Leofwine_draca HIGH SCHOOL U.S.A. is a lame and tame high school-set teen comedy of the early 1980s, chiefly of interest today for featuring Michael J. Fox before he became famous. This was a TV movie which explains the lack of contentious material - when most films of this genre were full to the brim of sex and skin, this one seems to have been made with kids in mind. Certainly the plotting is of a childish nature, completely obvious, a rivalry between the geeky unpopular heroes and the impossibly cool and slimy bad guys. Fox is endearing to a degree and does his best, and there are some other turns for the likes of Crispin Glover and Anthony Edwards, but generally this one's a bore, and that closing car race is as dull as it gets.

Pat McCurry Come back with us now to the 1980s. While movie companies were cashing in on teen success, NBC decided to take advantage on the teen movie trend by making their own. High School U.S.A. was the beginning. It was originally a TV pilot, but you could hardly tell it was. Still, this movie featured teen stars of the time who went on to big things that included:Michael J Fox (Family Ties), Nancy McKeon (The Facts of Life), Todd Bridges & the late Dana Plato (Diff'rent Strokes), Lauri Hendler (Gimme a Break), Crystal Bernard & Cathy Silvers (Happy Days), Anthony Edwards (who went to big things), David Packer (V), Crispin Glover (Back to the Future), and the late Tom Villard (who did many supporting & guest roles in movies and TV).The setting is Excelsior Union High School in Missouri. JJ Manners (Fox) is sort is the somewhat leader of a group of uncool kids. He is likable, but the prep & jocks (led by Beau Middleton, played by Edwards) can't stand him or his kind. It gets even worse when JJ falls in love with Beth Franklin (McKeon), who was a zero but became part of the A-crowd when she started to date Beau. There are many subplots as well, which as just as funny. A host of 50s & 60s TV stars show up. It is pretty interesting seeing teen stars from one generation meet up with another. Do I think it would've worked as a TV series? Probably not. Some of the stars were involved in other TV shows and projects. It would've been impossible top bring all the cast members back. Still, it stands on its own well as a TV movie. It was probably best it ended that way as well.It's worth a look for fans of the 80s and even fans of 50s and 60s.Pat

doran6767 High School USA is one of those sunday afternoon feel good type comedies. It is packed full of familiar faces which make the characters all the more endeering. This film has to be among my personal favorites almost solely on the merits of a classic comedic performance from Crispin Glover. His portrayal of nerdy misfit "Archie Feld" remains for me one of the most unforgetable and entertaining characters I've seen on screen. For those of you who didn't get enough of (Michael J.)Fox and Glover in "Back to the Future" you'll find more gut busting antics from the Duo here. High School USA is a hidden gem in American "High School" genre films and you will certainly enjoy this warm "hero wins the girl" adventure.

Mike K. update 12/2/2002: OK just watched High School USA again for the first time since my review 12 years ago. It's still not a great film,but it is fun and i'll give it a break since its a TV movie. It's actually neat to see so many 80's TV actors in one place (and no less than 4 from Leave it to Beaver!). Not much of a story: rich,preppy A-hole (Edwards) has sweet,cute girlfriend (McKeon) that nice,funny normal guy (Fox) likes. Fox and Edwards make a bet on a car race that will somehow determine who is the coolest guy in school and most likely win over sweet girl McKeon. whatever. Crispin Glover actually has more screen time than anyone but Michael J Fox. Crispin & Michael Zorek provide most of the comedy as Fox's loser friends. I'll raise my movie review to a 6 and add another point for Glover/Zorek to make my final grade a 7.Zep