As you walk on by.. will you call my name..

Rating: 8/10 (31 August 2007)

It's all been said already, but on the umpteenth time I've been back over this movie how brilliant Ally Sheedy is as the "basket case" hits home on me more and more. Judd Nelson gets all the best lines and in Bender fleshes out the embodiment of dysfunctional teen anger, but Sheedy is a slow burning flame who's just fascinating to watch. It's depressing to see modern teen films like American Pie and how little they have to offer their audience about the power of imagination and open-mindedness to change lives. It's not without flaws, but few films have taken the subject of teenage tribalism and disaffection and delivered a blueprint for what's possible when prejudice and immaturity are replaced with intelligence, understanding and dialog. Long may it reign.