Tuff Turf (1985)

	Directed by: Fritz Kiersch	COUNTRY USA Genre Drama NORWEGIAN TITLE Storbyens ulver RUNNING TIME 112 minutes
	Produced by: Donald P. Borchers
	Written by: Jette Rinck

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Morgan Hiller	James Spader
Frankie Croyden	Kim Richards	½
Nick Hauser	Paul Mones	½
Stuart Hiller	Matt Clark
Mrs. Page Hiller	Claudette Nevins
Jimmy Parker	Robert Downey Jr.
Ronnie	Olivia Barash	-
Feather	Catya Sassoon	-
Brian Hiller	Bill Beyers	-
Mr. Russell	Herb Mitchell	-

Review

Offbeat, affectatious look at growing up on different sides of the divide in 1980s Los Angeles. Think Bret Easton Ellis' Less Than Zero blended with West Side Story, then add a bit of MTV stylisation and a pinch of Footloose on top. Between the one-dimensional characterisations, staged drama, and puffy hairstyles, Tuff Turf offers sudden bursts of poignant moments in which the cast are able to lay themselves bare and express their talent. And for viewers with a taste for the '80s and an ability to look past the pastiche and the myriad of moods that director Fritz Kiersch imbues the film with, it might even offer quite a bit of fun. The soundtrack is as sprawling as the film’s drama, with Jim Carroll appearing as the frontman of a New Wave band, before James Spader and Kim Richards end up swinging to the blue-eyed soul of Jack Mack and the Heart Attack. Tuff Turf is a curiosity indeed, but worth a watch for Spader fans and '80s aficionados.