What was the 1985 teen drama movie Vision Quest about?”
Harold Becker’s modest film about a high school wrestler’s coming-of-age isn’t long on originality but it’s a far more solid and affecting film than most ’80s teen fare. The story focuses on an 18-year-old wrestler (Matthew Modine) who is preparing intensely for the state championship while keeping his eye on a hot, young woman (Linda Fiorentino) who has drifted into town. The film’s premise can make it seem like one of the numerous Rocky (1976) clones that flooded theaters in the ’80s, and although it has predictable elements, it’s filled by a more interesting and recognizably human group of people than is usually the case with such films. Like Rocky (1976), most such stories have a working-class setting which is barely sketched out, but seems to automatically imply the need for escape. Vision Quest is set in similar territory, but has respect for the milieu and its well-observed characters. Modine is appealing as the eager, hardworking kid, and Fiorentino fits the bill perfectly as t
Vision Quest is a coming of age movie in which high school wrestler Louden Swain decides he wants to be something more than an average high school athlete and sets his sights on a prize that many don’t think he can win – he then sets out to reach his goal alone, without much support from his father or coach. His father rents a room to a young drifter, Carla. Swain falls in love with her and she helps him stay focused and prevents him from losing sight of his goals. Written by Lynanne Fowle {lynanne@thefowles.com} Louden Swain has just turned eighteen, this being the year he’s going to make his mark in life, or as his friend Kuch calls it, his vision quest. His chosen goal is to wrestle and beat Brian Shute, known as the best high school freestyle wrestler in Washington state. Shute is undefeated in his high school career. The issue is that Louden has to drop two weight classes to do so. This quest is much to the chagrin of Louden’s coach and teammates as although Louden is an inexperie
