(1985)
2.5
Perry Seibert
The year is 1971. Kenneth has called off his wedding because he has been drafted. Phil is going off to fight in Vietnam. The entire gang has just graduated from college. With adulthood very much at hand, Gardner decides before he runs off to Mexico to escape the draft that the Groovers need to go "dig up Dom." It is on this thin strand of a plot that first-time director Kevin Reynolds hangs a series of bittersweet coming-of-age sequences full of warmth, charm, and humor.
One of the continuing subplots in the film is that Phil and Gardner fight over Kenneth's future. Phil wants him to go to Vietnam, while Gardner wants him to dodge his induction notice. During their adventure, the guys pick up a pair of girls who take them to a cemetery where they all engage in a fireworks fight. During this humorous sequence, Kenneth slips on a fresh grave. He sees that it is for a young man just killed in the war. As he rolls back over, the sky is full of smoke and flashes of light, while on the ground people run haphazardly and scream. Suddenly the fireworks fight has become something else. It is a moment when a character gets to see one of his possible futures.
Each of the characters has a scene where he is allowed to glimpse what may be in store for them. Those moments, which could come off as cutesy and coy, are actually quite moving thanks to the wonderful script by Reynolds and the unforced performances by Kevin Costner, Judd Nelson, and Sam Robards. By the end of the film, each of them has made difficult decisions about themselves and their friendships. The Groovers succeed in their quest to dig up Dom, but their real accomplishment is that they grow into such fine young men.
Fandango on AllMovie
Fandango (1985)
