Hollywood is obsessed with stories about young people losing their virginity, from 1982’s aptly titled Losin’ It, to one of the few with a fully developed frontal cortex, 2005’s The 40-Year-Old Virgin. But there’s one standout film that consistently sparks a virtual firestorm, popping up every time a social channel needs an organic algorithm boost: 1982’s The Last American Virgin, a story about three horny teenage boys (Gary, Rick, and David) desperate for sex, one falling hopelessly “in love” with his good friend’s girlfriend.
Any discussion about this film starts at the end, the last pitiful scene of Gary, the real star of the film, driving away from a party, knowing that the girl he loves, in the end, chose Rick—a dickhead straight out of Central Casting—as tears roll down his cheeks. (And, as a final insult, the end credits roll up over his face).
At least, that seems to be the story people remember, the one that awakens the pit of online bullies, furiously protesting “Justice for Gary!” and claiming everything they needed to know about women they learned from this film, claiming that they were also a “Gary.” (Women sometimes offer comments, too.)
The photo that sparks this outrage? The teen ingénue Karen.
Once you realize The Last American Virgin is a fictionalized version of true events from Israeli director Boaz Davidson’s younger years, it all makes more sense. Virgin is an Americanized version of his 1978 hit film Lemon Popsicle. Set in 1950s Tel Aviv, Lemon Popsicle was such a success it inspired a series of sequels. In 1979 it was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language.
Receiving a limited release in American cinemas in July 1982, The Last American Virgin had quite the competition that summer: Poltergeist, Blade Runner, The Thing, The Road Warrior (Mad Max 2), with E.T., released in June, ending ’82 as the highest grossing film of the year.
The Last American Virgin would not be known for its artistic impact, but its enduring sentimental one. Starring Lawrence Monoson (Gary), Diane Franklin (Karen), Steve Antin (Rick), and Joe Rubbo (David), the film touches on some pretty serious subjects, and you have to give the young and mostly inexperienced actors credit; though the product is earnest, it’s thoroughly imperfect and, at times, beyond the actors’ collective depth, even by early ’80s film standards, which were quite low (remember, that timeless masterpiece Porky’s was released in ’81).
While it’s tough to officially confirm the Virgin production budget, it was clearly a tiny fraction of another teen film released in mid-August of ’82, weeks after Virgin‘s early-August wide release: Fast Times at Ridgemont High. No doubt Fast Times is the better film, highly regarded as a classic, but both, interestingly, are considered comedies based on true accounts and deal with similar themes: the messy mosaic of teenhood, sex, relationships, and figuring it all out.

I believe it’s Virgin’s low-budget shortcomings that made it pack its punch. (After all, you never hear anyone protesting “Justice for Stacy/Spicoli/Linda/Brad/Mark Ratner”—though each would be justified.) Fast Times is still a fantastic film and knew exactly what it was meant to be—even amongst its heavier themes (including Stacy’s abortion), it was a card-carrying comedy that ended with an “all’s well” group dance. But Virgin is held together with comedic male “foibles” (including the friends taking turns having sex with the same woman, twice) interspersed with scenes that—despite Gary’s consistent obsessive staring at Karen, lack of charm, and belief that love is transactional—are meant to illustrate he’s the victim here.
It’s the “good guy gets spurned by the evil pretty girl” that for some people—oddly—sparks so much anger towards Karen to this day.
A re-watch helps to understand that this isn’t the whole narrative. The Last American Virgin is sloppily split in half: part sad love story, part ’80s gratuitous sex comedy. It’s difficult, revisiting it now, to un-see the aforementioned gratuitous sex comedy parts. We’re supposed to just accept that “boys will be boys” even when their behavior is atrocious for comedy’s sake.
In the four months Karen is at this stupid school, she experienced an undeniably terrible time, thanks to shithead Rick. But for some reason she’s “evil”?
So, you might be saying to yourself, “It’s just a silly teen film and we’re just having fun (bullying a fictional teen girl, 40-plus years later). What do you care?” Because I find it completely messed up, in today’s modern world, that anyone could delight in picking on Karen. Gary will drive away, cry, and eventually be fine. What happens to teenage Karen after the movie ends, knowing she’s partnered up with gaslighting, predatory, turd-kebab Rick?
Why aren’t you hating on him instead?
In case you haven’t watched it in a while, or ever, I’ve recounted the scenes here with a more modern and honest interpretation. Why? Because it’s freaky how this conversation keeps going, all these years later.
To make things interesting, I’ve broken the major plot points down by the key song that accompanies them, since the soundtrack features some of the greatest hits of the ’80s.
“Teen Angel Eyes,” Tommy Tutone
The film opens with Gary loading up the back of the Pink Pizza delivery station wagon with very obviously empty pizza boxes. He drives to the local ice cream hangout where he spots new-girl-in-town Karen and her quirky friend Rose at the counter ordering—and he just intensely stares at her, mouth agape. Karen looks beautiful and beatific as she gives him a polite smile. He then orders the same ice cream as her, the highly metaphorical rocky road.
“Shake It Up,” The Cars
Gary joins his friends Rick and David at a table where they spy three teenage girls at a neighboring table, and debate whether or not they’re “virgins” or “easy lays.” They invite them to a nonexistent party by luring them with cocaine they don’t have. The girls are blonde, brunette, and one with glasses. (For those that don’t know, glasses were a cheap ’80s prop to signify that a girl was undesirable, even when she wasn’t. She may just as well have had a parasitic twin. In this film Rose also wears glasses.) The girls agree to go so long as the guys “keep [their] hands to [themselves].”


