RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Bookmark and Share

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
79 %
Tomatometer

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted: 43

Fresh: 34

Rotten:9

Average Rating: 6.7/10

Consensus: While Fast Times at Ridgemont High features Sean Penn's legendary performance, the film endures because it accurately captured the small details of school, work, and teenage life.

Runtime: 1 hr 32 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: This highly appealing teen comedy created a host of new stars -- including Sean Penn -- and features a lively rock music soundtrack. The freewheeling story chronicles the sexual insecurities and... This highly appealing teen comedy created a host of new stars -- including Sean Penn -- and features a lively rock music soundtrack. The freewheeling story chronicles the sexual insecurities and adventures of a group of Southern California high school students. These shopping mall regulars experiment with drugs, surfing techniques and various fast-food secret sauce combinations. And in class (when they even go to class!) they wreak havoc -- especially when the pizza delivery arrives... [More]

Starring: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates

Starring: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Robert Romanus, Ray Walston, Eric Stoltz, Brian Backer, Pamela Springsteen, Martin Brest, Nicholas Coppola

Director: Amy Heckerling

Director: Amy Heckerling
Screenwriter: Cameron Crowe, Jonathan Roberts
Composer: Joe Walsh

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
1 - 2 of 2

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Oct 10, 2006

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Fast Times at Ridgemont High

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
Arrange By: Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Director Amy Heckerling has failed to provide the raunch or poignancy that would interest young moviegoers, all of whom have seen American Graffiti and its 467 imitators. Ridgemont High? A nice place to visit, but who would want to transfer there?

Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | comment Comment
03/13/09
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
06/10/08
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Great fun if not quite the great teen pic some believe it to be.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
08/07/07
Channel 4 Film

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.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
07/18/07
Variety Staff
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A brashly funny yet sensitive comedy that has become a cult favorite.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
07/18/07
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Was never all it was cracked up to be.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
07/18/07
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

comment Comment
12/08/06
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

Director Amy Heckerling almost encourages the film's shapelessness, letting the individual moments speak for themselves, rather than molding a cohesive whole.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
05/26/06
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

Lacks the frenzied energy which allowed Porky's to beat all competitors in its field.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Time Out

[Penn] sets the tone of fun for the whole movie.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Brad Laidman
Film Threat

No review available.

comment Comment
07/02/05
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Sean Penn's calling never left Mr. Hand's classroom.

comment Comment
06/13/05
Kevin A. Ranson
MovieCrypt.com

No review available.

comment Comment
06/09/05
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly

overrated

comment 2 Comments
05/28/05
Michael E. Grost
Classic Film and Television

The great high-school comedy that spawned a thousand rip-offs.

comment Comment
04/03/05
Scott Weinberg
eFilmCritic.com

The comedy captured the brutal realism of post-sexual-revolution high school life and has been imitated often, rarely equaled, and surpassed only once.

Full Review Source: Arizona Daily Star | comment Comment
03/04/05
Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star

No review available.

comment Comment
02/25/05
Nell Minow
Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

The filmmakers' attempts to capture the "real" high school experience run hot and cold, while the comedy quotient just doesn't cut it.

Full Review Source: Creative Loafing | comment 1 Comment
11/09/04
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing

How could they do this to Jennifer Jason Leigh? How could they put such a fresh and cheerful person into such a scuz-pit of a movie?

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment 4 Comments
10/23/04
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Pretty dated now, but it's early Penn.

comment Comment
10/15/04
Steve Crum
Kansas City Kansan
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
all

Latest News for Fast Times at Ridgemont High

August 21, 2008: EW Lists 11 Movies with a Playboy Connection Opens in new window
Just in time for The House Bunny's theatrical debut, Entertainment Weekly has compiled a list of 11 notable films with a Playboy connection. Put on your bunny ears! More...

January 15, 2008: Ice Cube's Welcome Back, Kotter Waiting On Weinsteins
Okay, so maybe John Singleton isn't completely sold on the idea of Ice Cube as B.A. Baracus in his A-Team adaptation. That's fine. You know what? Ice Cube has his own television... More...

