Small town teenage nerd in 1956 Ohio befriends his new neighbor, a motorcycle-riding smoothie transplanted from Chicago who helps the virginal straight-arrow score with the pretty girl he's got a secret crush on. Brightly-colored autobiographical nostalgia from screenwriter Noel Black (who directed "Pretty Poison") plays like an R-rated version of TV's "Happy Days". Familiar scenario comes complete with a bullying jock, trouble at the drive-in movie, a chicken race with dad's car, sneaking out of a second-floor window down the trellis and--that old stand-by--teenage drivers hitting a fire hydrant (two separate times!). The jukebox tunes, vintage cars and teen sex may be enough to hold interest for some viewers, though these unoriginal characters merit no real interest. *1/2 from ****

In the mid-1980's, Hollywood became nostalgic for the teenage world of the 1950's/early 1960's. (Baby-boomer screenwriters and directors looking back on their youth.) This nostalgic fixation peaked in 1985 when "Back to the Future," "Heaven Help Us," "Porky's Revenge" and "Mischief" appeared in theaters. While the first two films owed significantly to George Lucas' "American Graffiti" with their attempting to recapture the "lost world" of 1950's/1960's, the latter two were obvious grabs at the audience that had made 1982's raunchy "Porky's" a surprise hit.Like "Porky's," the 1950's setting of "Mischief" is just window-dressing. Play a bunch of 50's rock songs on the soundtrack, get some old cars, put girls in poodle-skirts, saddle-shoes, and ponytails and have all the guys dressed to fit stereotypes: mean jocks wear letter-sweaters, cool cats in leather jackets and t-shirts, and nerds wear rolled-up pants and sweater vests. Yet, remove all the above and "Mischief" could be set in 1985 and not miss a beat. It's just 1980's actors in 50's costumes with no real attempt to bring the era to life. "American Graffiti" this is not.The plot: nerdy, Ohio high-school student Jonathan (Doug McKeon) befriends new "cool" kid, "Gene" (Chris Nash), who shows Jonathan the ropes into making-it with the ladies. Jonathan has a crush on "Marilyn" (Kelly Preston)- the hottest girl in the school- and with Gene's advice he's eventually able to bed her, but then realizes that he doesn't actually know her. What a revelation! It seems that the whole point of the movie was to briefly reveal Mrs. Travolta's assets on film in a tacky, awkward sex scene ala "Porky's." (Despite living in the supposedly "Puritanical" 1950's, Marilyn noticeably has no tan lines.) Oh, there are also subplots with Gene wooing another pretty girl, fighting her jerk-jock wanna-be boyfriend, and dealing with his rotten dad (a youngish looking Terry O'Quinn)."Mischief" is not good. Chris Nash's career fizzled-out for good reason. He couldn't really act. And "Mischief" proved that Doug McKeon, who had been a promising child actor, didn't have the presence to move into leading-man roles. It is never really explained how the runty and rather obnoxious Jonathan (Gene's advice transforms him into a creep) is able to win-over Marilyn who is clearly out of his league. I guess we're just supposed to accept it because Jonathan is the main character and the main character must get the girl. Lazy screen-writing. And by film's end, Jonathan is about to land the stunning Jami Gertz (who has a small role as the "geeky girl"- yeah, right.) It's just nerd fantasyland.Overall, "Mischief" is a cheesy 80's teen sex-comedy that isn't either funny or touching. Instead, it was a very shallow and calculated cash-grab to latch onto the "Porky's" gravy-train. (Some legacy. The "Porky's" franchise were abysmal films and just as forgotten, but, at least, they were somewhat original.)

The title and DVD cover, as well as the first few scenes of Mischief, may give the wrong impression: it's not a sexy-hi-jinx comedy in the vein of Porky's or other such movies made in the 80's. Rather, it's a nostalgic coming of age film, the legitimate spiritual successor of American Graffiti and The Last Picture Show, even if it's decisively more light-hearted and sexy than those films. While the characters in Mischief are based on familiar stereotypes, none of them are flat caricatures - Jonathan isn't a nerd but a very realistic shy, reserved boy of 17, and Gene is a slick, cool Don Juan but he also has the problems and insecurities of a teenager. Likewise, while the plot hangs tightly unto many clichés of the 50's-set teen comedy, it has enough heart and soul to set itself apart, to grab the viewer and make him care about the characters, who fill real and full. While it's not a masterpiece and it's very much a product of its time, Mischief is one of the better teen sex comedies of the 80's and a surprisingly mature and touching film that's still well worth seeing.

Jonathan Bellah (Doug McKeon) is a 17 year-old virgin, who wants the most attractive girl in Shcool and her name is Marilyn (Kelly Preston). But Jonathan is somewhat nerdy, foolish and shy. When a new kid on the block lives close to Jonathan's neighborhood. His name is Gene (Chris Nash), a poor city kid from Chicago. Gene is willing to teach Jonathan a few ticks, how to attract woman. Gene finds out teaching Jonathan is harder than expected. Gene starts to have an attraction to a sweet, intelligent girl named Bunny (Catherine Mary Stewart). Which Bunny feels the same way about Gene. When Jonathan finally dates his dream girl. Later he learns the hard way about having relationship with girls, sex and especially life.Directed by Mel Damski made a pleasant sex comedy that has plenty of laughs, likable characters and moments of truth growing up as a young adult. This film was made in the days of "Sex Comedies" were popular in the 1980's. Especially when most comedies tried to outdo "Bob Clark's Porky" but they mostly failed. But thankfully "Mischief" is a different movie, which it takes things more much realistic in this movie. This has a good 1950's music soundtrack and vivid re-creation of the looks of that era is the standout in the production design of this picture. Jami Gertz and Terry O'Quinn have small supporting roles in the film. If you liked sex comedies like "Porky" and "American Pie", don't miss it. (****/*****).