FOXES (1980)

Directed By: Adrian Lyne 
Written By: Gerald Ayres 
Cinematography By: Leon Bijou, Michael Seresin 
Editor: James Coblentz 
Music By: Giorgio Moroder 


Cast: Jodie Foster, Cherie Currie, Marilyn Kagan, Kandice Stroh, Sally Kellerman, Lois Smith, Richard Romanus, Laura Dern, Scott Baio, Randy Quaid 

Four best friends, with four different personalities, have issues of their own. Deidre is fascinated by her sexuality and has many boyfriend problems. Madge is unhappily overweight and has overprotective parents. Annie boozes and does drugs, and runs away from her abusive father, a policeman. Jeanie has to take care of them and is fighting with her divorced mother. The only way to loosen up, and forget all the bad things happening in their lives, is to party and have fun. Jeanie is ready to grow up and wants to stop acting like a child. Annie is the worst of them all and Jeanie is worried about her the most. She risks her neck more than once trying to keep Annie clean and free from trouble. However, Annie's unstable behavior and flare ups keeps everyone on edge.

A perfect time capsule for the early 80’s seen through the eyes of maturing teenage girls.

The original title was "20th Century Foxes" but was shortened to "Foxes" to avoid a lawsuit from film studio 20th Century Fox.

According to a musician hired for the project, the original story concept centered around an all-girl rock band who was being groomed by an established female pop singer. The screenplay was rewritten so much, the band element of the story was dropped. Which sounds a little like the movie: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THE FABULOUS STAINS and like Co-Star Cherie Currie’s experience in the band THE RUNAWAYS which she was part of before the time of filming as lead singer. Who had broken up once she started filming.

This film is decadent and depressing, but yet vivid and necessary. They could never get away with a movie like this today. As this film feels raw to a certain extent. It doesn’t talk Down to the audience, nor really try to teach it a lesson. It deals with sex, drugs and violence but treats it more matter of fact than exploitive. The only films that I can think of that come close is KIDS, CHRISTIANE F and THIRTEEN. Though those film might make this film seem like a cake walk.

It’s kind of surprising this sensitive movie came from director Adrian Lyne who definitely has an artistic heart, but usually directs films that are more erotic and thrillers like FATAL ATTRACTION, INDECENT PROPOSAL and 9 ½ WEEKS. This is actually his directorial debut.

There are some scenes in this movie that seem more campy now, but were meant to be very serious when the film was released. Such as

Sally Kellerman complaining about girls who are younger, the shortness of the clothing and their skin quality and tight little bodies. How board it is to keep up with that in competition to be noticed by men.

Marilyn Kagan characters argument with her mother who says it’s ok to have a party with beer unchaperoned. Which her parents even buy but puts her foot down about having pot smoking at the party. Forcing the cancelling of the party and her little sister telling everyone she is a virgin.

Randy Quaid’s character seducing a teenage girl.

The film has a story or arc that takes shape, but for the most part it is episodic and revolves around these girls and their social circle. Mostly out of school, as some of the school scenes seem more vicious then the street scenes.

This movie is fun despite it’s heaviness. It’s like an R-Rated after school special. With an ending that tries to leave a moral lesson and message. Mena tto be more revelatory or a youth movie meant to show the aduklt audience what was happening (ala KIDS in the late 90’s) and for it’s teenage audience an honest representation. While pulling at the heartstrings. As after all it is a coming of age story, Directed by Adrian Lyne, a dutch director who achieved fame by directing FLASHDANCE and eventually erotic thrillers like FATAL ATTRACTION, but at this point he only had FLASH DANCE this was his sophomore slump and probably the most dramatic film of his career. Looking at his body of work his films usually highlights the struggle of independent minded women.

This film gives Jodie Foster a starring role in which at the time she was the perfect age for. Not having to play older or being a character wise beyond her years. She is so good showing an intelligence and maturity that she would bring to almost every Role afterwards. As here she is the leader/den mother of her group of friends.

I was shocked this was Jodie foster as a kid. As at the time I only remembered her from the movie CANDLESHOE where she has shorter hair. Seeing her here was a revelation where I gave her chameleon like change of appearance more kudos then her acting. As the change of look was acting to me and more important.

The discovery here is Cherrie Currie who was the former lead singer of the band THE RUNAWAYS at the time. Some might say she plays a skewered version of herself at the time, but she shows a certain bravery in this role. It’s a pity she never went on to act in too much else. So she could prove if she had range or not.

I’m sure her performance influenced many young ladies to copy her look and behavior. (Look at Courtney Love.) Rosanna Arquette, Diane Lane, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Kristy MacNichol all auditioned and/or tested for the role of Annie which in the end was cast with Runaways lead singer Cherie Currie. Not to mention Demi Moore Auditioned for a unspecified role.

The film could have been a little easier on the soundtrack especially as many times as they play Donna Summer’s song ON THE RADIO though keep playing only the slow part as a theme. Though it gets annoying.

Essentially this is a story of girls growing up and apart. As well as A film looks at life the drama, comedy, violence, action and randomness of it all and shows it. Plus how things can change in a blink of an eye.

The film is more of a character study of various characters that tries to take on many subjects and most get mentioned and given short shrift compared to the glaringly obvious major ones that take over the narrative.

The film leaves the audience with a strange feeling as we watch the characters grow and mature. To a certain extent while some of their futures are a mystery. It also feels like they are doomed to a certain extent. It might just be the atmosphere they are in. Which seems inescapable and bound to be repeated.

Now when it comes to coming of age films. The ones that revolve around females at times tend to let Love stories take over the narrative or are a welcome distraction to lessons we will witness later. This film is welcome as it seeks to show girls in a more natural habitat and treat them as people. They are in over their heads. Not perfect, want attention, want sex, love and romance. Not necessarily in any order. Some don’t know what they want. Here they are allowed to be shown as not perfect and not be evil Or hated because of it. The film pretty much tries not to make any decisions and be random when it comes to the events. The only parts of the film that feel produced are the ending and some stylistic choices at times.

One of the reasons why this film might be so well remembers for me is that I remember it coming on TELEVISON and cable a lot when I was a kid and teenager. I remember how different the cuts and presentation were between cable and regular TELEVISON. So that when ingot older and Watched this it was quite surprising. Not as earth shattering as I remember but still good.

GRADE: B