A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon suffers from taking itself too seriously while lacking the light comic touch of other teen movie classics. However, it does have teen idol River Phoenix as a leading man and a standard romantic plot with a requisite prom-style finale. One major drawback is the historical anachronisms; the setting of the 1960s is almost at odds with the totally '80s plot, characters, and costuming. Some may view Jimmy's confused acts of desperation as selfish and pretentious, but others may appreciate a teen movie that deals with the consequences of random sexual encounters with dramatic possibilities rather than gross-out comedy. Jimmy is written as a lovable rascal, and as played by Phoenix, his attraction is intensified even as his behavior gets worse. Ann Magnuson is well-cast as the fashionable divorcée Joyce Fickett, almost turning the story from a coming-of-age drama to a wish-fulfillment fantasy. The other supporting performances don't fare as well, with future Friends star Matthew Perry completely forgettable as the upper-class teen Fred Roberts. What matters here is River Phoenix, who enjoyed a large and loyal fan base at the time of release (even though he later supposedly regretted making the film).
