A highly nostalgic, joke-heavy defense of a very 1980s teen comedy. Bill and Kyle celebrate its horny energy, zero-adult hang, Billy Jacoby’s manic comic performance, and the shocking reveal scene, while Joanna is generally more measured. The discussion repeatedly frames the movie as a time capsule whose premise and content would not survive a modern remake.
Based only on this episode’s transcriptTimes approximateSpeakers were clearly identifiedExplore the connections
01The movie’s hang is fun because almost no adults are present, letting the teens drive the whole movie. About 8 min
02Billy Jacoby’s performance is an all-time comic engine, with relentless line delivery and physical energy. About 8 min
03The reveal scene lands as a huge shock and remains the movie’s most memorable payoff. About 40 min
04The movie feels like a pure 1980s artifact with a very specific spirit and absurd premise. About 8 min
05It works as a family rewatch and has become a recurring comfort watch for Bill’s household. Opening minutes · medium confidence
WHAT DID NOT WORK
Their main criticisms
moderateThe premise is unbelievable and would not really work in a modern movie. Opening minutes
minorJoyce Hyser’s early acting is uneven, especially before the gender-performance portion kicks in. About 16 min · medium confidence
moderateRick’s character is hard to pin down and his reactions don’t fully make sense. About 40 min
minorThe journalism subplot and Terry’s article feel thin and unconvincing. About 1:12
moderateSome dialogue and gender/trans-related material has aged poorly. About 1:36
SCENES THEY KEPT COMING BACK TO
Standout moments
Favorite
Buddy’s first scene
Introduces Buddy as a wild comic engine with his breakfast pizza and smut reading.
About 8 min Favorite
Locker-room gender performance
Terry sneaks peeks in the boys’ locker room, reinforcing the fish-out-of-water premise.
About 16 min · medium confidenceFavorite
Buddy teaching Terry how to act like a guy
A central comic sequence where Buddy trains Terry in masculine behavior.
About 40 min Favorite
The reveal scene
Rick discovers Terry is a woman, prompting the film’s most famous reaction.
About 40 min positive
Prom fight on the beach
The final confrontation with Greg Tolan is praised for its energy and absurdity.
About 40 min mixed
Buddy and the motorcycle woman ending
The ending with Buddy riding off with an older woman is treated as a baffling 80s flourish.
About 48 min critical
The article/contest victory
Terry’s journalism payoff is mocked as weak and poorly articulated.
About 1:12
WHERE THEY DISAGREED
The biggest debates
They partly agreed About 16 min
How good Joyce Hyser is in the lead role
Bill Simmons
She is good and convincing enough, especially once the disguise performance kicks in.
Joanna Robinson
She is fine, with room for improvement but not a liability.
Craig Horlbeck
She is rough overall, with line delivery and some scenes not working.
No final agreement About 40 min
Whether Rick would realistically recover after the reveal
Bill Simmons
His reaction is understandable but the character remains shaky.
Kyle Brandt
He can recover because the movie is built on 80s teen-movie logic.
Joanna Robinson
The Shakespeare adaptation should have pushed the attraction angle further.
They partly agreed About 8 min
Whether Billy Jacoby is the funniest 80s movie teenager
Bill Simmons
Yes, he is an all-time comic force and maybe the funniest teen boy of the era.
Kyle Brandt
Strongly yes; he is manic and scene-stealing.
Craig Horlbeck
He is good but not at Bill Murray level.
They left it as a friendly argument About 48 min
How much the movie’s ending should bother viewers
Bill Simmons
The motorcycle ending is weird but fits the 80s vibe.
Kyle Brandt
It is part of the movie’s absurd, carefree 80s logic.
Craig Horlbeck
The ending remains baffling, especially the older-woman ride-off.
15 People discussedActors, directors, writers, and producers
favorableLisa GottliebBill Simmons: Praised as the director of this and credited with making a convincing gender-disguise movie. About 16 min
very favorableBilly JacobyBill Simmons: Held up as the movie’s comic standout and treated like a 14-year-old Bill Murray. About 8 min
favorableJoyce HyserJoanna Robinson: Seen as believable in the role and deserving of more career momentum, though her acting is debated early in the movie. About 16 min
neutralWilliam ShakespeareKyle Brandt: Referenced as the source framework via 12th Night. About 16 min
favorableSherilyn FennBill Simmons: Mentioned as another notable young actor connected to the film’s orbit and a source of 90s-era cachet. About 24 min
