Common Sense Note
Parents should know that though the main characters are supposed to be in high school, they deal with very adult issues: drug use, sex, abortions, poverty, homosexuality, and the extreme pressure of intense competition. There is some female upper-body nudity and there's lots of cursing. But through it all, what viewers learn is what it's like to come of age in a big city with lots of talent and make mistakes.
Families can talk about healthy ways to pursue their dreams and how to recover from poor judgment that gets you in trouble. The film is a great opportunity to open a dialogue with mature teens about the stresses they face, including pressure to do drugs, drink, and have sex. How do they respond? How do they protect themselves? Are there adults, parents, and others, that they would turn to if they made a mistake?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Heather Boerner
When Britney Spears shaved her head and had a public meltdown, people were perplexed. But maybe they wouldn't be if they watched FAME. After all, this revered dance movie is about hard-working, ambitious, and talented teens who grow up too fast and make big, public mistakes.
Fame follows five 15-year-olds -- the ambitious Coco (Irene Cara), the inventive Bruno (Lee Curreri), the sheltered Doris (Maureen Teefy), the erratic Ralph (Barry Miller), and the melancholy Montgomery (Paul McCrane) -- as they grow up and graduate from the High School for the Performing Arts in New York City. Along the way, they develop their personal identities, take risks, fall in love for the first time, have sex, and reach for the stars.
As a teen movie, Fame is more like its contemporary, Fast Times at Ridgemont High than any of the teen movies released today. It doesn't pander. It doesn't play the sex scenes for their own sake. It takes these teens' lives seriously, and is refreshing in that way. Fame, of course, is not just a character study in coming-of-age. It's chock full of memorable and joyous musical scenes. For lovers of dance movies, there's nothing better than watching the students practice their leaps, jetees, and ballet toe dancing. But it's even better when, free of the constraints of teachers and class and technique, the students burst with youthful joy in pure movement. Numbers "Hot Lunch" and "Fame" are by far the highlights of this part of the film.
Viewers who enjoy this film may also want to consider other musicals like Flashdance, A Chorus Line, The Rose, Footloose, and some modern classics like Save the Last Dance and Center Stage.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentConsiderable sexual innuendo and sexual behavior, though mostly off-screen. It's implied that Doris loses her virginity to Ralph. LeRoy and Hillary have sex, resulting in Hillary having an abortion. Doris' mom talks about Doris "getting knocked up." LeRoy dances provocatively. Montgomery talks about being gay and having a crush on his therapist. Some kissing between LeRoy and Hillary and Ralph and Doris. Coco takes her shirt off for a screen test. Boys peep at the girls' locker room and catch girls without their shirts on. |
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ViolenceLeRoy carries several knives. Later, when he's caught not being able to read, he leaves the room, punches through glass and destroys a library. Bruno's dad and a truck driver get in a fistfight. Ralph mocks Montgomery for being gay. Lisa attempts suicide by almost jumping in front of a subway train. Ralph's sister is attacked off-screen by a junkie. |
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LanguageConsiderable salty language, including "s--t," "ass," several permutations of "f--k," "goddamn," "tits," "bitch," and "motherf--ker." Ralph calls Montgomery a "faggot." |
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Social BehaviorThe film showcases a diverse and talented student body, but students are also at the mercy of predatory adults and don't always behave well. Ralph changes his name from Raul and masquerades as white. Ralph swears in church and at a priest after his sister is attacked. LeRoy flips off his teacher. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoRalph and Doris smoke pot during a movie; Ralph uses unspecified drugs and drinks after his comedy shows. |
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