January 5, 2025
People often ask me, “Mike, what’s your favorite movie that ends with an utterly dejected virgin crying in a pink station wagon after discovering his best friend making out with the object of his unhealthy infatuation?”
And the answer is, of course, “The Last American Virgin.” Probably the most unusual of the ’80s teen sex comedies, “TLAV” follows the misadventures of Gary (who, as the title suggests, is as pure as driven snow), his buddy Rick, who knows how to talk to the girls, and their portly friend David, who’s down for whatever.
It’s been a while since I’ve watched this one, but I remember seeing it for the first time pretty clearly. I was around 14, watching TV on a weekend afternoon when I was supposed to be mowing the lawn. This being an ’80s teen movie, hijinks and tomfoolery ensue. But through it all, the movie remains uniquely and undeniably melancholy. The ending, which I won’t spoil, is bru-tal.
This may have been the first time I saw a movie that didn’t end with everybody getting what they wanted, which is probably why it stuck with me all these years. As a teen, I was keenly aware that I rarely got what I wanted. Here on TV was a poor schlub who shared in that universal experience. Mike, meet Gary. Gary, meet Mike. You two have a lot in common!
I’m not saying you need to own this one on 4K Blu-ray, but if you happen to stumble upon it on a lazy Saturday afternoon, give it a go. It beats mowing the lawn.
mike krumboltz 