January 03, 2006: Vincent Schiavelli Passes at 57
Character actor Vincent Schiavelli, the long-faced veteran of over 150 film and television appearances, died of lung cancer December 26 at home in Sicily. He was 57 years old. More...

August 15, 2005: Paul Rudd Wooed by Michelle Pfeiffer's "Woman"
Paul Rudd has signed on to play opposite Michelle Pfeiffer in the upcoming Amy Heckerling comedy "I Could Never Be Your Woman," says The Hollywood Reporter. More...

See More Topics...

Related Forums for Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Click here to be the first to post a message on this forum.

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
79%
79%
Gran Torino
30%
30%
12 Rounds
23%
23%
Confessions of a Shopa…
—
The Code
39%
39%
Inkheart

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
22%
22%
Push
12%
12%
The Unborn

More New Releases…

RT On Current TV

What’s Hot On RT

Deconstructing Harry

Deconstructing Harry

Pt. 3: Cuaron's darker Prisoner of Azkaban

Best Mockumentaries

Best Mockumentaries

From Borat to Spinal Tap, this one goes to 11

Humpday Clip

Humpday Clip

An exclusive peek at the indie comedy!

Half-Blood Prince

Half-Blood Prince

How good is the 6th Harry Potter?

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: T.J. Hooker Film in Development
26
  • Warners Shortens Green Lantern Wishlist Source: Hollywood Reporter
102
  • Harold Ramis Talks Ghostbusters 3 Source: MakingOf.com
32
  • Spider-Man 4 Gets Its Third Writer Source: Latino Review
60
  • Warners Wins Favorable Ruling in Superman Case Source: Variety
18
  • Remo Williams Rides Again Source: Risky Biz
10
  • Mortal Kombat 3 Filming in September? Source: Slashfilm
82
  • MacGruber Gets a Director Source: Variety
39
  • PG-13 Turns 25 Source: VideoETA
8
  • Weekly Ketchup: Universal Takes on Asteroids
92
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
67
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Transformers and Ice Age Tie for Top Spot
59
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
52
  • Weekly Ketchup: Universal Takes on Asteroids
46
  • Critics Consensus: Bruno is Certified Fresh
43
  • Total Recall: Mock Docs That Rock
42
  • Five Favorite Films with Kathryn Bigelow
39
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
37
  • RT on DVD: Knowing, Push, The Unborn Unleashed
26
  • Five Favourite Films with Jaime Winstone
19
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • RT Interview: Director Carlos Cuaron on Rudo and Cursi
0
  • RT Interview: Tony Scott on The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
10
  • Cannes 2009: RT Interview - Sally Hawkins on We Want Sex
2
  • RT Interview: Tilda Swinton on Julia
5
  • Hollywood Legend Debbie Reynolds Reflects On her Life in Showbiz
10
  • Exclusive: McG Talks Terminator Salvation
24
  • Georgia Groome - Fresh Talent on RT
5
  • RT Interview: Reading The Reader with Stephen Daldry
11
  • RT Interview: Oscar Nominee Melissa Leo
7
  • Carey Mulligan - Fresh Talent on RT
7
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Fast Times at Ridgemont High at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Fast Times at Ridgemont High at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
Point-Counterpoint: Bruno
Point-Counterpoint: Bruno External Link

MSN's David Fear and Frank Paiva go head to head discussing the pros and cons of Bruno star Sacha Baron Cohen.

The New Cult Canon
The New Cult Canon External Link

The AV Club's Scott Tobias takes a second look at David Lynch's cult classic, Lost Highway.

Tom Cruise's 10 Best Roles
Tom Cruise's 10 Best Roles External Link

TIME takes us on a 25-year long journey into the superstar's career, giving us a look at his 10 best roles.

A Baywatch Comedy?
A Baywatch Comedy? External Link

BuzzSugar reports on Paramount's plans to rebirth the iconic TV show as a comedy film.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.