Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- nostalgic
- witty
- warm
- nostalgic movie night
- teen romance double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded the film as likable but middle-of-the-road, with its nostalgic small-town period detail more memorable than its characters.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The 1956 town, pastel hues, summer settings, and carefully recreated costumes present high-school life through an unusually beautified memory-like lens.
Jonathan's changing luck with girls and Gene's lessons make virginity, desire, and romantic confidence central to the story.
Bunny's parents reject Gene because his father is poor, placing economic status directly between the teenage couple.
Popular, rebellious Gene becomes Jonathan's friend and teaches the shy high-school senior how to approach girls.
Films like Mischief, and why
The Last American Virgin
1950s teen coming-of-age romance combining sexual awkwardness, rebellious friendship, and nostalgic small-town humor
The Flamingo Kid
teen romance and sexual awakening filtered through heightened nostalgia, comedy, and period-specific social expectations
Can't Buy Me Love
high-school romantic comedy centered on first love, class barriers, and an awkward adolescent protagonist
Porky's
nostalgic teenage ensemble comedy about desire, friendship, and navigating sexual status in a socially restrictive youth culture
Movie Details
- Director
- Mel Damski
- Release Date
- 1985-02-08
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (165)
Cast
- Doug McKeon
- Catherine Mary Stewart
- Kelly Preston
- Chris Nash
- D.W. Brown
- Jami Gertz
- Margaret Blye
- Graham Jarvis
- Terry O'Quinn
- Darren Ewing
Common questions
- What is Mischief about?
- A shy 1956 high-school senior gains romantic confidence from a charismatic rebel friend while confronting desire, class prejudice, and first love.
- What is Mischief like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Mischief as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Mischief violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Mischief.
- What did critics think of Mischief?
- Critics broadly regarded the film as likable but middle-of-the-road, with its nostalgic small-town period detail more memorable than its characters.
- Which films are like Mischief?
- Films with a similar feel include The Last American Virgin, The Flamingo Kid, Can't Buy Me Love, and Porky's.
- How long is Mischief?
- Mischief runs 93 minutes.