“Are You Ready for the Sex Girls?,” Gleaming Spires
The girls pile into the pink station wagon, but once at Gary’s parents’ house, they quickly suss they’ve been lured under false pretenses. The one with glasses, Millie, says smartly, “I don’t like this…” Someone puts on Blondie’s “In the Flesh” and the group slow dances, pairing up; Millie dances with Gary. I think we’re supposed to feel bad for Gary here, even though Millie is clearly the girl with actual substance. Millie suggests to her friends that they should leave and is worried she doesn’t know where they are. So, they decide to stay and demand drugs. They give them Sweet’n Low and tell them it’s cocaine. They girls snort it and think they’re high.
The boys try to get it on with the girls and in a comedy of errors that aged very badly, David gets into bed with Gary’s mom, gropes her, and when she screams he puts his hand over her mouth. Hijinks ensue and the result is a bumbling getaway for David, presumably without consequence.
“Whip It,” DEVO
Presumably the next day at school, after catching a peeping Tom staring at the girls showering through a pinhole in the wall (another odd ’80s film device), the guys decide to line up and to see who has the longest penis. The peeper wins at 9 1/2 inches. Gary does the measuring as David looks on.
“Keep On Loving You,” REO Speedwagon
Gary waits outside Karen’s house one morning, lets the air out of the front tire on her moped, and waits for her to discover it so he can give her a ride to school.
Let’s try that one again:
Gary STALKS Karen in the early morning hours, DESTROYS her bike, and manipulates her into riding with him in his car. She then THANKS HIM for the ride, gets out of the car, where he follows her and asks her out. She politely turns him down. He runs after her and asks if she has a boyfriend, to which she honestly responds, “No.” She doesn’t lead him on. She doesn’t play with him. She ends the conversation and walks off. She shows zero interest in him romantically. NONEWHATSOEVER.


“Just Once,” James Ingram
Gary finds Rick dancing with Karen at a party (to Oingo Boingo’s “Better Luck Next Time”) and immediately slips into his bizarre semi-psychotic open-mouth stare. Rick and Karen look like they have a genuine connection and are having a really fun time. Rick introduces Karen as “the love of my life” to Gary, not knowing he’s already stalked her earlier that morning. Gary is charmless and weird, but just when you think no one would want to go out with him, Karen’s quirky friend Rose comes over to say hello and seems to warm up to Gary.
Gary pouts and stares at Rick slow dancing with Karen to James Ingram’s “Just Once” (pretty much the male POV’s theme to this whole film),where it’s clear Karen and Rick seem to be falling for one another. Rose asks Gary to dance and he begrudgingly does, not taking his eyes off of Karen for a split second like a serial killer, while swigging a bottle of Jack Daniels (and yes, swaying morbidly with poor Rose, who definitely deserves better than his sorry ass).
Rick and Karen kiss, Rose tries to get Gary’s attention…but he leaves Rose to follow Karen into the bathroom (where she no doubt thought she might be alone) whiskey bottle in hand, and makes himself comfortable on the bathroom counter, where he gets even creepier. Karen is obviously less interested in an inebriated Gary than she was in a sober one.
Gary’s not taking the hint. Rick (who is confident and has a personality, unlike sad-sack Gary) comes in to retrieve Karen and they leave arm-in-arm, apropos seeing as how they are together. Gary, with the exact same horrified mouth-agape creepy stare from the first time he saw Karen, eventually stumbles drunk through the party, lunging towards her; Karen looks both pitying and horrified. In true ’80s style, Gary gets in his car and drives home.
Once home, drunk, he tells his parents’ friend he’ll take a cold shower if “you take one with me, baby. ’Cause I know what you need.”
Gary is unwell.


