JOHNNY BE GOOD
US, 1988, 91 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Michael Hall, Robert Downey Jr, Paul Gleeson, Uma Thurman, John Pankow, Seymour Cassell.
Directed by Bud Smith.
Johnny Be Good is a film about high school students, college opportunities, sports scholarships. It is the kind of film that has its cake and eats it. While it moralises on the worldly opportunities given to students and the effect that this has on them, it indulges itself in showing what the perks are, in terms of wine, women, money.
Anthony Michael Hall (from several of John Hughes' films including 16 Candles, Breakfast Club) is the football champion. Robert Downey Junior gives a variation on his buddy performances as Leo. The film introduces Uma Thurman (Dangerous Liaisons, Baron Munchausen).
The film makes its point about the colleges, their ambitions, their use of money to ensure top football players. It also shows the power of corruption. In this moralising film, needless to say, Johnny makes a stand at the end.
1. Youth comedy? Teenagers and school? Relationships? Careers and scholarships? The world of sport and professional football?
2. The American town, the American family, relationships? High schools and possibilities? College and possibilities? The razzamatazz and exploitation of the colleges?
3. The title, the song reference, musical score, range of songs?
4. Johnny Walker, his skill in playing football? His fans in the town? Friendship with Leo? Relationship with his parents and their sensible attitude? His coach and his demands? The invitations from the various schools? The coach as an agent pressurising him? His relationship with Georgia, the clash with her policeman father? Love for Georgia, her belief in him? His going out of town, Texas and the Texan style, the barbecue, the girls, the striptease and its effect on him? His going out with Tex's wife, the floodlights in the stadium? The pressures on the family from Texas? The other invitations? California, the world of commercials, contracts, promotion, exploitation? Johnny and his desire for perks? His change of dress, change of attitude? Going to the local coach and his straight talking? Georgia and her suspicions and hurt? His family, the children and their reaction, his parents? Leo and the set-up, the girls, the police coming, the blackmail for pressurising him? The coach bailing him out of jail? The finale, the footballers, their choices? Johnny's taking a stand, his public confession, going to the coach and playing for the home team? Temptation and redemption?
5. Leo, his friendship, sharing Johnny's perspective, helping him, Georgia? His setting him up in the motel? His embarrassment, change of heart? Support of Johnny?
6. Georgia, her father the policeman, his wanting to catch Johnny, his later vindictiveness? Georgia, her work, love for Johnny, hurt by his behaviour? Happy ending?
7. The family, his mother and her wisdom? His grandfather and the fishing? The pressure from interstate? The happy ending?
8. The coach, financial deals, pressure, big businessmen? The coach of the local college and his straight talking?
9. The razzamatazz, Tex and his wife, life in Texas, wining and dining the footballers? Women and sex? The Californian experience and commercials?
10. The touches of humour, the coach and his wife and her party, the raid? The teenagers, the other football candidates?
11. Comedy, serious, exploitation, moralising?
