TIJUANA (LOSIN' IT)

US, 1983, 104 minutes, Colour.
Shelley Long, Tom Cruise, Jackie Earl Haley, John Stockwell.
Directed by Curtis Hanson.

Tijuana (Losin' It) is one of many youth-oriented films of the early '80s. However, this one has something more to it than mere exploitation. It dramatises sexual preoccupations among Southern Californian adolescents in the early '60s ? and takes them for their affluent background down to the Mexican border and Tijuana, a city especially geared towards visiting Americans who want to go to nightclubs, gambling, brothels etc. The screenplay makes the Mexicans take a dim view of American treatment of Tijuana. (Publicity for the film noted that Tijuana has changed since the '60s and Mexican authorities have been trying to clean it up.)

The film was written by B.W.L.Naughton, author of a number of screenplays including More American Graffiti, which he directed. He is able to capture the types of adolescents of the early '60s period? the pleasant hero, the surly young man, the self-consciously vain and ignorant show-off. They are all portrayed very well by the young cast. The film also has the advantage of a performance by Shelley Long as an attractive runaway wife. The film is quite good of its kind, and has its heart in the right place. The title Losin' It was used for export purposes outside the United States. (Tom Cruise and director Curtis Hanson were not yet as famous as they were to become.)

1. The title and the focus on Tijuana? (The overseas title and sexual exploitation?) The film as a piece of Americana, youth-oriented, the presentation of adolescence, sex, rites of initiation? Entertaining? Exploitive?

2. Glossy production values: southern California. the Mexican border. the city of Tijuana and its atmosphere? The sleazy atmosphere, the real-life behind the facade? Tijuana as an imagined city ? in the imaginations of Americans visiting? The musical score, songs ? touches of local music? The raucous style?

3. The journey framework of the film? The group of boys going, their being bound together in the plan? The collage of them getting up and getting dressed, looking at themselves in the mirror, setting the tone for their journey? The experience, the return learning? A message with a light touch?

4. A piece of Americana, affluent young Americans. responsibility and irresponsibility. attitudes towards sex? Exploitive attitude towards Mexico? Creating Tijuana? The anti-Mexican tone of aspects of the film, anti-American?

5. The background of the school, jokes, Wendell selling essays etc.? Relationship with the girls and the nice girls saying no? The sport sequences? Punishment and detention etc.? A background of credibility to the journey to Tijuana?

6. The theme of the peer group, peer pressure, code and the buddy system? Its operating in the school, in Tijuana as each helped the other?

7. Themes of rights of passage, sexuality, virginity? Sexuality as real and as imagined? The innocent Woody, Dave as a vain lair, spider and his moodiness? The precocious Wendell going along for the ride? A cross-section of young Americans? The preparation, the macho style and talk, regarding themselves in the mirror? Ignorance - the jokes about Spanish Fly? Going to the brothels and Dave eager for the first one? Being taken in by all the tricks of the brothel keepers, the different girls upstairs etc.? The pick of the girls? The reaction of each in the brothel? Dave and his pranks with the fireworks? Dave and his big talk, troubles, yelling? The repercussions on each? The contrast with Woody and his talk with the prostitute, his going downstairs and meeting Spider, meeting Kathy? The contrast with the older generation: the police, pimps, the hustlers and the girls?

8. The American background: affluent southern California. the American presumptions? The reactions of the Mexicans ? the police, the exploiters, the Mexican adolescents and their condemnation?

9. The trip, and the return, were they wiser or not? The interlude in Kathy's shop? The incidental nature of the argument and its becoming part of the main theme? Kathy and her husband arguing, the boys shoplifting, Woody leaving the money behind? Kathy's sudden leaving, accompanying the boys? Her reaction to each of them ? and the audience sharing her point of view? Her becoming part of the plot?

10. Kathy as an interesting character for the adult audience? The farce of the argument and her leaving. her plans for a divorce, the quick-talking Mexican authority and her getting the divorce, her throwing her ring in the pool ? and rushing to rescue it from the scavengers, the bar and her drinking, experiencing the hustlers? Her antagonism towards Spider? Her tolerance of Dave? Attracted towards Woody? The conversation with Woody and reassuring him? Their walking together through the real town, talk about romance, their drinking, her need and his need? The motel, the shyness? The sexual initiation? Kathy's motives, her tenderness, her discovering her husband ? and the shock of her reaction to seeing him? Her returning to him and the final kissing of Woody?

11. Woody as hero, wanting to go to Tijuana, peer pressure, the awkward clean-cut young man? His behaviour with the others? Leaving payment for the shoplifted goods? Reaction to the prostitutes, to the brothel? His backing out and the prostitute being kind to him? The talk with Kathy, talking with her, romance? The initiation? The discovery of Spider in jail, he and Kathy working for his release, promising the car, the chase by the police? The average American hero ? no more, no less?

12. Spider and his dour and surly style, getting up, vanity. punishment, running from the football field? Going to the brothel in a businesslike way, his encounter with the prostitute? His growing surliness, the clash with the police officer, going to the bars, the brawls with the military, his antagonism, being put in prison. being bashed by the large prisoner, the clash with the military men and the prisoner protecting him, being bailed out? The loner with the chip on his shoulder and lack of interest from his parents?

13. Dave and his being set up, his vanity in the mirror, his sock (and the jokes about his virility. being charged extra by the prostitute, having to show the sock to the border police, brashness, loud and crude. his pride in his car. the man about town and the girls, his ignorance about Spanish Fly and the encounter with the pharmacist, trying to put the Spanish Fly in the girl's drink, the Mexican young man attacking him for trying to seduce his sister, the car being given to the policeman, his being humiliated? on the hook, the fire? The return and his car being taken to pieces? His finally throwing his hat away?

14. Wendell as the wheeler-dealer, money. selling essays, wanting to buy the fireworks, his wisdom, minding the car, his driving and rescuing them? His future as an American businessman ? on the shady side?

15. The Mexican boys, the reaction to Dave's attitude towards the girls, their chasing him, humiliating him with the hook? The chase?

16. The police and harassment, the bribe, his taking the car, the chase? Unable to pursue them across the border? The drug dealers, the pharmacists, the car dealers?

17. Tijuana as a symbol of the sleaziness of American exploitation and the Mexican response?

18. For what audience was the film made, for what response? Enjoyment, reflection?