Quite awhile back I made the proud acquisition of Fast Times at Ridgemont High on DVD. I kept it in the wrapper until just Friday night, when I finally watched it again after having not seen it in probably more than a decade. Not only would I imagine this movie still resonates with teenagers today, but it still resonates with me as a nearly 38 year old man.

I think no matter how old we get, as long as we work, we will be Judge Reinhold's character of Brad Hamilton. The part of this movie I really couldn't wait to see again was the part where the customer makes a scene about getting a refund on his $2.75 breakfast. "You've cost me enough time, you moron! It says right there, 100% guaranteed!"

"If you don't shut up I'm going to kick 100% of your ass!" And of course poor Brad gets fired while the loudmouth customer gives him a smug "gotcha" sneer. This is certainly a snapshot of the life of anyone in customer service.

Then how about when Brad is taking a delivery to IBM, and his boss demands he wear his pirate uniform in public? At Fitzsimmons we have to talk to the employees of Orange Computers a lot, and at their stores their techs are called "Orange Einsteins." Grown men in their 40's working in shopping malls, having to ridiculously introduce themselves as Orange Einsteins to make a living. Does this have any more dignity than wearing a pirate uniform? Barely at best.

And then there's Jeff Spicoli, played by Sean Penn (as though I had to remind you). When Brad suggests Spicoli think about getting a job and Spicoli says, "All I need are a cool buzz, some tasty waves, and I'm fine," I realized Jeff Spicoli has probably been my idol for years. Who wouldn't want to be this guy? Happy-go-lucky, not quite sentient enough to worry about anything, squeaking through life on a carpet of never ending dumb luck, satisfied with the simplest of pleasures. God, I want to be this guy instead of the Brad I am! (As an aside...why couldn't Sean Penn be more like Spicoli in real life, instead of the stuffy, arrogant dickhead he is?)

My favorite part, though, is Mike Damone offering advice on how to pick up chicks. I think this actor, Robert Romanus, really upstaged everyone in the movie, playing everything from comedy to drama, from laughable shyster to despicable slug within an hour and a half. Looking him up on IMDB I see he's probably been busier than any other alumni of the movie, but in lower-profile roles. His first role after Fast Times was on Days of Our Lives. This demonstrates the importance of picking the right roles and being careful about capitalizing on success. Robert Romanus should've been a far bigger name.

By the way, this movie is also famous for featuring Phoebe Cates' 18 year old breasts. Upon reading about this movie I discovered Cates was in a movie prior to this called Paradise that could've been titled Two Hours of Phoebe Cates Naked Under a Waterfall. Hmm...might have to search that one out sometime.

Anyhow, great movie to revisit. I believe this weekend's selection will be Sixteen Candles.