“Granada,” Los Paraguayos
After Carmela, an older Spanish woman, comes onto him during a pizza delivery, Gary recruits Rick and David to go to her home where, eventually, Rick and David take turns having sex with her, watching through the keyhole, jeering and laughing at each other. A pantsless Gary only misses his turn because her boyfriend comes home.


“Keep On Loving You,” REO Speedwagon (Again)
Gary and Rick are double dating with Karen and Rose and when Rick tells Gary that Rose has the “hots” for him, Gary responds, “Oh, gee. Thanks a lot.” (Meaning what, exactly, Gary? Like you’re too good for her? Revisit your earlier aforementioned scenes, you drippy weirdo.)
Gary and Rick trick their friend Victor into lending them his car under the auspices of coming along on the date with them. Of course, they ditch him. So, after committing grand theft, the two pick up Karen and Rose, where they drive to a local make-out spot. Gary stares at Rick and Karen through the side mirror as though he’s dreaming of zip-typing them both to his rear bumper. Eventually, while Gary and Rose are kissing, they release the parking brake and eventually wind up rolling their friend’s car into the ocean. They jump out of the car into the moonlight sky, dancing in the water.


“De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da,” The Police
Skipping ahead, the boys are trying to drown the crabs (i.e. pube lice) they acquired from Ruby, the red-headed street walker they all took turns having sex with the night before. Karen and Rose show up at the pool and Karen confronts Rick about blowing her off, to which Rick gaslights her by telling her he tried to call “10 times” and she should have her phone checked. Gary watches on and says nothing, as per usual.
After staring creepily at Karen again—about a foot away from her face—Gary begrudgingly puts lotion on Rose’s back, completely mean and dismissive of her trying to make conversation. Rose should count herself lucky. Gary is the asshole here (with crabs).
“Oh No,” Commodores
Gary discovers Rick’s planning on having sex with Karen, so Gary heads over to the football field to try and find them, climbing the bleachers and peeping through windows to…to do what? What was he actually planning to do???
Rick and Karen come back to their ice cream hangout where Gary is sitting alone looking devastated, Rick tells him he had sex with Karen, only for Gary to flip out and scream at Rick, “You’re full of shit, you’re lying! YOU FUCKED KAREN?!” Gary storms off.


“Open Arms,” Journey
Karen is “knocked up.” (I didn’t realize that phrase was still circulating amongst grown adults until I read it in a social post comment about this film. Or is the correct wording she “gets knocked up”? Implying she did this by herself?) She confronts Rick in the school library (because she likely can’t get a hold of him anywhere else) and he hisses that it’s over between them and she runs off, weeping in the hallway.
Rick is a peak-level scumbag. Gary runs after her and actually, literally SMILES when she tells him through tears that she’s pregnant. He says: “I’m gonna take care of this, understand?” Karen is desperate and terrified. He offers help, she accepts.
Gary confronts Rick in the library and the two fight over Karen’s honor in one of the most honest scenes in the film.
“I Will Follow,” U2
It’s December and a bunch of the friends are going skiing, including Rick and David. Rick has clearly moved on and is seen kissing another girl.
Gary lies to his parents and says he’s going too, but really he’s helping Karen get an abortion, and literally begs, borrows, and steals to get the money (he also sells his stereo system). U2’s loud, fast “I WIll Follow” playing over this sequence is a bizarrely, dizzyingly tone-deaf choice. But this story isn’t about Karen—it’s all about Gary.
When Gary visits Karen in the hospital after the procedure she wakes, turns to look at him—and laughs. Tell me this film was made by a man without telling me this film was made by a man.
Gary stays with Karen in his vacant grandmother’s house until everyone comes home from the ski trip. Karen thanks Gary for helping her and for being a “true friend,” Gary tells her he loves her and she stays silent. They kiss. This is, no doubt, where Gary decides they are a couple.
“Just Once,” James Ingram (one last time)
Gary shows up at Karen’s birthday party with a necklace he bought for his “girlfriend,” only to find that she and Rick are kissing in the kitchen. Gary leaves brokenhearted, driving and crying.
Roll credits.