Summer School
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Summer School
Directed by: Carl Reiner
Music Composed by: Danny Elfman
Starring: Mark Harmon, Kirstie Alley, Courtney Thorne-Smith
Released July 22, 1987
Budget: couldn't find a budget
Box Office: $35.7M ($84.6M 2021), all domestic.
Ratings: IMDb 6.6/10 Rotten Tomatoes 63%
Metacritic 27% Google Users 87%
Plot:
Opens with an 80's beach scene, big hair and high bathing suits. To highschool and what's obviously the last day of school. Cleaning out lockers, signing yearbooks, turning in books. On officer is going around handing out slips of paper to random students. In the gym, Mark Harman explaining the best way to evaluate students is to evaluate themselves. The vice principal addresses all the students who received slips, and they failed an academic test, and they can re-take the test after going to summer school. Countdown to the end of school, and everyone celebrates and runs out. A faculty member wins the lotto, and tells the vice-pricipal he's not teaching summer school. He starts chasing down other faculty to teach, and ends with Shoop. He's blackmailed into teaching by hanging tenure over his head. Shoops girlfriend decides to go to Hawaii without him. In his new class room, Kristie Alleys Robin Bishop calls Shoops name-drawing cute, and he calls her cute; they introduce themselves and chat about his scary students. He immediately begins to hit on her. He arrives in his class and we start to meet the students. Chainsaw takes his keys, plays the hot/cold game; and they start cursing. Bishop interrupts and suggests using obscene gestures.Jerome goes to the bathroom after threatening him if he doesn't pass, he loses all control, and the class ends. He starts trying to hit on Bishop again, and shes not biting; she then confirms date plans with the Vice Principal.
S:
-Do you get tenure in high school?
-Killer 80's vibe
-The 80's overacting is a little rough
-His gf JUST left to hawaii without him, and now he's hitting on Kristie Alley? ALSO, how much would tickets to hawaii cost? Nevermind accommodations... I'd be super pissed if someone were just like, "nope, you can't go".
-Mark Harmon looks like a wish.com version of Tom Cruise
-You'd think there would be rules against teachers dating administrators
Denise is taking her drivers test, and is terrible. Chainsaw and Dave are going through photos... "Check out this composition, round muffin, square butter, triangular bush..." Rhonda signs up for lamaze classes, and Pam stares at the ocean. The exchange student arrives. As Shoop looks through rules, he sees book reports and suggests they leave and go to the library. On the way, some sneak off and Dave and Chainsaw hit on Anna-Maria. In the library, they do a compelling review of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The students were caught getting donuts, and Pam trying to surf. While looking for ideas what to do, they decide to take field trips. They all forge their parents signature, and cut to a montage of go cart racing, roller coasters. Chainsaw and Dave give it another review. Next a petting zoo, where Shoops shirt is chewed on, and Chainsaw and Dave show their affinity for horror make up with rabbits eating their face. Anna-Maria is grossed out, but she loves it. Next, on request, is a beach field trip...and Anna-Maria in a bathing suit seems to break Dave. Montage of a volleyball game. Alans grandmother turns them in for the field trips and Shoop is almost suspended until he and Gills make an agreement that if he can get all students to pass, Gills will forget the field trips. He comes back, dressed up and very serious, tells them about the deal he made with Gills. Alan suggests he grant everyone one wish, and they'll try and study. They go around and say what they want, and they shake on the deal. Shoop goes to Bishop and asks her how to teach. They're shown lesson planning, Bishop giving advice, and she leaves. Back in class, Shoop engages with the kids, using Bishops advice, and it works. On the football field Shoop is helping Kevin, then, going to lamaze class with Rhonda, in the car, he lets Denise drive, while driving Chainsaw and Dave, who protest her driving. She makes progress. Next, a party at Shoops house. Kevin hits on Rhonda. Pam asks if he's ever done anything with a student...and theres not much difference between 16 and 21. Shoop doesn't bite, and goes back to the party. Dave throws a firework, which Wondermutt retrieves and sets the couch on fire. Which ends the party.
S:
-Should be pregnant girl be driving a go cart?
-Think they could objectify Anna-Maria like that today?
