It is a performances centric movie

Better Late Then Never

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

OK so the whole point was Nancy's Just Say No crap which didn't work any better than todays cigarettes is drugs crap that makes me want to smack the child with the snotty attitude that it's coming from. But my main two images are Helens swan dive and Tricia looking thru the steering wheel.. its SO prettttttyyyyyyyy... to this day still use that line with this movie's image in mind. I think of this movie often in life, partly for the guy in my HS who jumped out the second story classroom to spend his remaining days in a wheel chair, and "weeeeeeeee! " Down the side of the cliff... The rest of it is classic afterschoolspecial Cheesy drama class acting, shoot my middle schoolers drama performances are way better that those in this movie. . I still love this movie. Good try Nancy! It stuck with me, but didn't help me just say no...

The person who initially volunteered their comment obviously grew up in a catholic schoolyard full of nuns and sodomizing priests! For I witnessed this type of behavior firsthand! Although, I was a participant as well, I tell you this is exactly what happened in "mainstream" America as well as a smalltown where I grew up. The eighties were a confusing time to grow up. What with the Reagan Administration bringing the fear of all out global war and the way the VIOLENCE in America was shaping up, I TELL YOU IT IS A MIRACLE FROM "GOD" THAT THIS WORLD SURVIVED THE EIGHTIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Praise "GOD" that we survived this long, but the sad part is that today in 2006 going on 2007, those same messed up folks are now running the country. You ought to be ashamed for even trying to belittle this movie. It said a lot for America at that time and today!

This film, edited down to 54 minutes was shown as an "ABC Afterschool Special". And like many of the specials took a young persons view of a particular issue: AIDS, drugs, teen pregnancy, etc. This one, staring Helen Hunt did the heavy drug thing, and was toned down when it was edited for the After School showing. Not bad acting for Helen, she certainly moved onward and up. Its interesting looking back at these afterschool specials, as many young actors (Scott Baio, Mariel Hemmingway, Hunt, Charlie Sheen..etc) were featured, and many moved up in Hollywood stature. It's unfortunate the specials are no longer (since 1997, I think) being produced.

Television movies about "addictions and diseases of the Week" are a dime a dozen. This one is different. It is the best movie I have ever seen about teenage drug abuse in our schools because it is realistic and unsentimental in its depiction. Not to give it away, but the fact it doesn't have a pleasant ending makes it even more powerful. Diana Scarwid is excellent as the caring young teacher who stands up when no one else will. Her monologue to the students and parents at the end should have gotten her an Emmy. Even though this film was made almost twenty years ago, it hasn't aged and is still as powerful today as it was in 1982. I think all kids who are tempted by drugs need to watch it with their parents.