This mid 70's slice of life comedy is charming in spots, but mostly insubstantial. It is the story of a working class teenager from Rhode Island named Timothy Dunphy (Shawn Hatosy) who is sent to prep school for getting into trouble with the police. The story meanders through his exploits with his friends at home, his relationship with his father (Alec Baldwin), and his situations with his new preppy friends and with the evil headmaster. The film has its moments, but mostly it is a nostalgic retrospective on prep life in the 1970's with little in the way of a plot.
Having gone to college in Rhode Island in the 1970's, I can identify with the period, and Rhode Islande born director Michael Corrente, through the look and feel of the New England settings and the background music, did a good job of bringing back a flood of memories from that time.
Shawn Hatosy did an excellent job in his portrayal of a working class teen, trying to make the best of what he considered a bad situation. His acting, though not yet very polished, is very sincere and this part seemed to fit his personality well. Amy Smart, as his girlfriend Jane, is a fresh face with a sweet look; just perfect for the nice girl role. Smart also exuded sincerity so the screen chemistry between the two was excellent.
Alec Baldwin finally found a role where his new paunchy look was an asset. Actually, he was quite good as Timothy's rather crude dad, doing the best he could with limited intellectual assets. Baldwin, who usually plays clever characters, gave a realistic and enjoyable performance of a working class stiff, though his accent was a little too stereotypical and not true to Rhode Island.
I gave this film a 6/10. It relied too heavily on New England charm and there was just not enough story. Though there were funny scenes sprinkled here and there and the ending was nice, it just lacked the horsepower to really keep the viewer engaged throughout.
Having gone to college in Rhode Island in the 1970's, I can identify with the period, and Rhode Islande born director Michael Corrente, through the look and feel of the New England settings and the background music, did a good job of bringing back a flood of memories from that time.
Shawn Hatosy did an excellent job in his portrayal of a working class teen, trying to make the best of what he considered a bad situation. His acting, though not yet very polished, is very sincere and this part seemed to fit his personality well. Amy Smart, as his girlfriend Jane, is a fresh face with a sweet look; just perfect for the nice girl role. Smart also exuded sincerity so the screen chemistry between the two was excellent.
Alec Baldwin finally found a role where his new paunchy look was an asset. Actually, he was quite good as Timothy's rather crude dad, doing the best he could with limited intellectual assets. Baldwin, who usually plays clever characters, gave a realistic and enjoyable performance of a working class stiff, though his accent was a little too stereotypical and not true to Rhode Island.
I gave this film a 6/10. It relied too heavily on New England charm and there was just not enough story. Though there were funny scenes sprinkled here and there and the ending was nice, it just lacked the horsepower to really keep the viewer engaged throughout.