Secret Admirer (1985)
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25% of critics liked it
(8 reviews) -
60% of users liked it
(4,093 ratings)
Produced at the height of the teen sex comedy cinema craze in the mid-1980s, Secret Admirer (1985) was the directorial debut of David Greenwalt, who would later move from screwball comedy to horror with the television series The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. C. Thomas Howell stars as… More Produced at the height of the teen sex comedy cinema craze in the mid-1980s, Secret Admirer (1985) was the directorial debut of David Greenwalt, who would later move from screwball comedy to horror with the television series The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. C. Thomas Howell stars as Michael Ryan, a high school student who receives an anonymous love note in his locker. Hoping that it's from Deborah Ann Fimple (Kelly Preston), a gorgeous but air-headed classmate who only dates college boys, Michael hatches a scheme with Toni (Lori Loughlin), who is friendly with both him and Deborah, to write her back. What Michael doesn't know, however is that the first letter was really from Toni, who has more than friendship in mind. In the meantime, the unsigned missives fall into the wrong hands, leading Michael's mother, Connie (Dee Wallace-Stone) to believe that her husband George (Cliff De Young) is having an affair with his night school teacher, Elizabeth (Leigh Taylor-Young), who is none other than Deborah's mother. George had better watch his back, however, as Elizabeth's husband is Lieutenant Lou Fimple (Fred Ward), a tough cop who's having a very bad week. As the romantic complications pile up, Toni becomes Michael's Cyrano de Bergerac, penning his letters but pining for him as he gets closer to winning Deborah over. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Directed By
- David Greenwalt
- Written By
- David Greenwalt, Jim Kouf
- Genres
- Comedy, Romance
- In Theaters
- Jun 14, 1985 Wide
- Studio
- HBO Video
Critic Reviews
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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Starts well, but the early comic buoyancy deflates quickly.
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Kevin Fiddler, Henderson Home News (Henderson, NV)
C. Thomas who?
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Bill Chambers, Film Freak Central
...How a formulaic laff riot with a risqué slant is done.
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Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Only in a genre that includes Private School and Joy Sticks could Secret Admirer be considered a good movie, but this one's actually got some laughs!
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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C. Thomas Howell
as Michael Ryan
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Lori Loughlin
as Toni
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Fred Ward
as Lou Fimple
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Kelly Preston
as Debora Anne Fimple
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Dee Wallace
as Connie Ryan
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Cliff De Young
as George Ryan
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Leigh Taylor-Young
as Elizabeth Fimple
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Casey Siemaszko
as Roger Despard
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Scott McGinnis
as Steve Powers
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Geoffrey Blake
as Ricardo
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Rodney Pearson
as Kirkpatrick
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Courtney Gains
as Doug
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Corey Haim
as Jeff
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Ernie Brown
as Guard
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Janet Carroll
as Toni's Mother
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J.J. Cohen
as Barry
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Ken Lerner
as Waiter
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Doug Savant
as Boy
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John Terlesky
as Rick
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Ron Burke
as Mr. Henderson
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Leslie Allan
as Girl
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Gipsi de Young
as Mrs. Henderson
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Dermott Downs
as Ungrateful Teen
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Arvid Malnaa
as Norwegian Dock Worker
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Michael Menzies
as Mr. Simpson
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Keith Mills
as Mailman
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Mike Toto
as Toni's Father
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Michael Moore
as Leon
- Michael Moore (V)
