A motley quartet of four sailors -- hip "Bunker" Hill (a likable performance by Chip McAllister), nice guy wannabe comedian Paul Fricker (solid D.W. Brown), cocky stud Webster Adams (a perfectly smug turn by Patrick Hauser) and timid nerd Lester Gidley (an engagingly awkward portrayal by Peter Ellenstein) -- on a 72 hour liberty pass cut loose in Los Angeles: Among are foursome's misadventures are visiting a strip club, going to Venice Beach, and having a harrowing run-in with a nasty street gang. Writer/director Lawrence Bassoff relates the entertainingly silly story at a reasonably zippy pace and maintains a winning sense of goofy good-natured fun throughout. Better still, this movie has a surprising amount of real heart and warmth to it; the main characters start out as kind of blah and uninteresting, but become more well-developed and engaging as the plot unfolds towards its charming conclusion. Naturally, there's still a pleasing amount of yummy female nudity (Sarah Costa and Ashley St. Jon are smoking hot as a pair of sexy strippers). Moreover, we've got a bevy of beautuful babes in colorful supporting roles: Pamela Kay Davis as sassy aerobics instructor Tina Wells, Hilary Shepard as the sultry, but stuck-up Cindy Hazard, Graem McGavin as cute dweebette Tawny Ryatt, and Daureen Colledell as sweet aspriring stand-up comic Heidi Henderson. Phil Hartman has a funny bit as smooth comedy club emcee Joe Chicago. Bryan England's bright cinematography, John Baer's jaunty score, and the bouncy pop-rock soundtrack are all up to speed as well. A very pleasant and diverting piece of harmless piffle.
Review of Weekend Pass
Weekend Pass
(1984)
An enjoyably lightweight Crown International comedy romp
20 December 2009
Warning: Spoilers