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Casual Sex? Movie Review

Casual Sex?

R
Stacy and Melissa are about to discover a new four-letter word for sex in the '80's...Help!

Starring

Lea Thompson, Victoria Jackson, Andrew Dice Clay, Stephen Shellen

Jerry Levine, Mary Gross, Valerie Breiman, Peter Dvorsky, David Sargent, Cynthia Phillips, Don Woodard, Danny Breen, Bruce Abbott, Susan Ann Connor, Dan Woren, Dale Midkiff, John Edward Coburn, Sherri Stoner, Scott Thomson, Paul Lucas Update Cast

Early Appearances

See Sandra Bernhard before they were famous!

Review

There is an epidemic tragedy taking lives in the 80's and it's called Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

It was non-existent in the 60's, unheard of in the 70's, and now a major phenomenon in the 80's.

AIDS was a relatively new virus in the late 80's, and was so rampant that it had even prompted MTV to tone down it's sexual images. Remember that catchy dance hit "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" by Jermaine Stewart? That song was deliberately produced to send a message against promiscuity, and ironically Jermaine Stewart has since passed away from AIDS. Sex has changed from steamy to scary, and the question on everyone's mind is; Can we ever return to having "Casual Sex?".

It's 1988 in sunny Southern California. Meet Stacy and Melissa; two best friends whose lives couldn't be more gloomy. The girls are single and searching, and have so far been unlucky in love. Stacy (Lea Thompson from "Some Kind Of Wonderful") has had many lovers, but all have been the unstable rockstar type and now Stacy's holding out for a handsome gentleman who will insist on wearing a condom. Melissa (Victoria Jackson from "Saturday Night Live") has only had two lovers, and neither of them were Mr. Right. Red-haired experienced Stacy and blonde insecure Melissa are polar opposites except for one thing, their love lives are in a shambles.

The two desperate-for-no-STD's girls decide that their last option is to visit a ritzy health resort called "The Oasis" for some major R&R (Romance & Relaxation). The girls arrive and immediately think they're in heaven...pools and young people galore. Melissa feels an attraction for an Oasis bus-boy type named Jamie (Jerry Levine), and Stacy has her eye on an 80's-soap opera-lookalike named Nick (Stephen Shellen).

However, the girls don't automatically get their men. Stacy's guy Nick seems to be interested in a skanky-looking blonde, and Melissa has to tough it out with aerobics classes just to get close to Jamie. Overall though, things aren't going too bad, if you overlook Vinnie (Andrew Dice Clay), that is. A macho-wannabe ladies man from New Jersey, Vinnie couldn't be more disgusting. He's forward, vulgar, annoying, and walks around the pool in shorts and tube socks. Yuck.

Things eventually start looking up for Stacy; Nick seems to fall in love with her and the two end up in his room where he insists on using a condom (he's perfect!). Melissa, on the other hand, is stuck swapping jokes with the ever-irritating Vinnie... and the two end up sleeping together!

Now, this is where the film begins to get confusing. Melissa decides to leave the resort and catch a bus to L.A., however Jamie catches up with her and talks her into coming back to the resort. Meanwhile, Stacy and her new-boyfriend Nick drive back to L.A. to find Melissa... who of course is not there.

Melissa is back at the resort and has finally experienced her first, er, um, "good feelings" with a guy; she is blissful with Jamie, but Stacy is in hell with Nick; looks can be deceiving and Nick is an even more annoying dork then Vinnie. So Stacy decides to give up men for awhile...

6 months later:

It's Christmas. Melissa and Jamie live together and Stacy's alone, until who should show up in front of Stacy's apartment? Vinnie! He's cleaned up his act, got his own limousine business, and presents Stacy with a puppy dog. Is there gonna be a love connection?

6 years later:

Yep. Melissa is married to Jamie, Stacy is married to Vinnie with two kids, and it seems that a disease-free romance is still possible in the ultra-cool 80's.

Author: Bridgette MarieUpdate This Review

Verdict

The title may cause you to think that this film is raunchy, but actually its very innocent and sweet. It's also one of those films where everybody remembers the poster but not everybody's seen the actual film.

It's a very light, enjoyable film that I would recommend to people in their twenties, lovers of 80's romantic comedy and all girls.

Cute film, nice locations, humor, great 80's clothes, romance, great actors. Definitely an 80's classic.
Probably more geared towards women then men.

Rewind Rating

9/10

The Movie Data

Key Crew

Director: Geneviève Robert
Writer: Wendy Goldman, Judy Toll
Producers: Ilona Herzberg, Sheldon Kahn, Kool Lusby, Ivan Reitman
Locations Manager: Joseph A. Liuzzi


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Data

Release Date: 22 Apr 1988
MPAA Rating: R
Studio: Universal
Production: Jascat, Universal Pictures
Genre: Romantic Comedy


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The Movie Trailer
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1988 Universal
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