Critic Reviews
| 100 |
New Times (L.A.)
Perfectly capturing the zeitgeist of American high school life in the '80s, complete with a Rubik's cube reference, the funny and occasionally harsh Fast Times, with all due apologies to John Hughes and Mickey Rooney, may be the greatest teen movie ever made (even though Cates was the only real teen).
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| 100 |
Austin Chronicle
Amy Heckerling’s portrait of high school/shopping mall life in Southern California is still just about as good as it gets...The panoply of teen types and turmoils is dead-on accurate.
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| 90 |
The Onion (A.V. Club)
A Trojan horse of a teen comedy that balanced lowbrow gags with subtle humor, genuine insight—Crowe spent a year undercover as a high-school student—and pathos.
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| 80 |
Film Threat
Sean Penn's scenes are still so stunning...His Jeff Spicoli is an unabashed kick every second he is on the screen.
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| 75 |
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
If the publicity release can be believed, he worked an entire year "undercover as a student to research teenage life". On the basis of what surfaces here - one stock phrase (the kids say "Go for it]" a lot) and a multitude of stock characters - Crowe might better have spent the time curled up with re-runs of Ozzie and Harriet. Give this intrepid researcher 12 months at General Motors and he might just discover the wheel.
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| 70 |
The New Yorker
I was surprised at how not-bad it is. It may fall into the category of youth-exploitation movies, but it isn't assaultive, and it's certainly likable. [1 Nov 1982, p.146]
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| 60 |
TV Guide
Staff (Not Credited)
The film's most memorable character is the perpetually stoned surfer played by Sean Penn. His confrontations with Mr. Hand (Walston), a draconian history teacher, provide the film's finest moments.
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| 60 |
Variety
Staff (Not Credited)
The nice thing is that Crowe and director Amy Heckerling have provided something pleasant to observe in all of these characters though they really are sadly lacking in anything gripping.
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| 50 |
The New York Times
There's a lot to make [Heckerling's] film likeable, but not much to hold it together. [3 Sept 1982, p.C6]
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| 50 |
Wall Street Journal
Joy Gould Boyum
At least the film has a sense of humor and a degree of energy... [but the] film never carries any of its characters or situations much beyond weary cliche. [10 Sept 1982, p.29(E)]
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| 50 |
Chicago Reader
Never all it was cracked up to be.
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| 40 |
Washington Post
Heckerling lacks the intuition to let things flow. The actors seem rushed and the scenes incomplete. For instance, Stacy and her brother Brad (Reinhold) almost build a poignant scene outside the abortion clinic. Just when they're about to show us their stuff, poof, it's off for a car crash or a football game. [13 Aug 1982]
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| 30 |
Washington Post
Richard Harrington
It's an uninspired blend, integrating the boys from "Porky's" and the girls from "Foxes" into a vehicle resembling the worst of "American Graffiti" and the best of "Rock and Roll High School." [13 Aug 1982]
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