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Carlos Nunez (Jay Hernandez) is an ambitious and moral Mexican student who dreams of going to
the U.S. Naval Academy and becoming a pilot. Everything he does is intended to get him closer to his goal until he meets Nicole, a fellow student. Nicole (Kirsten Dunst) is
the rebellious, troubled daughter of Congressman Tom Oakley (Bruce Davison), bent on her own self-destruction. Feeling unloved and unwanted at home, Nicole is the "good time"
girl who indulges in alcohol, drugs, and promiscuous sex. By falling for Nicole and following her in her path of self-gratification, Carlos risks throwing away his bright
future. Can he keep his priorities and his moral standards? Can a poor boy from the other side of the tracks find happiness with a rich problematic girl?
The poor-boy-meets-rich-girl plot may be trite and tired but in this movie, the lead
characters give it new life. Kirsten Dunst in her portrayal of the bad girl from a broken home brings skill and a lot of convincing emotion to the role. Also, she can be
sexually provocative without baring herself. (Note: Nudity is not necessary to tell a story or portray a character.) Carlos is her exact opposite. Coming from a poor and loving family, he exudes charismatic decency. Amidst teenage misbehavior, it is refreshing to see a character like Carlos, a young man with a dream, who is willing to work hard to attain it. Even if this is Jay Hernandez's first full feature role, he gives it a quiet strength by understating it. Although they come from entirely different worlds, there is potent chemistry between the teenage sweethearts. The photography gives a good sense of Los Angeles, California, and of the great physical distances involved. The music helps create the appropriate atmosphere for certain situations. Some scenes are melodramatic.
The film is heavily charged with sexuality. It gives a matter-of-fact treatment of pre-marital
and promiscuous sex, shown graphically. In addition, it depicts other forms of immoral and irresponsible teenage behavior: disregard for authority, cutting classes, the use of
vulgar language, the abuse of alcohol and drugs. All of these can send wrong signals to very young viewers who might think these are acceptable because they are done by
teenagers who are well-off and "in the know". Because of the strong impact of these negative aspects, viewers of this film should have a certain degree of maturity and be at
least 14 years old. What positive values does the film offer? When we see a loved one going wayward, we can't just stand by and let that person self-destruct. Sincere love is
willing to sacrifice and to bring about change for the better, even in what seems unchangeable. But we must also be wary and careful for ourselves because keeping company with
the misguided might affect us negatively. As the Good Book says, "Bad company corrupts good character." (I Corinthians 15:33)
(Date reviewed: August 24, 2001)
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