RATING: A+

A Westona Production. Written and directed by Matthew Lupis. Produced by Adam Lupis and  Matthew Lupis. Cinematography by Christian Cocuzzo. Edited by Mateo Tompkins and Nathan Chancer. 

Stars Adam Lupis, Dani Romero, Dylan Hawco, Tom Keat, Shelby Handley, Damien Gulde, Paulina Luciani, James Magwood, and Camille Blott.

Set within a Fall day in 1989, this coming of age film is a fantastic homage to one of the greatest decades ever. 

At Romano High, the student body and administration are preparing for a massive field party prepare for the Winter while in Germany, the Berlin Wall has finally come down, ending the Cold War. Mark Gallo is the nice guy who is dating cheerleader Debbie while the smart Linda has learned she is pregnant. Then there’s Cole Sullivan, the football player who doubles as the school bully. There’s also Dean Marino, the rebellious one who tends to be the object of affection from repressed teacher Mrs. Applewood. 

As Mark endures Cole’s bullying, he helps Dean with his homework and the grateful Dean helps Mark gain some confidence. When Mrs. Applewood learns of Linda’s secret, she offers to help but Linda is worried about her little brother. When Mr. Parker learns of the Berlin Wall finally being put down, he is in shock himself. All these stories will finally come together at the field party. 

The nostalgic coming of age genre is slowly peeking its head back in the world of cinema, in this case, independent films. From 2020’s 18 to Party to 2025’s Casey Makes a Mixtape, this film from Matthew Lupis is just another addition to the genre that revolves around a series of interconnected stories amongst characters in a school setting. The film brings to mind some of the greats such as John Hughes’ 80’s classics and even Dazed and Confused but adds a touch of tackling serious issues in the vein of the Degrassi franchise. 

As with this genre, there are various archetypes of characters involved. However, the film focuses more on four students and two teachers. There’s the nice guy Mark, played by Adam Lupis, who is somewhat struggling with his so-called relationship with cheerleader Debbie. Dani Romero’s Linda is perhaps one of the most suffering as she is dealing with pregnancy but it is the skeleton in the closet that is shocking. Then there’s Cole, the high school football player who is the bully and during the third act, we learn why Cole resorts to these tactics. Then there’s Dean, the cool kid of the class who may seem like a tough guy, but he does see a good friend in Mark. 

As for the teachers, there’s Damien Gulde’s Mr. Parker, who lost his chance as a teen to live the days of partying and has to deal with what’s around him today. He always has it for Dean, who is revealed to be illiterate, but perhaps it is because he wants him to succeed someday. However, he is seen as a creep to many because of his look and there is something that becomes more of a trigger. As for Shelby Handley’s Mrs. Applewood, she has a bit of a crush on Dean. However, she is married but it’s clear her marriage is on the brink of death as her husband is more invested in his job than her. The field party is the moment where these lives all come together in a realistic manner, reminiscent of the Degrassi High movie School’s Out. 

All is Fine in ‘89 is definitely one for nostalgia fans and one who especially enjoy a sense of realism when it comes to a cast of eclectic characters. Matthew Lupis has done a great job in bringing these stories of our characters to life and not always in a positive light, but a more realistic nature.

The film will be released on VOD platforms on March 3