Fast Times At Ridgemont High (HD & DVD Combo) (1982)

New York Times
"...All these young actors are relaxed, funny and natural. But the movie's real scene stealer is Sean Penn..." 09/03/1982 p.C6

Sight and Sound
"...More sophisticated than the average high-school romp. There's an inspired turn from Sean Penn..." 06/01/2000 p.62

Total Film
"...Lifted by Sean Penn's hugely charismatic, doped-up surfer dude..." 08/01/2003 p.129

Entertainment Weekly
"...It's often thought of as the quintessential 1980s teen flick....It portrayed real teens dealing with real issues..." 01/11/2002 p.38

Premiere
"[This] reality-inspired testament to the cliques, pitfalls, and accidental hilarity of being a teenager coined most of high-school-movie short-hand..." 12/01/2003 p.13

USA Today
"With its surface zest complementing melancholy underpinnings, director Amy Heckerling's take on a smart Cameron Crowe script ambushed everyone who expected just another teen comedy." 03/16/2004 p.6D

DVD Times 8 of 10
All the leading cast are excellent: indeed, this film shows that Jennifer Jason Leigh can be just as good in a relatively "normal" role rather than the more extreme parts she's since played. If there's a standout, it's Sean Penn. Two decades of imitation - Spicoli is a clear first cousin of Bill and Ted, for example - have made it harder to appreciate how good Penn is in this role, and as with Leigh it's good to see him play comedy rather than the intense drama he's most often associated with...Fast Times at Ridgemont High is a good film though not a great one, with a strong cast, many of whom went on to better things. Cultists will no doubt up my rating a point or two, and will be glad that the film has been given a worthwhile DVD release. - Gary Couzens
 
Reel.com 9 of 10
Elements of Fast Times show Crowe's youth and inexperience - there's not much of a storyline per se - but writing the book and movie were still remarkable feats for a young man whose entire professional life had been defined by remarkable feats...Neither as eloquent as Diner, nor as lewd as Porky's, Fast Times today seems relatively tame, an antiquated period piece that launched Sean Penn (and really, he is the movie) and stands as one of his only comedic performances. But the cast list is phenomenal: Among the bit players are a 19-year-old Nicolas Cage (credited as Coppola), who was nearly cast as Brad; Eric Stoltz, who was the director's first choice for Spicoli; and an unrecognizable Anthony Edwards. - Sarah Chauncey