Homework

The dirty little secret about a lot of teen sex comedies of the ‘80s is they weren’t really all that dirty.  Hidden underneath all that crass marketing and titillating trailers were subtle coming-of-age stories exploring the sometimes comic, sometimes tragic details of teenage life.  The Last American Virgin, Little Darlings and, most famously, Fast Times at Ridgemont High were all far more thoughtful and emotional than critics at the time gave them credit for.  And 1982’s Homework, casting a pre-Dynasty Joan Collins as the sexual mentor for her daughter’s boyfriend, falls into the same category.

 

Tommy (Michael Morgan) and his group of friends are suffering from a variety of sexual frustrations:  Lisa is obsessed with a trendy rock star, Gilles is a horny French exchange student, Mix is an on-the-make lothario, Cookie is a curious choir girl and Ralph has it bad for their young French teacher.  The film bounces between each story as the gang forms a band to try and  impress a local scout at the high school talent show.

 

If you’re wondering where Joan Collins character, Diana, fits into all this, you’re not alone.  At the very least, the poster isn’t misleading; she does ogle Tommy’s firm rump as he politely helps her hang a painting…and she does help him with his nagging virginity problem.  But Collins is merely a background player in a film that crudely splices in dream sequences and flashbacks to increase the T & A  ratio (Collin’s own sex scene is performed by a very obvious body double).  

 

Like a lot of sex comedies from the day, Homework is torn between its artistic and exploitation tendencies.  It’s not exactly a classic even when it’s in top form, but there’s a gritty authenticity to the photography and some real emotion in the performances.  The similarities to Fast Times (which came out later the same year) are remarkable.  It just can’t strike the same balance of carpe diem debauchery and bruised expectations.

 

Big props to Unearthed Films giving people a chance to change their minds about Homework’s legacy in the pantheon of ’80s teen smut.  An archival interview with producer Max Rosenberg answers all the questions you might have in forthright fashion.  He doesn’t shy away from the quality of the film or the scandal that surrounded it (Collins, Carrie Snodgress and Lee Purcell all sued to have their credits removed).  A promotional gallery and slipcover are included as well.

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