Jeremy

I bought this movie on DVD in order to see it after reading about it in a book titled Shyness & Love by Dr. Brian G. Gilmartin. Seventeen of the people in that study saw the film more than twenty times in the theater, one saw it eighty-six times, and another paid $1,000 (that he could scarcely afford) for a 16mm print of the film! I can't say that I've ever seen a film more than twice in a theater, and that wasn't out of any great affection for those films, just that I'd seen them, and then a group of friends or family were going to see it and I went along.

It is a nice movie. A shy high school sophomore develops a crush on a new girl at school, and with some help from a more outgoing friend and the confidence playing the cello gives him, he asks her out and they date. It's a pretty simple story, and probably pretty low budget, with lots of hand-held camera-work. It's nice, but I can't imagine watching it twenty times! Perhaps had I seen it when I was about the same age as the couple, I'd have a great affection for it.

I saw this movie in the early 70's, when I was 15 or 16. I was living in Peru, at the time. There was a girl my age that I liked a lot, that I took to the movie and we both identified with the main characters. I remember that you could get the theme song (record, 45 RPM) under the title "Blue Balloon Song" or something along these lines, from a local record label. The theme song was very popular and was played often by the local radio stations for several weeks. I am tempted to track her down and ask if she still has the record. This movie was recently released in DVD. I watched it again after 30+ years. This time with my wife and children. It was a big hit at home. Simple but enjoyable plot, very entertaining, pretty clean movie for today's standards. I would recommend it for the whole family.

I was a 12 years old when I saw "Jeremy" - here in Brazil, the title was "Susan and Jeremy - the first love". I remember I loved the movie, I cried a lot. Unforgettable is the soundtrack. After that age (today I'm 37), I've never seen this movie again, but - sometimes - I catch myself singing its song ('The hourglass song', I suppose). I'd like to see it again.

If you like love story, watch this movie. The simplicity of this film is beautiful. The song "Jeremy" is great.

"Jeremy" is a lovely story of two rather awkward, sincere teens who meet, fall in love, and part on a very sad note. Robby Benson is perfect in the title role, smart, funny but not obnoxious, quietly full of feeling for this little girl he's in love with. Glynnis O'Conner is Susan, one of those shy, sincere girls that only seemed to exist in the '70s. The New York City locations add a perfect backdrop to their story.

The sweetness and sincerity of the two leads is really something to behold, with no glamorizing or slickness thrown on to wreck it. Am I nuts, or was this a better time to be a teenager? I'm old enough to remember when the kind of sincerity seen here was prized, and not that uncommon. For their first date, Jeremy offered a showing of "My Little Chickadee" for crying out loud -- and Susan was thrilled! I'm afraid most teens now would sneer at this. The music alone would sink it for most, yet at the time I'm sure it was well-received. I was sad at the end of this not just because of the heartbreaking situation faced by Jeremy and Susan, but because of how far it seems we've all gotten from the simplicity and sweetness seen here.