-The whole "grant wishes" thing crosses MANY boundaries that would be problematic today
-I like Shoop wearing the bowling shirt
-Man, the party at Shoops house. Wow. How crazy/dangerous
-I noticed Chainsaw wearing the 'eat the rich' shirt... Didn't realize that sentiment has been around that long
Chainsaw and Dave caught drinking on the beach, and Shoop tells the police it's his...and he's arrested. He calls Bishop for help, and Gills answers. Bishop convinces him to go bail Shoop out. They talk about the optics of him being arrested, and he tries to explain he's turning it around. Shoop has a reflective talk with wondermutt and about finding a woman. Shoop is shown at a male strip club when he recognizes Larry, and they chat about if Shoop could be 17 again knowing what he knew now. Shoop agrees. Chainsaw and Dave give a speech about Rick Baker, and how they appreciate him very very very... Much. Pam obviously admires Shoop. Denise talks about her ex-boyfriend. Pam is waiting at Shoops house, her wish is to move in with him. After some cajoling, he agrees... which turns out to be her whole family. Watching texas chainsaw massacre in the class. They get a box of Cool Dude sunglasses because of Chainsaws letter. Denise asks for help from Alan with her letter, which Alan notices something wrong and gives it to Shoop. Kevin asks Rhonda out, and they agree to lamaze class together. Shoop shows the letter to Bishop who tells him she's dyslexic, and he continues to hit on her. Denise goes for another driving test, as does Chainsaw with Shoops car. Denise parallel parks, Chainsaw isn't doing so well, and wrecks the car. Denise passed her test. Shoop tells her to pay him back, she needs to see a specialist for dyslexia. Chainsaw arrives with the bumper. Pam has cooked an elaborate meal, and Bishop drops by, Pam is acting very... couple-y, calls him Freddy. Bishop calls him out for having a maid. Shoop explains the situation using surfing metaphors, and she gets upset and leaves. In class, Larry is awake, turns in his homework, and explains how he was caught by his mom and aunt. In court, Dave explains how he got the alcohol, with a fake ID of a black vietnam vet. Bishop speaks for Shoop, and the judge drops the charges, and dismisses the case. Gills tells Shoop he's reporting him and the kids are losers like him, Bishop hears this and tells him off.
S:
-Tucker would you let someone go like that?
-Would you want to be 17 again?
-Pam living with Shoop... Come on: Mark Harmon was 36 when he made this movie. Courtney Thorne-Smith was 20.
-Driving instructor isn't wearing a seat belt
-The whole dinner scene is creepy... considering age difference
Back in class, Shoop asks for some extra work to pass the test. They push back, wanting more, which pisses Shoop off. He tells them to drop out and be illiterate and leaves. He tells Bishop he's quitting, and she tries to change his mind. Gills takes over the class; he tells them to read chapter 7 again, and they begin to hum to annoy him. He tells them not to act like psychopaths tomorrow, or they'll be sorry. Gills is walking with a woman who says she's only been in grammar school, and looks forward to the change... Cue Denise coming out of the class screaming, covered in blood. They enter to a gore fest... Chainsaw and Dave come running in with running chainsaws and Gills is very mad. The woman tells him shes not ready for high school as they all get up from their spots. They tell Gills they want Shoop back. Shoop is on the beach feeling sad, and even throws Wondermutts toy into the surf where he can't find it. The class shows up, still wearing all the gory prosthetics, and they explain how they've changed, and for him to come back. Which he agrees to. A montage of the class studying, Shoop and Bishop helping, practice tests, etc. Shoop tells them they're ready for the big test, but it's obvious he thinks they're not ready. He tries to give wondermutt a new toy, which he rejects. Chainsaw gets up very Leave it To Beaver, but realizes he doesn't know anything, and wakes up screaming. At the school, Jerome shows back up, after 6 weeks in the bathroom because his zipper was stuck. Gills shows up with an officer to make sure there is no cheating. Chainsaw screams, and the test starts. Test taking montage... in the middle, Rhonda starts going into labor. Time is called. The class is at Shoops house, Rhonda says the baby is healthy and happy, and that shes giving her up for adoption. Shoop tells them the average score was below passing, but that they didn't fail, he did. Principal Kelband is reading Shoops issues, and the class, and their parents, show up to speak on Shoops behalf. They all speak to how they inspired their children. Gills says it doesn't matter, they failed the test. but Shoops shows how far they progressed, even if they didn't pass. Jerome got a 91. Principal Kelband shows an average score growth of 125% and grants him tenure. Shoop and Bishop walk on the beach, and they kiss, but she still won't agree to dinner with him. and best of all, Wondermutt gets his toy back. Fade to black.
S:
-I LOVE the gore scene. i remember it used to freak me out, but was still really cool.
-The Jerome gag was really good... I didn't remember that one.
Next week is Brokeback Mountain.
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