone belonging to another part of society. This is where its title comes from. Jonathan is too poor, too simple to have a relationship with Ellen. He comes from the countryside, while she lives in the city, and is married to a capitalist, while Jonathan has virtually no money to spend. Unfortunately, this aspect of the film is left unexploded, replaced by gags more suited to a sex romp.
For all the "class" that Skip seems to have, one of his pranks now feels extremely dated. Upon hearing that Jonathan will go find a partner, he challenges him to bring back her underwear, in order to show that he they made love. This move would be similarly repeated one year later, in John Hughes's classic, "Sixteen Candles", again by a nerdy, unpopular character, this time played by Anthony Michael Hall. While such a scene would maybe be acceptable in a film in the style of, say, "Animal house" (1978), or "Porky's" (1982), what with their relentless vulgarity and emphasis on sex, it changes the character of "Class" and makes what started as a romantic teen film now look more than a cheap copy of the latter two.
This film does not succeed because it tries balancing love and lust. Is it about love between two people of different ages and social classes, or a celebration of teenage enthusiasm? Neither the director, Lewis John Carlino, nor the cast seems to know what "Class" really is, and thus change their performances too abruptly for them to make any sense. Due to the film's dual nature, it feels too rushed, since it has little to n substance, and the issue arising from Bisset's romance with McCarthy is resolved too quickly.
Starting the career of one of the decade's most recognisable actors, "Class", is, nevertheless saved by his performance. Only through his trademark sweetness does the film keep some little quality as a romantic comedy. He was the only one who seemed to keep some of his dignity when faced with pranks, ridicule, and disappointment. He showed, not for the last time, that he, indeed had some class.