Too much of everything

Brilliant and touching

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Vision Quest is a movie I can relate to because I wrestled and graduated in 1985. It is a movie which is not perfect, there are flaws, but it covers the gambit of the stereotypical 80's jock who is trying to win the heart of an older woman, dealing with school and also attempting to wrestle the state champ of a weight class two classes below him.Matthew Modine is also one of my favorite actors. He plays the lead part of Louden Swain, the high school wrestler. Then there is a cast of famous and infamous people, including Madonna (lounge singer), Linda Fiorentino (love interest), Michael Schoeffling (Jake Ryan in Sixteen Candles), Ronny Cox (RoboCop), Forest Whitaker (too many to list), and many more.The other thing is the soundtrack. I purchased the cassette tape and played it until it was worn out. Journey, Sammy Hagar, Madonna, Dio (Ronnie James Dio), Don Henley, Foreigner, John Waite, Style Council and Red Rider. Then it also has small cuts from popular songs, such as Berlin (No More Words), Quarterflash (Harden My Heart) REO Speedwagon (Time For Me To Fly), It is the simplicity of the movie that I like the most. The young male character who is a virgin but thinks he knows what women desire, the young girl going to California to find a future, the good friend who has a drunk father, the challenge that no one thinks you can accomplish.There are no special effects and no unbelievable stories. It's down to Earth with a story many people can relate to, with real characters, in a city which isn't big or glamorous.

This is a classic 80's movie that's actually quite enjoyable. The acting is a little uneven, but not enough to ruin the film. The monotone performance of Linda Fiorentino contrasts with Matthew Modine's child-like wonderment persona, yet they still somehow have chemistry. The character, Louden Swain, is a die-hard optimist who has big dreams for the future. Matthew Modine does an inspiring job in becoming this character. Bottom-line, this movie is all Modine. He carried this film and it would never have worked without him. Whenever I call in at work, this is my "go to" movie that I pop in to pass the time. It's a fun movie that you can watch over and over again. Yes, parts of it are quite cheesy but that's what makes it even more amusing. Great 80's soundtrack too! Enjoy!-RM

The movie is about a horny teen who's vision quest, which pretty much only concerns wrestling heavyweight Shoop as a way to "make his mark" when he enters manhood (he's turning 18).Although, the quest becomes jeopardized when a cynical drifter, Carla (Linda Florentino) comes to town and changes Louden's life. Actually, her presence is not so profound in the end.The movie is decent if you don't mind the awkwardness of Modine's portrayal of the character, as well meaning as Louden Swain may be. He's more dignified in the novel, despite only being a teenager.You still get a good story and, eighties fans are sure to enjoy the movie. If they did ever remake this movie, it is the one case in which they should consider sticking to the novel.Look for the elusive Michael Schoeffling as Louden's friend, Kuch. Forrest Whitakker, Daphne Zuniga and Raphael Sbarge all have minor roles (though Forrest Whittaker already made a name for himself in 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' three years earlier).Madonna briefly appears as a club singer to perform 'Crazy for You,' and 'Gambler,' both of which are on the soundtrack.

I saw this movie about one or two years ago and just recently rented it last week and I love it. I saw someone typed that people depreciate it because of not living through the 80s while I was born in the 90s and I love the 80s, and especially this brilliant 80s movie that as my summary is that 1985 was a good year during the 80s. Louden Swain is a young adult that just turned 18 and states in the beginning: "I'm Louden. Louden Swain. I turned 18 last week, I wasn't ready to. There's so much I haven't done yet. So I made a deal with myself, this is the year I make my mark." So when Louden's coach whoever would like to challenge the number one man in his weight class, Louden's hand goes up and the coach says he is already number one at 190 he says he knows and then Kusch complains that he should stay in his own division and that he's not giving up his spot. After that the coach pulls him aside and then Louden says he's going to drop to 168 and wrestle Shout. After the coach tells Louden he's insane, he tells Louden he'll let him wrestle 178 against Kusch but if not he'll go back to his own division. He wins and starts his training to make it down to 168. After coming back from his hotel job he see's Carla telling a car salesman that he sold her a lemon. Louden's dad works as a mechanic and punches him in the face. Then Louden's dad tells Louden to take Carla down to get a hamburger. Louden asks Carla why she's down in Spokane since she's from New Jersey and won't tell Louden what she's doing. Louden asks how old she is and tells him 21 so there's a three year difference. Louden's dad loses his job and then Louden and his dad let her live with them. After Carla has been living under Louden and his father's roof he falls in love with her. Which is inflicted with his plan to wrestle Shout. Later on when Louden see's Carla with Mr. Tammeran, Louden's English teacher, he thinks that they're having sexual relations and refuses to talk to Carla, and attempts to have sex with her and Carla pushes him off and tells him that part of being a man is knowing what a woman wants and respecting that, and that part of being a kid is that he could say something stupid and still get his face ripped off for saying it. Louden continues to get nosebleeds from not having enough iron, and Carla says he should eat more spinach. He says he's sorry but she walks out of the room. She shows that she forgives Louden by coming to one of his wrestling matches, and later when their in the coffee shop he tells her that he doesn't care if she's doing "it" with Mr. Tammeran, and Carla then kisses him. Later on in the movie they travel up to see Louden's grandpa and later Carla tells Louden that he has a lifetime left and what about his vision quest to defeat Shout and the girls to make love too and when he asks her to name one she pulls him towards herself and then it happens. A day before the match though, Carla leaves, and when Louden doesn't show, Coach asks where he and Kusch says he'll be there. Right before the forfeit Louden arrives and makes the weight. Then before he has to wrestle Carla comes in and Louden is upset that Carla left and didn't say goodbye and then Carla tells him that if she didn't leave he wouldn't be wrestling Shout, and then right after she says goodbye she tells Louden to beat Shout. Carla stays for Louden's match.Louden does get a nose bleed during the match but still wins. This movie is a must see rather you want to see a really good sports movie,or a really good 80s movie.