It's hard to believe that this Neil Simon story won the New York Drama Critics' award as the best new play of 1983.

All the more discredit to director Gene Saks for making such a dull film out of it.

It's partly based on Simon's own life but, since Jonathan Silverman is actually rather obnoxious as the Simon character, there's nothing very endearing or nostalgic about the piece.

It concentrates almost entirely on the boy's leering introduction to sex and misses out on the simple emotional appeal that should be the cornerstone of such fare.

The entire cast is unmemorable.