My Tutor 1983

The film opens by contrasting the energetic beats of an aerobics class with the tense atmosphere inside a high school exam room, where we meet Terry Green (Caren Kaye) and Bobby Chrystal (Matt Lattanzi). Their lives are about to interweave in surprising ways. While Bobby struggles to finish his French final, Terry’s impressive command of the language is set to change his life forever.

Initially, Bobby’s summer ambitions are focused on losing his virginity, ideally to Bonnie (Amber Denyse Austin), his long-time crush who is currently in someone else’s sights. However, Bobby’s plans come crashing down when he learns he must retake the French exam and achieve a daunting score of 85% to secure a place at Yale University, the prestigious institution his wealthy lawyer father, Mr. Chrystal (Kevin McCarthy), attended. To ensure his success, Mr. Chrystal hires Terry as a tutor to live with the family over the summer, incentivizing her with a $10,000 bonus if Bobby passes.

As their teaching sessions commence, it quickly becomes clear that Bobby is far from enthusiastic about learning French; his true passion lies in studying astronomy at UCLA. Terry, while understanding, insists on the necessity of passing the French final, regardless of whatever college Bobby aspires to attend.

As the summer unfolds, progress is made in their lessons, but the nature of their relationship remains strictly platonic — or so it seems. Under the cover of night, Terry enjoys solitary swims in the Chrystal family pool, completely unaware that Bobby has been secretly watching her. His curiosity gets the better of him, leading to nighttime pool visits, only to be caught by Terry during one of her swims. Despite rebuffing his clandestine observing, the chemistry between them is undeniable.

After Bobby and his friends experience another failed attempt to lose their virginity, he comes home to find Terry upset over her boyfriend’s infidelity. That same night, she returns to the pool and finds Bobby there, and in sharing a genuine moment, their tutor-student boundaries start to dissolve, igniting a passionate love affair that will change everything for both.

As the scorching days of summer begin to fade, Bobby feels the weight of his approaching French exam, signaling the onset of adulthood. Even as Terry tries to keep things light and carefree, Bobby is falling in love with her, determined to hold onto their affair despite her insistence that it must end once the test is completed. Complications arise when Mr. Chrystal, who harbors a secret crush on Terry, stumbles upon them during a passionate moment. After Bobby achieves success with a 91% on his exam, Mr. Chrystal informs him about the promised bonus to Terry, planting seeds of doubt about her feelings for him.

Fuming with resentment, Bobby confronts his father, rejecting his controlling influence over his life. With newfound resolve, he seeks out Terry to set things straight, leading to an emotionally charged confrontation. Bobby accuses her of being driven by greed instead of love, causing a painful rift between them and leaving him disheartened. Following this turmoil, Bobby finds solace by reigniting his previous crush on Bonnie, channeling his renewed self-esteem to win her over.

As Terry prepares to leave the Chrystal home, Bobby approaches her one final time to apologize for his hurtful remarks, expressing gratitude for the memorable moments they shared. Terry, however, maintains a stoic demeanor, asserting that she too will cherish their intense affair. They share a bittersweet farewell kiss before she departs, leaving Bobby elated, eyes on the horizon, ready to embrace the vast opportunities awaiting him.