A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon

1988
R
1h 30m

IMDb RATING

5.5/10

3.2K

YOUR RATING

River Phoenix, Meredith Salenger, Ione Skye, and Louanne in A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon (1988)

Home Video Trailer from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Play trailer0:31

1 Video

34 Photos

Comedy Drama Romance

A charming womanizer must find a way to get $80 to elope to Hawaii with his one true love, or else go to his father's chosen business school.A charming womanizer must find a way to get $80 to elope to Hawaii with his one true love, or else go to his father's chosen business school.A charming womanizer must find a way to get $80 to elope to Hawaii with his one true love, or else go to his father's chosen business school.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.5/10

3.2K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination

Trivia
River Phoenix was reportedly embarrassed by his role in this film, as it marketed him as a teen heartthrob. Phoenix wanted to be taken more seriously as an actor, not a celebrity.

Goofs
When Jimmy and Fred eat at the diner, "Just One Look" is playing. The film is set in 1962; "Just One Look" was released in 1963.

Quotes
Lisa Bentwright: [unzipping Jimmy's pants] Jimmy, Jimmy, can I see it?
Lisa Bentwright: Won't something happen?
Jimmy Reardon: Not if I don't want it to.
Lisa Bentwright: It looks funny.
Jimmy Reardon: Do you wanna hurt its feelings?

Crazy credits
The movie's working title "A Night In The Life Of Jimmy Reardon", is as it suggests; however, the opening credit introduces the viewer to a movie called "Jimmy Reardon."

Alternate versions
This movie was heavily cut by the studio, resulting in two different versions, both of which have been effectively disowned by director William Richert. The non-US print resembles his original vision most clearly, with an Elmer Bernstein score and five extra songs on the soundtrack. Richert has recently revealed that he has recently acquired four and a half minutes of extra footage which makes the lead character deeper and easier to sympathise with. He is planning to release a new cut of the film under its source material's original title: 'Aren't You Even Going To Kiss Me Goodbye?'.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: 29th Street/Highlander 2: The Quickening/Billy Bathgate/Year of the Gun (1991)

Soundtracks
I'm a Man
Written and Performed by Bo Diddley
Courtesy of MCA Records
Copyright Arc Music (BMI)

User reviews24

Review

Featured review

5/10

Revenge of the 80's: River Phoenix superstar!

A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon (1988) was another starring vehicle for River Phoenix. The film is filled with a lot of teen stars that paraded around on the silver screen during the eighties. But unlike the teen comedies of today, these were rated R are just rated that way to get more of their core viewers. This was a great era for River Phoenix. He was starring like in every other big production that came out of Hollywood. But like all the stars, they eventually come down hard and River Phoenix was no exception.

The movie is about the life of a wild teen. He has all sorts of adventures and conquests. His home life is also a battlefield. Dealing with his absent father and girlfriend take a toll on his personal life as well as his school life. That is also a problem. At his age many kids are at a crossroads on what to do with their adult life. Go to school or get a job like his old man. What is a rapscallion like Jimmy going to do? Until that one wild night comes and passes.

Just another run-of-the-mill teen comedy from the eighties. Except this one's a River Phoenix starring vehicle. Nothing more, nothing less.

Recommended for fans of eighties films.