Going Steady (1979)

Simply A Masterpiece

Pretty Good

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The growing pains felt by adolescents are timeless and, as this hidden gem I found that was set in 1950's Tel Aviv shows, apparently universal. Thankfully this was tossed in a 50-film megapack, 'Drive-In Movie Classics'--otherwise, from the producers, director, and no-name cast involved, I would likely never have come across it. It's basically a mix of 'American Graffiti' and 'Porky's', but the script is the right mix of angst and humour, and the actors make a little go a long way with their charisma and chemistry. The 50's songs and complete lack of any sort of pretension are overwhelmingly refreshing and appreciated! I had no idea that this was in fact a sequel (another name for it is 'Lemon Popsicle 2') and part of a series. I would certainly love to track the other films down...

This movie I found to be kinda cute. It's not a great film but is a bit funny and may remind some people of their high school days. It's about stereo-typical teenagers.I'd say this movie is in category of "Last American Virgin" and "Porky's" with a feeling of "Grease" due to the 1950s setting. So it's not that bad of a watch.What I enjoyed the most about the movie is the music and the cars! The film has a good soundtrack and some really cool rides. The story was just so-so with some comical moments.4/10

"Going Steady", as it's called here in North America, is actually the second entry in the Israeli "Lemon Popsicle" film series. I have seen several other entries in the series before this one, and I think I can safely say it's one of the lesser entries. The movie is not without merit. There is a great soundtrack of '50s hit songs (how was this low budget movie able to afford all of them?), the period detail is acceptable for the most part, and while the cast is too old to be playing teenagers, they do bring in some instant likability. Which is good, because some of the characters engage in some really cruel and selfish behavior, which taints the movie significantly. A bigger problem with the movie, however, is that the movie has little plot, and seems content to frequently spin its wheels for a long time. That might have been forgive had the movie been funny, but it isn't - the comic situations are lame and predictable. How this disappointing movie didn't finish the series right there is beyond me - maybe something got lost in the translation to English in the dubbing room.

After the tremendous Lemon Popsicle, I could not wait to see Going Steady, the sequel. And I was not disappointed. Essentially more of the same, teenage romance, sex, parties, and a fantastic soundtrack, Going Steady still possesses enough originality to really work!! They do not make them like this any more, and that is a terrible shame. At least we got several more sequels from the series, including the excellent Hot Bubblegum (LP3) and the outstanding entry to the series, Baby Love (LP5). Track this one down and enjoy!! You will feel like a teenager again.