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Johnny Be Good

Play trailer Poster for Johnny Be Good R 1988 1h 24m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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0% Tomatometer 18 Reviews 30% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
High-school quarterback Johnny Walker (Anthony Michael Hall) is being courted by elite colleges nationwide. To get the sports star to enroll, an army of recruiters entices him with everything a young, hormonal teenager could want. While his best friend, Leo Wiggins (Robert Downey Jr.), advises him to wait for the most lucrative offer, Johnny's girlfriend, Georgia Elkins (Uma Thurman), wants him to attend their state college -- with her. The trouble is the state school has offered him nothing.
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Johnny Be Good

Critics Reviews

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Michael Wilmington Los Angeles Times Aug 14, 2019
"Johnny Be Good," a would-be satire on the excesses of big-time college football recruiting, is so bad that the NCAA might consider using it as punishment for coaches who violate regulations. Go to Full Review Dave Kehr Chicago Tribune Aug 14, 2019
1/4
Buried somewhere in the screenplay are some Robert Altman-esque satirical intentions, in which the wildly corrupt college football recruitment process is offered as a panoramic image of frenzied American venality. Go to Full Review Caryn James New York Times May 20, 2003
2/5
Two of the screenwriters, Steve Zacharias and Jeff Buhai, also wrote Revenge of the Nerds, so it's not surprising that they're more interested in tame teen-age fantasies than in social satire. Go to Full Review Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies Aug 22, 2022
1.5/5
“Johnny Be Good” is still a bad movie, and its faults stand out even more today. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Feb 12, 2022
1/4
The worst football flick ever made. Go to Full Review Guillermo Altares El Pais (Spain) Aug 14, 2019
An insufferable comedy. [Full Review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Melissa M @Lisey Jul 31, 2026 This movie is definitely a frat-boy movie. With a lot of gratuitous trash talking. But I guess that's the way most locker room or sports talk is. It's not a bad movie. Don't know if it would be considered a cult classic. Paul Gleason & Anthony Michael Hall are in the film. They both starred together in the movie The breakfast club. Robert Downey Jr is also in the film. This is Uma Thurman's 1st movie. In the film Johnny is a star athlete who has football recruiters throwing offers at him he's finding a hard time to refuse. He's getting different advice from his friends especially his best friend Leo. Georgia wants Johnny to go to State college. However the state college is not offering anything that great especially where football is concerned. He has a hard choice to make. Won't say what happens no spoiler alerts here. If you like sports movies you'll like this film. It's watchable. And it has its moments. See more Christopher C. @PapaTangooo May 28, 2026 With introduction of NIL into the world of college sports, this movie has a different feel than it did in the 80s. It’s a fun flick. AMH is overall entertaining and has some nice nuance to his comedic delivery although there are scenes where the character work drifts. Interesting to watch Robert Downey, Jr and Uma Thurman as they were starting their acting careers as supporting characters. See more Apr 24, 2025 I loved this movie as a kid Hall Downie and Gleason were great See more Eric E @RT96541387 Apr 23, 2024 So many great one liners. Coach Hissler's pre-game speech is the stuff of legends. See more alan g @agenser Apr 4, 2024 Anthony Michael Hall as a high school quarterback is really pushing it. Still a fun coming of age movie. See more Fourpsyte @RT86546669 Dec 12, 2023 This movie is honestly great. You get unhinged RDJ and girls that are new in town and they need a hand See more Read all reviews
Johnny Be Good

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Cast & Crew

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Bud S. Smith

Director

Anthony Michael Hall

Johnny Walker

Robert Downey Jr.

Leo Wiggins

Paul Gleason

Wayne Hisler

Uma Thurman

Georgia Elkans

Steve James

Coach Sanders

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Johnny Be Good

A scene from "Johnny Be Good." A scene from "Johnny Be Good." A scene from "Johnny Be Good." A scene from "Johnny Be Good." A scene from "Johnny Be Good." Johnny Be Good (1988) Johnny Be Good (1988) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis High-school quarterback Johnny Walker (Anthony Michael Hall) is being courted by elite colleges nationwide. To get the sports star to enroll, an army of recruiters entices him with everything a young, hormonal teenager could want. While his best friend, Leo Wiggins (Robert Downey Jr.), advises him to wait for the most lucrative offer, Johnny's girlfriend, Georgia Elkins (Uma Thurman), wants him to attend their state college -- with her. The trouble is the state school has offered him nothing.
Director
Bud S. Smith
Producer
Adam Fields
Screenwriter
Steve Zacharias, Jeff Buhai, David Obst
Production Co
Orion Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 25, 1988, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 16, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$15.5M
Runtime
1h 24m
Sound Mix
Surround
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