Little Darlings

R

Now Playing

1h 35m

Drama

List

67%

Tomatometer

9 Reviews

74%

Audience Score

5,000+ Ratings

At camp for the summer, two teenage girls from very different backgrounds face off in an unexpected contest. Streetwise Angel (Kristy McNichol) comes from a poor neighborhood, while naïve Ferris (Tatum O'Neal) has never wanted for anything. Both girls are on the brink of womanhood and, due to some intense peer pressure, they agree to compete to see who can lose her virginity first. But their impressions of sex and love are challenged as they race toward adulthood.

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Michael Blowen

Boston Globe

Little Darlings is as coy as it is cute. And it's too cute for words.

Apr 28, 2018

Full Review

Gary Arnold

Washington Post

One is left with the unpleasant impression that Little Darlings was animated by an idle longing to exploit its popular teen-age costars for cheap thrills.

Apr 23, 2018

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

...Little Darlings really wants to be two movies at once: A fairly serious film about teenagers and sex, but also a box-office winner.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 23, 2004

Full Review

Maida Tilchen

Gay Community News (Boston)

Left the theatre smiling and cheering... Judged by cinematic criteria, the picture is all plot and some summery scenery.

Aug 30, 2022

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...an exceedingly (and often excessively) languid drama that does, generally speaking, benefit from the superb efforts of its various performers...

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 16, 2021

Full Review

Dorothy Woodend

The Tyee (British Columbia)

Female solidarity rules in the end, and as corny as that may sound, it's actually quite sweet.

Aug 22, 2017

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Audience Member

It's good for the age range. I was 12 years old when I first saw this in 1980. This was a movie I went to see about 3 or 4 times. My adult self didn't like it as well. That is OK. It was made for a certain age range and is ever enjoyable when watched by its target audience.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

hayley b

good cast and direction but the story is great, enjoyed it all the way through. a good movie for an oldie, this is a fantastic coming of age film

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

A good coming-of-age movie for girls from the 80's. Tatum O'Neal and Matt Dillon are great. It's no Meatballs though.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/06/20

Full Review

Audience Member

Kind of an edgier companion piece to Meatballs, Little Darlings frustratingly swings between trite goofiness and moments of genuine human insight. While Tatum O'Neal stormed out of the gate as an Oscar winner for Paper Moon six years earlier, it is Kristy McNichol's heartbreaking performance as a tough but tender teenager losing her virginity to Matt Dillon that really stands out. Her ability to convey a full emotional range at only age 17 easily overshadows the relatively workmanlike efforts of older co-stars like Armand Assante, and allows Little Darlings to rise above most of the myriad coming-of-age tales to which it will inevitably be compared. Plus it has a great soundtrack!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Loved this movie as a kid and just watched it again as a 50 year old and loved it all over again!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Thought this was going to be a teen summer camp comedy, but it was more serious and introspective. Still was a pretty good movie

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

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Ronald F. Maxwell

Director

Tatum O'Neal

Ferris

Kristy McNichol

Angel

Matt Dillon

Randy

Armand Assante

Gary

Margaret Blye

Ms. Bright

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Synopsis

At camp for the summer, two teenage girls from very different backgrounds face off in an unexpected contest. Streetwise Angel (Kristy McNichol) comes from a poor neighborhood, while naïve Ferris (Tatum O'Neal) has never wanted for anything. Both girls are on the brink of womanhood and, due to some intense peer pressure, they agree to compete to see who can lose her virginity first. But their impressions of sex and love are challenged as they race toward adulthood.

Director: Ronald F. Maxwell
Production Co: Paramount
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 9, 2019
Runtime: 1h 35m

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