From the basement of an otherwise innocent looking suburban Arizona household, a voice travels on the radio waves that decries all that is sacred in the world. The government is corrupt. School is a joke. But at the root of all of his ranting, this voice has a message. People are, no matter what kind of front they put on, all looking for the same thing: acceptance. This is the voice of Hard Harry (Christian Slater.)
By day, Harry is really Mark Hunter, a gifted but shy student who recently was brought to his new Arizona home by his parents from Manhattan. His father accepted the role of the area’s new school commissioner in a district that prides itself on its high academic scores. Mark, however, sees what’s really going on in the school from a student’s eye view. As Harry, he takes to the air every night at 10 PM to expose the administration’s dark underbelly. He gives the students an outlet for their confused feelings and reaches them in a way that the school will never be able to do. Unfortunately, when one of Harry’s fans can’t cope any longer and commits suicide, an inevitable clash between Harry and the authorities is set into motion. Harry finds an ally in Nora (Samantha Mathis), who urges him to continue his broadcasts and to keep delivering his message to those who need it most.
Christian Slater’s performance as Hard Harry cemented him as a leading man back in the early 1990s. It gave him another showcase for the cocky, self-assured persona he played so well in Heathers, a film that Pump Up the Volume is often compared to. Samantha Mathis made her feature film debut in the film and gives an adequate performance as Nora (or the “Eat Me Beat Me Lady” as she’s known to Harry initially.) They have a nice chemistry in the few scenes they actually share together.
This film was released in 1990 and, surprisingly, it holds up well by today’s standards. Sure, some of the clothing and hairstyles look a little dated, but its message of hope is as potent today as it was back then. While that message is a good one, the film itself isn’t necessarily a classic. Pump Up the Volume tries but falls short of adequately providing that feeling that the teenage years are the worst of your life. That honor still belongs to the king of teenage angst films, Over the Edge, starring Matt Dillon and Vincent Spano.
While the the movie never rises above being a mediocre teen angst flick, it does have a lot to say about being a teenager and surviving it. That message and the way it’s so eloquently delivered by Hard Harry earn it merit as a film to watch — especially if you’re between the ages of 13 and 19.
3.0 out of 5.0 stars
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