recommended

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Finally gotten around to this. Had some difficulty buying it, along the way bought the 2014 Gabriella Wild remake. Checking up on it on Wikipedia the past few days, I expected a total shambles, and the haphazard way the movie started, well, I wasn't expecting too much. Wading in, longed for that remake. At first, didn't feel like a Brooke Shields movie at all, but then, with that girl singing that song Endless Love everything began falling into place, and as the story rolls on, I began to like it more and more, and, hey, Brooke Shields is just everything that lives up to her legendary status.Unfortunately, the movie deteriorates at an alarming rate due to that arson plot development that comes like a bolt from the blue, without any clue in up-to-then normal boy David's behavior, which makes me feel it is just contrived. Before this movie finally irrevocably becomes a shambles to unfortunately remain a shambles and stay an utter shambles, I was gonna award it an 8. It had all the potential for a decent story and then went and threw it all away. Shirley Knight, powerful performance. All the parents do a fine job, but Shirley's an especially good standout, so is Don Murray, the only guy in the movie who could act. I don't like Martin Hewitt, though. Comes across as a pretentious carnivore, something about him I don't like. Okay, they chose an actor who could play the dark side. Another reviewer, I've since seen, refers to Martin as a cipher. Just there. Exactly. He was capable of doing the nude scenes with Brooke. That's it. That got him the part. But that's all.Something that few films of that era can say, this movie's first half stood the test of time. Except for that corny heart thing at the beginning, and the planetarium thing, didn't really work. Wonderful use of music, I Was Made For Loving You, Baby and Blondie with Heart of Glass, + as mentioned, that girl singing Endless Love.Movie has a bad reputation. The author of the book is especially at odds with it. No, I haven't read the book. But the shortcomings have to be blamed on the book, it was the blueprint. The arson story twist is a crock, but surely, that's from the book?Good start. Then derails. Love the good first half. As for the second half, producers, set fire to the whole lot!Bottom line for me though: Brooke Shields is worth watching.

The purpose of this film, I felt was to exploit Brooke Shields' beauty and youth. I was sifting through the trivia and goofs sections for this film when I came across a few things that pretty much summed up how I felt after watching this crappy adaptation of a decent novel:Brooke Shields' mother and manager Teri Shields nearly turned down the film after first reading the script, as she felt the role of Jade Butterfield had no substance. She said "It was just going to be Brooke standing around looking beautiful." Well, Brooke Shields' mother (God rest your soul) you we right because that is all your D-grade actress daughter did in this film. If beauty has ever served a moderately talented actress well in Hollywood, it's Brooke Shields."Shirley Knight begged director Franco Zeffirelli to cast Rosanna Arquette, Linda Blair, Bo Derek, Carrie Fisher, Jodie Foster, Melanie Griffith, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kristy McNichol, Michelle Pfeiffer or Debra Winger for the role of Jade Butterfield, as she felt that 14-year- old Brooke Shields did not have the right talent for the role." Ding, ding, ding! Another one who was right but unfortunately ignored and the rest as they say is history. Thankfully, young Tom Cruise in his two-minute-role was brilliant as was young James Spader who was a force to be reckoned with as Jade's older brother, Keith.

I don't know what everyone was talking about. This movie is great. I'm shocked at the low review and glad it didn't keep me from watching this movie, even though it almost did. I do agree that the performance left much to be desired, but they did have passion for each other. It was just the acting... Anyway, I didn't read the book and I think that was where the problem laid with a lot of people. It's rare that you will read the book and then watch the movie and be satisfied. Especially if it's a book you love. I'm glad I went into it not knowing much about it. I do have to say how teed off I am about the huge spoiler in the description which tells what David did to the house, like WTHeck?! That doesn't even happen until halfway into the movie,Jesus! Anyway, good watch. I will definitely watch it again and read the book. It was a beautiful tragedy.

God Bless my Uncle Duffy Piccini who was an actor in this movie! My mother (Duffy's sister) had taken me and my younger brother to see it in the movies when it came out. We loved the movie and seeing him in it with his credits at the end. Mom and uncle have since passed on. Thanks to my sister Valerie and brother Steven for sharing this link with me! Charlie and Jamie BellaViaThis is a great movie complete with awesome score! Has been an all time favorite through time for all generations.Yayyyyy!!!!! !!! :)