For an American teen sex comedy of the 1980s, THE LAST American VIRGIN is surprisingly strong viewing. It features a cast of characters who are both likable and more importantly realistic; a fast-moving plot with plenty of laughs and incident to keep it moving; and a surprisingly deep and dramatic final half hour which transcends the usual boundaries of the sex comedy genre to become something more, perhaps a work of social drama.

This is invigorating stuff, with lively direction from Boaz Davidson, here basically remaking his own Israeli film LEMON POPSICLE. Most of the cast were unknown to me but do well in their various parts: Lawrence Monoson as the lovesick lead (we've all been there),Steve Antin as the jock, AMITYVILLE II: THE POSSESSION's Diane Franklin as the object of Monoson's obsession. There's plenty of nudity here and the usual encounters we expect from high school comedies, such as spying on the girl's changing room, a visit to a hooker, and plenty more.

One stand-out supporting role comes from Louisa Moritz playing what would today be described as a 'cougar' who the boys end up visiting. What follows is pretty much unforgettable and must have been for all the teenage boys who saw this film back in the day. The love triangle aspect of the film isn't funny at all, but rather awkward and, yes, tragic. It's as though the comedy slips away as the running time progresses, leaving something deep and meaningful behind it. The ending has the same impact as being dunked in an ice-cold river, rounding off what is certainly an above-average movie.

A trio of sex-obsessed high-school lads—nice guy Gary (Lawrence Monoson),stud-muffin Rick (Steve Antin),and lard-arse David (Joe Rubbo),spend their spare time trying to get laid as often as possible. Their friendship falls apart, however, when Gary falls for the new girl at the school, Karen (Diane Franklin),who unfortunately for him, has the hots for Rick (ain't that always the way?).

If I had already gotten around to reviewing Israeli teen sex comedy Lemon Popsicle, it would make writing about The Last American Virgin a whole lot easier, for the latter is a virtual scene-for-scene remake of the former. Having already made a fortune with Lemon Popsicle (and its subsequent sequels),producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus targeted the US market by taking the main elements from their proved hit—the dynamics of the main characters' friendship, their sexual escapades, and the ultimate outcome of the movie—and relocating them from 50s Israel to 80s America. The result: The Last American Virgin, and a whole load of dollars to go with their already massive pile of shekels!

Being a huge fan of Lemon Popsicle since the early 80s (I saw it many times as a teenager, there not being much to choose from at my local video rental shop),I personally wouldn't class The Last American Virgin as an 'essential' teen sex comedy, however I still found it very entertaining stuff, with impressive performances from its young cast, a wonderful pop/rock soundtrack (R.E.O. Speedwagon rule!),and some very welcome female nudity, particularly from the oh-so-cute Franklin (who has been a favourite of mine since seeing her way back when in Amityville II: The Possession).

Before watching The Last American Virgin, I strongly suggest checking out the original (and in my opinion, superior) Lemon Popsicle, but if you're absolutely sure that a Middle Eastern rock 'n' roll sex comedy won't be your cup of Café Afuch (yes, I had to look that up!),then definitely give this one a go—it's still one of the better films the genre has to offer.

This movie is a destructive force that still leaves hurt feelings decades after it's been viewed. Sure, it's a remake of director Boaz Davidson's Lemon Popsicle and that movie ends the same way, but that movie came back with plenty of sequels. Once The Last American Virgin drops its bomb on you, it lets you watch everything burn and then that's it. There's no happiness, no hope, just the song "Just Once" and the destruction of the film's hero in a way that there's no coming back from.

When a movie has a title like Lemon Popsicle, you don't know what to expect. It's a foreign movie released in 1978 that could be about anything. But when the title is The Last American Virgin and the movie comes out in the middle of the teen sex comedy craze, you don't expect things to go this way.

Gary (Lawrence Monsoon, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter) is a pizza delivery boy with two friends, the cool ladies man Rick (Steve Antin, Jessie in the "Jessie's Girl" video) and David (Joe Rubbo). Most of their hijinks revolve around trying to have sex, like telling girls they have cocaine - it's really Sweet'n Low - or sleeping with a prostitute or Carmello, a Spanish woman who Gary meets while delivering pizza. Everyone gets their turn except for Gary, who is the titular character.

Yet he has better plans for his first time. He's in love with Karen (Diane Franklin!),but she's in love with Rick, who plans on sleeping with her once and dumping her. He does exactly that, getting her pregnant. She turns to Gary, who sells almost everything he owns and borrows money to pay for her abortion, then nurses her during the lowest moment in her life. They share a kiss and she invites him to her 18th birthday party.

That's when the pain hits hard.

This film takes what Lemon Popsicle did on its soundtrack and transports it to the 80s, which is an incredibly smart move. The music is vital to this film's success, featuring heavy hitters like The Cars, Devo, The Police, Journey, REO Speedwagon, U2, Blondie and the Human League. I mean, how do you think Bono felt when he saw this and his song "I Will Follow," which is about his mom who died when he was only 14, is used over an abortion montage?

So much of this movie is very Cannon Films and that's also the joy of it. It also leaves me with so many questions. Why does Gary bring Karen a bag of oranges when she's lying in the hospital? Why would they make this seem like a teen movie and give it that ending, when if it was a date movie it's filled with way too much raunchy sex? And how about the fact that the actors who played Gary and Rick, who come to blows in the movie over the girl who got between their friendship, have come out? How does Gary not realize that Karen's friend Rose, who he gets set up with, is geeky hot (maybe this makes more sense in 2021 than 1982)? And how did cinematographer Adam Greenberg (who also filmed Terminator 2, 10 to Midnight, Near Dark and many more) feel about recreating so many of the same shots that he'd made in Lemon Popsicle?

Director Davidson also made Hospital Massacre, Salsa and American Cyborg: Steel Warrior, movies that would not even hint at the art that he would make with this movie. If you've ever seen the poster for this and laughed it off as a simple teen comedy, I want you to take a chance on this movie. But be prepared for the final moments.