This nostalgia-and-reminiscence piece is a well-observed and affectionate portrait of American youth in 1959, and in particular of five guys in their early twenties who still hang out at the same riverside diner they've sat in for years even though one of them's now married. Of these sharply contrasted characters, the standouts are Boogie (Mickey Rourke), who tries to make his own rules but finds that life's not like that, and Fenwick (Kevin Bacon), an embittered loner who drinks too much, has dropped out of college and is brighter than he would care to admit to any of his friends. Diner or not, he looks in need of a warm heart and a square meal. The fabric of the picture (written as well as directed by Barry Levinson) results in a portrait rather than a story, but one that's frequently rewarding. The Metrocolor photography of Peter Sova is spot-on and the use of contemporary pop music on the soundtrack provides the final nostalgic glow.

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