So,much like Steve-O who just posted his review today,I just last night (3/31)@ 11pm watched this film. Unlike Steve,I like it quite a bit more. Although I will agree that,yes,we've gone down this memory lane before at the movies and truthfully I'd never even heard of it. It was pretty entertaining but this particular plot was done on a stronger level in the TV movie "The 60's" a few years back and as mentioned "American Graffitti". Still,I think it could be a good introductory film for young people to watch as a way to teach them about this era.A great plot idea to set it around the closing of the favorite high-school hang out,complete with one of those fun but at times annoying DJ's (The Beard),who used to talk in rhyme! Places like "Pops" stand as a symbol of the innocence of the previous era that was soon to be lost.Now,Rick Schroder is a good actor,not great like say Johnny Depp or (I can finally say without laughing)Leonardo DeCaprio. He's almost first billed but doesn't do as much as I though he would. His emotional breakdown at "Pops" was done quite well along with the scene with his character's father.Pirate is he school's delinquent who is always at odds with Principal Maran (they call him moron of course). The actor who plays the principal is okay but should have played it a bit stronger. Pirate,for being a delinquent,sure is a quiet one...at least until later.The early days of Vietnam protest and the Watts riots are recreated very well also but are not as graphic,as done in other films. I found it a bit odd to put "Turn-Turn-Turn" by The Byrds over the riot scenes. Could they not find an appropriate song by an African-American act?? I could say the song might be lyrically relevant but musically,it's too light for such scenes. In the middle of this a young man named Morrisey burns his draft card and is,roughed up by the police and then later hangs himself. The scene that comes later of Pirate and crew (no joke intended)burning the statue in front of their school,is truly the strongest scene in the whole film. I would say the Watts riots as first,but again,The Byrds song kind of waters that scene down.The young ladies in this movie are good at portraying the females of the time,who are the last generation to grow up with "finish school,find a man,get married & have kids". The actresses do an admirable job and the emotions from them really felt genuine to me.The music is great of course because,hey,these are classics. Although some have been used countless times before in movies.Overall it's not a bad little film but I do once again agree,it could have been so much more for a movie depicting the beginnings,of the most turbulent of times,in our country's history. By the way,this movie was filmed & then shelved in 1990.8 stars because...again..a stronger sense of the mood of times,as they were,would have made it a 10 star. (END)

I saw this back in '94 when it was finally released. Apparently because Orion pictures was in bankruptcy, I think, the movie had not been released a couple of years earlier.I have problem remembering details partly because I haven't seen it in a long time, but I do remember it as a very dull movie. I kept debating whether to walk out of it. The store was not at all interesting or engaging. Was a 3rd rate America Graffiti imitation. None of the performances make it worth watching either. One of the biggest disappointments since a local newspaper reviewer gave it a high rating.

Floyd Mutrux didn't work too hard when writing this movie; it is "Hollywood Knights" all over again minus the funny parts. I suppose he figured no one would notice since the movies came out fourteen years apart. Both movies even have the same radio DJ and he plays the same songs and even says the same line "From the desert to the sea...soulfully." The closing of Tubby's Drive-In (Knights) was a much better plot element than the end of (Pop's) Paradise in TGMB. I suppose this movie is supposed to focus on the deep, meaningful side of what was happening for those coming of age in 1965, but I don't really see the need for both movies. "There Goes My Baby" really comes off as a big, pointless cliché.

The first 20 minutes are pretty fun to watch, giving me some nostalgic feelings, which I find pretty positive. But after that it's getting way too serious, which in itself isn't bad, but it doesn't work in this movie. A lot of issues of that time are being told in the following 70 minutes, but nothing is worked out and told properly. It couldn't hold my attention... Soundtrack is good though. 5/10