Little Darlings (1980)

Little Darlings is that rare coming-of-age comedy that actually understands how tender, confusing, and high-stakes adolescence feels, and it treats teenage sexuality with a surprising amount of dignity for its era. What starts as a cheeky camp rivalry gradually reveals a warmer, more human film—one that lets embarrassment and bravado coexist with real vulnerability. Kristy McNichol is terrific, grounding the humor with a performance that feels lived-in and emotionally honest, while the movie’s sunlit summer-camp vibe keeps it breezy even when it gets sincere. It does show its 1980 edges at times, but if you’re open to a classic that’s more sensitive and touching than its premise suggests, it’s an engaging watch.

Little Darlings is clearly aiming for a coming-of-age dramedy that pokes at teenage bravado and class differences, with a hint of sincerity underneath the camp hijinks. The problem is the script often feels clumsy and the comedy can land as vulgar or outright mean, making you feel like you’re watching kids get pushed through jokes rather than characters you can root for. Its tone wobbles between “raunchy competition” and “serious emotional fallout,” so the sex-and-peer-pressure material can come off less like honest insight and more like an uncomfortable ordeal. If you want a warm, funny teen classic, this probably isn’t it—but if you can tolerate rough edges for a few strong performances and a glimpse of what it’s trying to say, you may find something worthwhile in the mess.