All the Right Moves (1983)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Michael Chapman

Writers:

Pat Jordan (article)
Michael Kane (written by)

Release Date:

21 October 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

He had a dream but the dream had begun to sour...busting to break out he had to make...

Plot:

A high school footballer desperate for a scholarship and his headstrong coach clash in a dying Pennsylvania steel town.

Plot Keywords:

Pennsylvania | Coach | High School | Scholarship | High School Football

Cast

Tom Cruise	...	Stefen Djordjevic
Craig T. Nelson	...	Nickerson
Lea Thompson	...	Lisa
Charles Cioffi	...	Pop
Gary Graham	...	Greg
Paul Carafotes	...	Salvucci
Chris Penn	...	Brian (as Christopher Penn)
Sandy Faison	...	Suzie
James A. Baffico	...	Bosko
Mel Winkler	...	Jess Covington
Walter Briggs	...	Rifleman
George Betor	...	Tank
Leon	...	Shadow (as Leon Robinson)
Jonas Chaka	...	Mouse (as Jonas C. Miller)
Keith Diamond	...	Fox (as Keith Ford)

Also Known As:

All Right

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Australia:M | Iceland:L | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #27119) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Conemaugh, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Lucille Ball Productions

Trivia:

The director wanted 'Lea Thompson' and Tom Cruise to go undercover to remember what high school was like. They went to separate schools, and while Cruise was spotted after just one day because someone recognized him from Taps (1981), Thompson went four days, was asked out by many guys and got caught smoking.

Goofs:

Continuity: Stefan takes his plaid shirt off twice in the locker room before practice.

Quotes:

Steff: He didn't quit.
Nickerson: What did you say?
Steff: Salvucci, he didn't quit. None of us quit. I don't know. We beat those guys asses up and down that field tonight! We got nothing to be ashamed of, right? Isn't that right? Maybe the scoreboard doesn't say it, but we won that game. We held them. It was just a fluke. That's all. It's just a fluke.
Nickerson: A fluke? That pass-interference penalty was no fluke. If you had done it the way I taught you, they never would've been down there in the first place, and they never would've scored, and we would've won that game! You're just as responsible as he is.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Spin City: All the Wrong Moves (#5.8)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

Mr. Popularity

Knows highs nor lows

The most noteworthy thing about this movie, and probably the only reason why it's still around, is that it has Tom Cruise in one of his earliest starring roles. Aside from that, there isn't really much to it. It's not bad I guess, but it's just all so plain and mediocre except for some of the acting. This script is one of the most predictable things ever written and just hums by with no surprises of any sort. You can't bring a lot of variation within the formula of a small town drama, but for the love of God, try a little. Often it just really needs to get to the point, because things get pretty boring if you already know the ending an hour beforehand. The raw, realistic filming style of the movie is in fact pretty good and really expresses desperation, but it just doesn't make the story any more interesting. As far as very young Tom Cruise goes, it's "Risky Business" all the way.