Puberty Blues

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67%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 924

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Movie Info

Director Bruce Beresford continued his tradition of putting socially disenfranchised characters front and center with this wryly observant comedy drama about middle class Australian teens that served as a stark contrast to the popular American teen films of its day. Friends from the Sydney suburb of Cronulla, Debbie (Nell Schofield) and Sue (Jad Capelja) are a pair of average schoolgirls who smoke, drink, have sex, and cheat on exams. The girls are also striving to become "surfie chicks," the groupies that hang around the surfer boy gangs of southern Sydney, pairing off with the objects of their affection. Adhering to odd rules that prevent them from eating or going to the bathroom in the surfers' presence, the girls get into trouble for their wild behavior, with Debbie eventually fearing that she's pregnant, leading to a fatal overdose of heroin for her boyfriend Garry (Geoff Rhoe). Ultimately, Debbie and Sue become disillusioned with the sexism and narrow-mindedness of their crowd. Puberty Blues (1981) was based on the book of the same name by Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey, a pair of real-life Sydney teens who wrote newspaper articles under the pseudonym "The Salami Sisters." ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Rating:

R
Genre:

Comedy, Drama
Directed By:

Bruce Beresford
Written By:

Margaret Kelly, Gabrielle Carey, Kathy Lette
In Theaters:

Dec 10, 1981 wide
Runtime:

87 minutes
Studio:

Universal Classics

Cast

Nell Schofield
as Debbie

Jad Capelja
as Sue

Geoff Rhoe
as Garry

Sandy Paul
as Tracy

Jay Hackett
as Bruce

Ned Lander
as Strach

Tina Robinson
as Freda

Kirrily Nolan
as Mrs. Vickers

Alan Cassell
as Mr. Vickers

Rowena Wallace
as Mrs. Knight

Charles 'Bud' Tingwell
as Headmaster

Tony Hughes
as Danny

Pamela Gibbons
as Jazz ballet teacher

Brian Harrison
as Mr. Little

Andrew Martin
as Berkhoff

Brian Anderson
as Drive-in Attendent

View All

Critic Reviews for Puberty Blues

All Critics (4) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (2) | Rotten (2)

Puberty Blues stands out... on several counts. For one thing, it focuses on girls. For another, its handling of sexual initiation is realistic in welcome contrast to the raunchy comedy-glamour-fantasy treatment sex is given in other summer offerings.

Oct 23, 2018 | Full Review…

Yardena Arar
Associated Press
Top Critic
Unfortunately, the barbarous uncouthness of the males becomes the most striking feature of the film rather than the girls' liberation from them.

Aug 20, 2019 | Full Review…

Camille Kittrell
Sojourner
Examines the quest of popularity by teenagers as proof of self-worth

Jul 23, 2003 | Full Review…

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

View All Critic Reviews (4)

Audience Reviews for Puberty Blues

Sep 06, 2010

A slow, boring, semi-documentary of teenagers in Australia. Nothing really happens until the end, and that was so annoying. I didn't care for this movie, and I don't recommend seeing this movie.

Aj V Super Reviewer
Feb 09, 2010

Awful film about the mundane, sexist, feral lives led by a group of (tragically, all too realistic) Aussie teens growing up in Nth Cronulla surfing beach area in the 70s. It is cringe-worthy stuff &, I regret to say, that things are much the same in our western suburbs today. Yuck! Half a star (for the soundtrack)

mirabella 1 Super Reviewer
Aug 16, 2008

Watching this film just makes me think thank Christ I was an unpopular teenager. Being in the in group could surely not be worth what these girls go through! A true to life Aussie classic that I first saw in my teens and many times since. Still relevant to teens today although I sure hope things have changed (doubt it). The new tv series based on this is also good, but this is the original and best. What girls will put up with to get a boyfriend!

Nicki M Super Reviewer