Lucas (1986)
Grade: 51
"Lucas" is an intelligently written and directed film that somehow misses the mark. Much of it is painful to watch, and many of the supporting characters aren't credible.
Corey Haim is the title character, a 14 year old nerdy genius "accelerated" into high school. Haim is unwilling to accepted his designated place in the HS pecking order, and tries desperately to win the love of pretty new-in-town Kerri Green, ignoring the advances of adrogynous young Wynona Ryder (her film debut). While Green values Haim as a friend, she is in love with good-guy jock Charlie Sheen, who already has a lovely girlfriend (Courtney Thorne-Smith).
Ryder, Sheen and Courtney Thorne-Smith (of "Melrose Place") went on to become stars, but not due to this film. No wonder, since their characters all have problems. Ryder is there only to follow Haim around and get rejected by him. It isn't apparent why she is in love with Haim, whose chief interest outside of Green is collecting bugs and salamanders. I can marginally accept Sheen's character as as self-effacing, but his frequent role as protector to Haim seems unlikely. Thorne-Smith is present only to be jealous of Green, and hateful towards her. For good measure, I don't like the football coach either. He is a collosal jerk, and his behavior and decisions would get him fired in real life.
I am not implying that a film has to be pleasant or fun to be good, but "Lucas" is simply painful to watch. Haim is easily identified with, and his endless setbacks and humiliations are all too real to anyone who merely endured high school. A happy ending is artificially pasted on.
An interesting film, and I can see how others would view the film more favorably than I did.
http://members.tripod.com/~Brian_Koller/movies.html
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