Sol, Praia e Amor

This movie isn't going to win best picture anytime soon, but short of "Dirty Dancing" this might be the best fun summer romance there is. It's one of those stories that lets you spend time with several female archetypes: The Bad Girl, The "Fat" Girl ready to come into her own, The Goody-Two-Shoes/Nerd and The Dutiful Pretty Girl. While this may seem cheesy, it's a structure that's been working since Jane Austen gave us Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia Bennett. Women enjoy trying on various identities vicariously, and (to move back into the future) we all have a little bit of Carrie and Samantha in us. Of the actresses in this movie only two have much name recognition - Bridget Fonda's delicious bad girl and Phoebe Cates' debutante about to marry the wrong man. But all the actors suit the tone and contents of the movie, and it ends up feeling realistic, if only because this particular formula - the summer fling on vacation - is something that often happens in real life. This movie is a joy to watch for its Myrtle Beach period location, its sexy but not explicit romance, and, of course, the titular dancing of the shag. Download it with your girlfriends and have a fantastic slumber party.

I am from Myrtle Beach, SC ( where Shag takes place ) and I find the movie to be absolutely delightful. It takes place in the 60's with 4 young high school graduates just wanting to have a final hoo-rah before one of their best buds enters wedlock. The story follows the four girls through their very different weekends at the beach. All the while mingling the title of the movie with the actual dance that was and is all the craze on the Grand Strand. This movie is only rated PG but deals with a few stronger elements. It involves bad language, teen drinking and loss of virginity. Most will skim over children's heads, but parents still use caution. I watched the film a million times as a child and continue as an adult too. The movie is a perfect mix of scandal, mischief, young love, and music. Highly recommended as an all time favorite film.

I saw at the bottom of the page, that "if you like this title we also recommend American Graffiti". So true, so true. Of course, it can't be compared to "graffiti", but it's a movie with many laughs and adorable characters.

I saw this movie last night, maybe for the tenth time or something. I had a good time as always. Then of course, I am a very nostalgic person and if your favorite movie is "Matrix" or "Minority report" you might not like it.

The title is a little confusing since there aren't that many dance scenes, but I honestly don't care. I'm just looking for a temporary time machine with the course aimed for 1963. Besides, the dancing moments of the movie are quite enough.

Shag takes off with four friends going away to Myrtle beach for a weekend of total fun. Luanne is the proper one who is almost always upset or embarrassed, and she kind of takes the "leader" role, since they are all going in her car and staying at her fathers (the senator's) house, (where you can't sit on the furniture's, use the phone or drink the senator's bourbon). Pudge is a nice girl who has held everything back all her life, but no more! She is also the one who is responsible for the most "shagging" in the movie. Melaina (Fonda) is the wild one who dreams of a career in Hollywood since she is "neither marrying Harvey nor going to college". Carson (Cates) is the sweet and unexperienced girl who IS marrying Harvey. Also, when the movie begins, she thinks that they are going someplace else. But the girls have other plans and they are determined to take Carson for a weekend that she will never forget. One last fling together. A plot like this CAN'T go wrong.

Anyway, by the end of the movie they are all different people, and they have learned that things are not always as they seem. You have control of your own destiny. Carson meets Buzz (the lines that these two people have are unbeatable), Luanne gives the audience a real "necking-surprise" and Melaina finally meets Jimmy Valentine who she considers to be her key to a life of luxury in Hollywood. ( I laugh every time Jimmy does his "move"). The story which I like the best though, is the love that develops between Pudge and the "navy" boy Chip. They are just so good people and the conversations between them so sweet and innocent. You really feel happy for them. It would be a crime not making them a couple.

This movie has a great ending. The kind which makes you wonder what happens to the people in the film. You actually care about them.

The acting is terrific. Bridget Fonda gets a lot of room and maybe it's because her character is the most interesting one. This was before she became a star. I think Phoebe Cates is one of the most underrated actresses ever. Just think about it, how she effects an audience. When she opens her mouth you can't look away. It's like she is born to make these parts. She isn't acting. She IS her characters. " Yes, I am wild. I guess I've been wild all of my life, without even knowing it". One of many great lines in this movie.

The one thing that always impresses me in these movies is the setting. They actually make it look like in 1963. The cars, the clothes, the colors, the buildings. It's incredible.

If you like these kind of movies, and haven't seen this one, you should be ashamed of yourself! Grade: 8/10

Starring Phoebe Cates (Mrs. Kevin Kline, who knew?), as in "what ever happened to", and Bridget Fonda just as her career took off, Shag is sweet, warm, funny, nostalgic, and above all, wild. I saw a trailer for this on another DVD and added to my list of "must haves." It was well worth it.

Cates is Carson McBride, about to marry stuffy Harley Ralston (Tyron Power, Jr.). Her best friends, played by Bridget Fonda, Annabeth Gish and Page Hannah (yup, Darryl's sister) surprise her with a weekend in Myrtle Beach as a last fling. Cates is funny enough, but Bridget simply overpowers the other female leads with her boundless charisma.

They meet a couple of local boys who change their lives and have one heck of good time in the process. Speaking of "what ever happened to," Scott Coffey's Chip was the most enjoyable male character in the film, cute as a bug and delightfully innocent and whatever happened to him?

Too many films of this genre are souless, heartless and mindless. This one is the rare exception, and gives you a chance to remember the discovery and adventure of coming of age.

Although it has taken myself thirty two (32) long years to catch this film on the TCM (Turner Classic Movies) channel I really enjoyed the simplicity of the story line and the brilliant films' color that the film producers, Palace Pictures utilized. The soundtrack was a classic and rather than the typical storyline that evolves around young men, this particular jocular Romedy focuses on four (4) young ladies who take an adventurous trip by a convertible car to sunny Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to have some fun before one of the young ladies named Carson (Phoebe Cates) gets married although she has recently felt some second thoughts about her upcoming nuptials.

The other three (3) ladies fool Carson about where they are really going until their convertible drive is well underway and Carson realizes that her friends are taking her on a quasi bachelorette party. Each lady has her heart swept away by a man that they initially object to, but the young men are persistent and each of the four (4) ladies finds their destiny in a relationship they were not expecting.

The acting is exceptional and before you know it you will think that you are at. Myrtle Beach enjoying the sun, fun and music alongside this very wide range of youthful vigor dancing to the Shag.

If any of the original producers read my review I hope you are listening and are open to the idea of a sequel possibly set in the year of 2000 which would be thirty seven (37) years forward from when the original film was set in 1963. We could see if the eight characters are still together with their significant partner(s) and/or they have divorced and moved on with their lives and what does their future in the new millennium of 2000.look like?

I give Shag a highly effective 7 out of 10 IMDB rating for this Romedy film.