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Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Play trailer 0:30 Poster for Fast Times at Ridgemont High R 1982 1h 29m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
78% Tomatometer 59 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Stacy Hamilton (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is a pretty, but inexperienced, teen interested in dating. Given advice by her uninhibited friend, Linda Barrett (Phoebe Cates), Stacy gets trapped in a love triangle with nice guy Mark Ratner (Brian Backer) and his more assured buddy Mike Damone (Robert Romanus). Meanwhile, Stacy's classmate Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn), who lives for surfing and being stoned, faces off against Mr. Hand (Ray Walston), a strict teacher who has no time for the slacker's antics.

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Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

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Critics 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.

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Critics Reviews

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Paul Wagman St. Louis Post-Dispatch 08/15/2022
The movie ends up with no clear identity; it doesn't work as anything. Go to Full Review Richard Roeper Chicago Sun-Times 07/30/2022
The best of the racy teen comedies perfectly preserves the fashions and attitudes of the ’80s. Go to Full Review Ernest Leogrande New York Daily News 08/12/2015
2/4
What it doesn't have is a clear point of view, something that would make it of more interest than leafing through a high school yearbook. Go to Full Review Brian Susbielles InSession Film 03/06/2023
Order a pizza and learn about Cuba in an all-time teen comedy classic by Amy Heckerling and scripted by Cameron Crowe. Go to Full Review Stephen Silver Tilt Magazine 08/26/2022
4/5
In the perfect wheelhouse of teen movies: Sexually frank, right up to the inclusion of an abortion subplot, but not too crass or exploitative. (40th anniversary) Go to Full Review Joe Lipsett Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr Podcast 08/04/2022
3.5/5
40 years on, Heckerling's film is as iconic as ever. Fast Times...features no shortage of stand-out characters and memorable moments, but where the film truly excels is how refreshingly candid it is about sex, dating and abortion. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Rio P @Ericraymond111 1d Funniest movie ever See more Vincent S @Vin_E_At_The_Movies May 22 Funny, sobering, truthful in spots and bright classic comedy with an all-time great comic performance by Sean Penn. Ray Walston, also great, has a nice rapport with Penn. The future cast of all stars show why they made it in Hollywood with their performances. Amy Heckerling gets great performances out of her cast and Cameron Crowe's writing is honest. This deserves its classic status. See more Melissa M @Lisey Apr 26 Amy Heckerling doesn't get enough credit as a director. She's definitely one of the best she's made some of the most memorable movies. Like I could never be your woman, Clueless, Vamps, This is definitely one of her best. Cameron Crowe is the screenwriter. This movie is based on his book. There is an old saying that says you should always write what you know. And he definitely knows the high school experience. This is probably one of those cases where the movie it's just as awesome as the book. Even though the movie was made in 1982 it still has themes that even today's teenagers can relate to. Raging hormones, secret crushes, pressure to pass classes, serving no fries before their time, fast times at ridgemont high it's totally awesome. .. See more gioconda D @gioconda Apr 26 Classic. Mandatory viewing for any cinematic repertoire See more John P. @JPtheFrog Jan 28 Classic of the era! See more Zach J. @Jenkins158 Dec 14 8/10 See more Read all reviews
Fast Times at Ridgemont High

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Cast & Crew

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Amy Heckerling

Director

Sean Penn

Jeff Spicoli

Jennifer Jason Leigh

Stacy Hamilton

Judge Reinhold

Brad Hamilton

Robert Romanus

Mike Damone

Brian Backer

Mark "Rat" Ratner

Movie Clips

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Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - He's Gonna Kill Us! Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - He's Gonna Kill Us! 2:12 Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - Spicoli Orders a Pizza Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - Spicoli Orders a Pizza 1:54 Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - Spicoli's Surfer Dream Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - Spicoli's Surfer Dream 1:29 Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - Brad Gets Canned Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - Brad Gets Canned 2:24 Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - Carrot Practice Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - Carrot Practice 1:58 Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - No Shirt, No Shoes, No Dice Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - No Shirt, No Shoes, No Dice 1:05 Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - Mi-T Man Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - Mi-T Man 2:00 Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - Spicoli Meets Mr. Hand Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - Spicoli Meets Mr. Hand 2:39 Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - Jefferson Makes Lincoln Pay Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - Jefferson Makes Lincoln Pay 2:00 Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - I Don't Know Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Official Clip - I Don't Know 2:29 View more videos

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Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) Presented by TCM: Fathom Events Trailer Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) Presented by TCM: Fathom Events Trailer 0:30 View more videos
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Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Stacy Hamilton (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is a pretty, but inexperienced, teen interested in dating. Given advice by her uninhibited friend, Linda Barrett (Phoebe Cates), Stacy gets trapped in a love triangle with nice guy Mark Ratner (Brian Backer) and his more assured buddy Mike Damone (Robert Romanus). Meanwhile, Stacy's classmate Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn), who lives for surfing and being stoned, faces off against Mr. Hand (Ray Walston), a strict teacher who has no time for the slacker's antics.
Director
Amy Heckerling
Producer
Art Linson, Irving Azoff
Screenwriter
Cameron Crowe
Distributor
MCA, MCA/Universal Pictures [us], MCA/Universal Home Video
Production Co
Refugee Films, Universal Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 13, 1982, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2015
Runtime
1h 29m