Reunion (1980 film)
Encyclopedia
Plot
Don Hollander is a Los Angeles married father of two teens, entrenched in a midlife crisisMidlife Crisis
"Midlife Crisis" is a song by the American rock band Faith No More. It was released on May 26, 1992 as the first single from their fourth album, Angel Dust...
. Once happily married and in top condition, working as a space engineer, Don is now unemployed and constantly fights with his wife Evelyn (Melendy Britt
Melendy Britt
Melendy Britt is an American actress active in television and voice acting since the 1970s. Her most notable animated work is for Filmation, voicing characters such as She-Ra, Princess Adora, and the second animated Batgirl...
) over how to discipline their rebellious children - Evelyn feeling they should accept that they are sexually active and using drugs, whereas Don has more conservative thoughts. When he receives a letter informing him about the twentieth reunion of his high school 3000 miles away from Los Angeles, Don is encouraged by Evelyn to attend it, feeling that they could use a break from each other. Going through the year book, he immediately contacts his high school sweetheart Peggy Sager (Joanna Cassidy
Joanna Cassidy
Joanna Cassidy is an American film and television actress. She is known for her role as the replicant Zhora in the Ridley Scott's film Blade Runner...
), who is now a divorced mother and excited to catch up with Don. Though thrilled to see her, Peggy's aging looks remind Don of his own decline and he becomes more attracted to her 17-year-old daughter Anne (Linda Hamilton
Linda Hamilton
Linda Carroll Hamilton is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Sarah Connor in The Terminator and its sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Catherine Chandler in the television series Beauty and the Beast, for which she was nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy...
), a high school cheerleader who is in a relationship with the basketball team's star player Steve Cowan (Nick Cassavetes).
Don quickly grows accustomed to his home town, where he is worshiped by the townspeople for being the high school team's star player in 1959, shared with his pals Vincent Scozzola (George DiCenzo
George DiCenzo
George Ralph DiCenzo was an American character actor and one-time associate producer for Dark Shadows. He was in show business for more than 30 years, with extensive film, TV, stage and commercial credits.-Life and career:...
), Walker Hanson (Rick Lenz
Rick Lenz
Rick Lenz is an American actor best known for repeating his Broadway role as Igor Sullivan in the 1969 film Cactus Flower.-Career:...
) and Jack Owens (Nicholas Pryor
Nicholas Pryor
Nicholas Pryor is an American film and television actor.Pryor was born Nicholas David Probst in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Dorothy and J. Stanley Probst, a pharmaceutical manufacturer....
). All men try to re-live their glory years and decide to compete against the current high school basketball team. Meanwhile, despite better judgment, Peggy sleeps with Don on his first night there. The next morning, Don gets more acquiantanced with Anne, who has developed a crush on him and even accompanies him to meet with his father Bob (Lew Ayres
Lew Ayres
Lew Ayres was an American actor, best known for starring as Paul in All Quiet on the Western Front and for playing Dr...
). She even distances herself from Steve as a way of spending more time with Don.
Throughout the film, Don multiple times shows his discontent in getting older and criticizes others for not being young. He even attends a high school prom to dance with Anne, shocking Peggy who suspects that a romance is going on. Don further upsets one with conservative thoughts, such as his opinion on homosexuality, which saddens his closeted friend Walker. Simultaneously, he finds in John Wiepert (George Wyner
George Wyner
George Wyner is an American film and television actor. He is probably best known for his role as ADA Bernstein on the series Hill Street Blues. Wyner graduated from Syracuse University in 1968 as a drama major, and was an in-demand character actor by the early 1970s. To date, Wyner has made guest...
) the fifth player of his team. Over the phone he informs his wife on his basketball match, but she angers him by saying that he is too old to compete against teenagers. He is interrupted by Anne, who comes by late at night to seduce him. Even though they quickly kiss, Don sends her away. She stays out all night, prompting Peggy to think that her daughter is having sex with Steve. As Don learns about these rumours the next day during his basketball game, he gets distraught and plays a rough game against Steve. Nevertheless, he wins the game and kisses Anne in public during a short moment of joy.
Peggy witnesses the kiss and confronts Don with his immoral behavior. Don explains his actions by claiming that Anne is the only girl in his life to boost his ego. Don decides to leave town and returns to Los Angeles
Cast
- Kevin DobsonKevin DobsonKevin Patrick Dobson is an American film and television actor of Irish descent, who is primarily known for his roles on television. His most prominent roles were as Lt. Theo Kojak's trusted partner, Det. Bobby Crocker on the popular 1970s TV crime drama Kojak, and as Karen MacKenzie's second...
as Don Hollander - Joanna CassidyJoanna CassidyJoanna Cassidy is an American film and television actress. She is known for her role as the replicant Zhora in the Ridley Scott's film Blade Runner...
as Peggy Sager - Linda HamiltonLinda HamiltonLinda Carroll Hamilton is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Sarah Connor in The Terminator and its sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Catherine Chandler in the television series Beauty and the Beast, for which she was nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy...
as Anne Samoorian - George DiCenzoGeorge DiCenzoGeorge Ralph DiCenzo was an American character actor and one-time associate producer for Dark Shadows. He was in show business for more than 30 years, with extensive film, TV, stage and commercial credits.-Life and career:...
as Vincent Scozzola - Conchata FerrellConchata FerrellConchata Galen Ferrell is an American actress. She is best known for playing Berta the housekeeper in the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, for which she received two Emmy Award nominations in 2005 and 2007.-Personal life:...
as Toni Owens - Rick LenzRick LenzRick Lenz is an American actor best known for repeating his Broadway role as Igor Sullivan in the 1969 film Cactus Flower.-Career:...
as Walker Hanson - Nick Cassavetes as Steve Cowan
- Nicholas PryorNicholas PryorNicholas Pryor is an American film and television actor.Pryor was born Nicholas David Probst in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Dorothy and J. Stanley Probst, a pharmaceutical manufacturer....
as Jack Owens - George WynerGeorge WynerGeorge Wyner is an American film and television actor. He is probably best known for his role as ADA Bernstein on the series Hill Street Blues. Wyner graduated from Syracuse University in 1968 as a drama major, and was an in-demand character actor by the early 1970s. To date, Wyner has made guest...
as John Wiepert - Lew AyresLew AyresLew Ayres was an American actor, best known for starring as Paul in All Quiet on the Western Front and for playing Dr...
as Bob Hollander - Melendy BrittMelendy BrittMelendy Britt is an American actress active in television and voice acting since the 1970s. Her most notable animated work is for Filmation, voicing characters such as She-Ra, Princess Adora, and the second animated Batgirl...
as Evelyn Hollander