Permanent Record Information

Permanent Record}}

Permanent Record is a 1988 American drama film starring Pamela Gidley, Michelle Meyrink, Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Rubin, and Alan Boyce. It was filmed on location in Portland and Yaquina Head, Newport Beach, Oregon.

The movie primarily deals with the profound effect of suicide, and how friends and family work their way through the grief.

Plot summary

David (Alan Boyce) seems to have everything. He is smart, talented, funny, and popular. He is best friends with Chris (Keanu Reeves), a quirky outsider. He seems to have it all together, yet as his personal academic expectations and those of his parents become overwhelming, he seemingly is keeping emotional problems secret to himself.

At a party with his school friends along the coast, he takes a walk to the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean.

Chris, playful as ever, decides to sneak up on his friend, but when he emerges from behind a rock, David is not there. He has fallen to his death. Originally assumed to be a horrible accident, the situation changes when Chris receives a suicide note in the mail. Chris and David's girlfriend, Lauren (Jennifer Rubin), want to hold some type of memorial, but a reluctant school decides against it, leaving the kids to memorialize their friend in their own way.

Reception

The film received mixed reviews from critics. It currently holds a 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Times praised the film as one of the best 1988 had to offer, stating all the performances were appropriate to the material, whilst also praising Silver for finding authentic ways to portray emotions.

Variety Reviews applauded Reeves performance in the latter of the film, citing Boyce's character's suicide is the primary reason, although also criticizing the female characters in the film.

Rob Gonsalves of efilmcritic.com criticized the film, stating it was nothing more than a 'TV-Movie drama film,' whilst also criticizing the climax of the story. Although he also praised the performance of Keanu Reeves.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack featured five songs by Joe Strummer and the Latino Rockabilly War, as well as individual tracks by Lou Reed, the Stranglers, the BoDeans, the Godfathers, and J D Souther.

Track Listing:
1. Trash City performed by Joe Strummer & The Latino Rockabilly War; written by Joe Strummer
2. Baby the Trans performed by Joe Strummer & The Latino Rockabilly War; written by Joe Strummer
3. Nefertiti Rock performed by Joe Strummer & The Latino Rockabilly War; written by Joe Strummer
4. Nothin' Bout Nothin' performed by Joe Strummer & The Latino Rockabilly War; written by Joe Strummer
5. Instrumental Theme written and performed by Joe Strummer
6. 'Cause I Said So written and performed by The Godfathers
7. Waiting On Love performed by The BoDeans; written by Kurt Neumann and Sam Llanas
8. Wishing On Another Star written and performed by J.D. Souther
9. All Day and All of the Night by The Stranglers; written by Dave and Ray Davies
10. Something Happened written and performed by Lou Reed