Permanent Record (1989) Paramount

Written by Jane Fees, Alice Liddle and Larry Ketron, Directed by Maris Silver Starring: Keanu Reeves, Alan Boyce, Michelle Meyrick, Jennifer Rubin, Barry Corbin, Kathy Baker, Pamela Gidley, Michael Elgart, Dakin Matthews, Richard Bradford

Our troubled protagonist Alan is a great student, an athlete and friend and confidant to just about everyone, especially for his best friend, surf-dude and rocker Keanu. Popularity, grades, respect-he seems to have it all. When he earns a very prestigious and challenging music scholarship he begins to feel the pressure to succeed more than he`s willing to admit, and withdraws from others. He`s secretly afraid of failure, but who would understand?

At a huge class party Alan wanders off and jumps off the cliff at the kids` favourite nearby seaside hangout. His friends and acquaintances are distraught and fearful: how can they go on when he couldn`t, with all his gifts and advantages? Was there something that could have been done or said? Denial, rage, sorrow and acceptance follow.

Any official tribute to the dear departed friend is prohibited, for reasons of decorum and P.C., but several of the kids, with Keanu`s planning, perform an impromptu memorial song during a major school production which Alan had been directing. All those in mourning are moved and catharsis is acheived.

No answer is provided, except the message that life goes on.

Trivia: cameo by Lou Reed. Kathy Baker, Alan`s mom, would later star with Tom Skeritt (Maid to Order) in Picket Fences, for which an old high school and college friend of YMP`s, David M once wrote. Also, Barry Corbin, Alan`s dad, would later star in Northern Exposure with Rob Morrow (Private Resort). Mr. Morrow also starred in Quiz Show, which was written by Paul Attanasio, who also created YMP`s recent favourite TV show Homocide, for which his college friend, and YMP`s, David M sometimes wrote (as well as NYPD Blue on occaision)

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