No Reason to Stay (1966) User Reviews

very good

[ethylester · 9/10 · 25 June 2002]

I was pleasantly surprised to see a film that condoned dropping out of high school and was made in 1966. This movie (short film) is very good and hits the heart of boring high school life, even though it is in black and white and quite old. I think that even nowadays people can get into this film because it is still relevant. Angst-ridden high schoolers should definitely see this - they are not alone - nor have they ever been! It made me remember all the annoying parts about high school, like the French teacher and the history teacher and how boring and pointless those classes seemed to my life. It's a very real film that makes a lot of sense in an anarchistic/liberal way. I loved it. Made me wanna go out and break all the rules, kind of like "Over the Edge". A rebellious Canadian film that shouldn't be forgotten!!

Long unseen, vividly remembered

[FilmartDD · 9/10 · 17 January 2011]

Ethylester is right. Far more persuasive player (not listed by IMDb) than James Dean, director with more feeling and understanding than galumphing Nicholas Ray, this is about a Rebel With a Cause. And the rest of us, like his family and that school, need to know about that cause.

Not listed in Halliwell, not in Videohound, not in Maltin, not even old Scheuer. What is it that conceals good little Canadian (and Australian, and New Zealand) films from view by the world?! There is still a genre of the 70 minute small production ("indies" I suppose): audiences need these little true films, community groups need to discuss them, the film schools need to be showing little gems like No Reason to Stay to students and potential directors, instead of all that Tarantino.