Summer School (1987)

"Enough of this safe and sane garbage, it's time for dumb and dangerous!" - Chainsaw

A highschool gym teacher works with a group of failing students.
Starring: Mark Harmon, Dean Cameron, Courtney Thorne-Smith, and Kirstie Alley

Link to IMDB

School's out for the summer and everyone is ready to hit the Californian beaches, everyone except for the laid-back gym teacher Freddy Shoop because he's been forced into teaching English for the summer by the arrogant Vice Principal Gills. Shoop's feeling bummed-out and clueless about the job, but at least he can flirt with his beautiful co-worker, Robin.

The students he'll be teaching are a small bunch of unmotivated misfits that have very little interest in education, and hate being stuck in school on their vacation time.
Shoop is just as bored as they are with English studies, so he starts taking them on field trips to the amusement park or chilling at the beach. Shoop fits right in with the student's lack of responsibility and everyone's having a good time.



When VP Gills hears about these trips he threatens to fire Shoop, but the men come to an agreement instead. If Shoop takes the job seriously and gets every kid to pass, Gills will give him tenure next year. The students aren't too pleased with having to work, but in order to save Shoop's job (and maybe learn a thing or two,) they agree to cooperate if Shoop will also help them with their personal problems. Shoop is determined, so Robin begins tutoring him on how to teach.
Everyone is learning something!

Pam                                            Robin                                   VP Gills

"Inside every so-called bad kid is a good kid just waiting for someone to reach down through
the sleaze and slime, pick him up and hose him off." - Shoop

This is still the first half, so more happens here than what you might expect from the premise. The movie has a fun, free spirited vibe to it, never taking itself too seriously, but it thankfully refrains from being a smutty screwball comedy. The whole situation plays out in a believable manner, and all of the characters feel realistic.
The main kids are Chainsaw, Dave and Pam, and as they become more and more of a problem in Shoop's personal life he starts to realize that maybe the whole teaching thing is not for him.

Dave and Chainsaw

As I mentioned, there are some unexpected developments later in the movie but the good vibes aren't fully abandoned. It might be a low brow 80's teen comedy, but it's handled far better than most of the genre and has some real heart. The movie's not trying to be profound, it's just an entertaining cool beach breeze, effortlessly gliding over a rum ham.

Be sure not to miss:
- I think I had some Cool Dude sunglasses when I was young.
- The dog's name is Wondermutt.
- The kid who spends six weeks in the bathroom is Duane Davis.
- Chainsaw's alarm clock. 

Internet review:
"It's at least a B- or a C+. But hey, that's a passing grade." - Tanner

Should I watch it?
Good for a relaxing comedy night.

Where can I find it?
Links here. (vidzi)

Summer School gets...