Watch The Last American Virgin
- R
- 1982
- 1 hr 32 min
-
6.3 (10,032)
The Last American Virgin, a coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Boaz Davidson, was released in 1982. The film stars Lawrence Monoson as Gary, a high school student who is hopelessly in love with his best friend Karen (Diane Franklin). Gary spends most of his time hanging out with his two best friends, Rick (Steve Antin) and David (Joe Rubbo), and dreaming about Karen.
The film opens with a shot of Gary, Rick, and David cruising around in Gary's car, looking for girls. They eventually pick up two girls, Carmela (Louise Goffin) and Rose (Kimmy Robertson), and take them to a party. While there, Gary is introduced to Karen, a new student at their school. He is immediately smitten with her, but she seems more interested in Rick.
The rest of the film follows Gary's attempts to win Karen's heart, while at the same time, dealing with his feelings of jealousy toward Rick. Along the way, he tries a number of different tactics, including buying her gifts and even taking her on a date to a fancy restaurant. None of these work, however, and Karen continues to see Rick, even though he is a player who has no real interest in her.
As Gary's frustration with Karen and Rick builds, he begins to spend more time with Rose, one of the girls he met at the party. They start to develop a genuine connection, and Rose begins to fall for Gary. Despite this, Gary remains focused on Karen and continues to pursue her.
The film takes a dark turn when Karen reveals that she is pregnant, and Rick, the father, has abandoned her. Gary steps in to try and help her, offering to pay for her abortion and even going with her to the clinic. Despite his kindness, Karen still chooses to go back to Rick, leaving Gary heartbroken.
The Last American Virgin is notable for its frank treatment of teenage sexuality and drug use. The characters in the film are all flawed in their own ways, and the film does not shy away from depicting their mistakes and poor decisions. The film's frank depiction of abortion was also groundbreaking for its time.
Overall, The Last American Virgin is a bittersweet and honest portrayal of teenage life. Despite its flaws, the film remains a classic of the 1980s coming-of-age genre, and its themes of love, jealousy, and friendship still resonate with audiences today.