The Chicken Chronicles

In 1969, a high school senior from a wealthy, absentee family in Hollywood--a rebel on the school paper and a goof-off at his job in a chicken restaurant--is frustrated at his lack of progress with the girls (a survey that proclaims "87% of all 12th grade boys admit to being sexually active" clearly doesn't apply to our frustrated hero). Screenwriter Paul Diamond, adapting his novel, facetiously drops hints about the Viet Cong, President Nixon, Ingmar Bergman and "Rosemary's Baby" in an attempt (I guess) to situate his story in a particular era, yet director Francis Simon fails to accentuate the film with any nostalgic flair--the majority of it looks like 1977, and sounds like it as well. In the lead, Steve Guttenberg (who gets an 'introducing' credit) is a handsome, muscular, ingratiating fellow with a boyish voice and a slightly-stupefied look. He's full of youthful energy and breezes through the movie effortlessly, yet he doesn't leave any footprints behind him. As a vehicle for newcomers and veterans, these "Chronicles" are certainly lacking. Ed Lauter does his granite-jawed act as the school's vice principal, while top-billed (!) Phil Silvers overacts as Guttenberg's boss, shouting as if he were performing in front of a live audience. *1/2 from ****