Lucas

This film is becoming a classic because of the fine, early performances from Winona Ryder, Charlie Sheen, Corey Haim, even Courtney Thorne-Smith of "Ally McBeal".

It is a unique movie with a love triangle where the viewer wants both guys (Sheen and Haim) to get the girl. But of course both can not.

"Lucas" is about the truths of life and relationships, and how the teenage years bring them to the surface. Another interesting element is the use of insects for symbolism.

I saw Lucas for the first time today... more than 20 years since it first came out. I have to admit, I'm a huge 80's fan and even though I was just a kid during the 80's I consider myself to be pretty familiar with the pop culture of the time. However, for some odd reason, I never got around to seeing Lucas. I have to say that, despite the fact that this movie is so old and I've seen movies with similar plots since, this movie still made me teary-eyed. I absolutely adored Corey Haim when I was a young girl and his role as the sweet, vulnerable, yet highly intelligent nerd gave me the fuzzies... the same way he used to when I was young. He, along with the rest of the cast (including Kerri Green, Winona Ryder, and Charlie Sheen), gave a great performance... typical of the 80's teen flicks (with an over-abundance of clichés), but, nonetheless, touching. It's definitely up there with the all time classics: Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink... and any of the flicks including the Brat Pack. Definitely worth seeing if you're in a nostalgic mood and want to revisit the old days of knee-high tube socks and head bands.

During the summer vacation, the fourteen year-old Lucas Bly (Corey Haim) meets the sixteen year-old newcomer in town Maggie (Kerri Green) and they become best friends. Lucas is an intelligent boy that loves bugs and shows the mansion where he lives to Maggie. When classes begin, Maggie learns that Lucas is not a popular student but an outcast nerd at school and bullied by the football players. The football captain Cappie (Charlie Sheen) protects Lucas because the boy helped him when he was ill. Soon Lucas has a crush on Maggie but she falls in love with Cappie, while Lucas' schoolmate Rina (Winona Ryder) loves him. When Maggie joins the cheerleaders, Cappie's girlfriend Alise (Courtney Thorne-Smith) becomes jealous of her and she ends the relationship with Cappie. Meanwhile Lucas joins the football team expecting to impress Maggie. During a game, Lucas is hurt and Maggie finds that he lives in a trailer with his alcoholic father. What will happen to Lucas?

"Lucas" is a touching classic from the wonderful 80's, with a pleasant and sensitive story of unrequited first love. Corey Haim has a magnificent performance in the role of a boy with no family that falls in love with an older girl. The difference of two years for a fourteen year-old boy is indeed too much. Another attraction is to see Winona Ryder, Charles Sheen and others very young in the beginning of career. After almost thirty years, "Lucas" is still a delightful heartbreaking film. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "A Inocência do Primeiro Amor" ("The Innocence of the First Love")

Note: On 10 April 2019 I saw this film again.

What ever happened to the adorable female co-star of this film? She's quite lovely in this film, but she seems to have disappeared. Anyway, this is a fun teenage comedy-romance that features Corey Haim, before he got annoying, in a role where he showed great potential as an actor. My guess, he didn't know Corey Feldman yet? Charlie Sheen mumbles his way through the role of the jock with a heart. Winona Ryder, Jeremy Piven, Courtney-Thorne Smith also co-star in this...a cute film.

...and "Lucas" is still a charming and sentimental little high school campus comedy with a message about what's important in life (and it ain't football). Telling of a goggle-eyed "shrimp" (Haim) with little going for him, save his indomitable spirit, who tries desperately to win the affection of a pretty cheerleader (Green), "Lucas" is a crowd pleasing blast from the past with its priorities in order. In this day when movies with messages are rare, "Lucas" is a good family flick (for 13 and up) worth revisiting.