My thoughts after reading the screenplay:

Until now I’ve never seen this movie. I think that worked in my favor when I read the screenplay. I had no preconceived ideas about scenery or the actors or any of the little nuances seen only in a movie. In reading the screenplay without having seen the movie, I was free to create my own scenery and my own actors.

It wasn’t hard to create my own actors. This story is built around characters that are stereotypes of various high school kids. Except for the references to the shopping mall and music that was popular in the 1980′s, the screenplay could have been set in any time period. They could have happened anytime in the past seventy-five years; maybe longer than that, but I have no personal knowledge beyond seventy-five years. Here are the stereotypes I saw:

• The sexually experienced girl who gives advice to other girls
• The younger girl who sees sex as a way to be popular with boys
• The kid who is the wheeler-dealer
• The kid who gets his big identity by working at a job
• The kid who specializes in being “on” something (alcohol, drugs, marijuana, etc.)
• The jocks and the cheerleaders
• The teachers who each have their own quirky ways with students

We had these stereotypes in high school when I was a student 50 years ago. My mom talked about them in her high school 75 years ago. I know there are some additional stereotypes added from more recent generations. I’m sure you can add your own.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High follows a few featured students through the school year. The tone is light but the story covers some heavy subjects: excessive drug use, abortion, irresponsible sex, and a few more.

My thoughts after seeing the movie:

First, let me say this movie was hilarious and fun but it had a message.

Second, Sean Penn was the absolute star of this movie. I didn’t catch that it was Sean Penn until someone pointed it out and then I had to go back and look at him again. Sean Penn’s portrayal of Spicoli is the only one who exceeded my expectations. While reading the screenplay I saw the characters differently and actually I liked the characters in my head better. I wonder if that is because I read the screenplay first?

I didn’t see the movie when it came out and I honestly don’t remember my kids talking about the movie. The two oldest would have been teenagers in 1982. IF they saw it then, they probably didn’t want me to know about it. At the time I wouldn’t have approved of it for their age. But for older teens I think the exaggerated stereotypes would be fun and easy for them to relate to. I wouldn’t want younger teens to believe the moral character shown in the movie was how all teens do or should behave.

Overall, I felt my first screenplay experience was very good. If you want to dip your reading toe into screenplays, visit Michael. He provides the download of the screenplay. You have to find the movie. Just in case you were like me and didn’t see the movie, here’s the trailer for Fast Times At Ridgemont High. Enjoy.