Fast Times at Ridgemont High

The intersecting stories of several teens in an early 80s California suburb.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High is a rare find. It’s a teen movie that ages well. Sure, the fashions are ridiculous, and some of the lines are now unintentionally funny ($20 for fifth-row Van Halen tickets?), but the script by Cameron Crowe is so brutally honest that the film transcends generations.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that all the performers are great. From Sean Penn’s classic Spicoli through Judge Reinhold’s painfully believable Brad, you’d be hard pressed to name a better young cast.

Finally, credit has to be given to director Amy Heckerling, who gives the movie a lived in feel that perfectly complements the script.