
Just before his wedding, a young Phil Glass strolls around taking it all in. There is a buzz of activity. With flowers being placed and wedding march music being practiced, Phil appears extremely calm. In the awe of it all he begins to remember how it all started. He narrates, "Well this is it. The biggest day of my life. It's all come down to this. Scared? Naa! Not compared to what I've been through."
He finds his parents sitting in the front row. They stand and congratulate him. You can see their sense of pride. The scene transitions to Nicole, his bride to be, walking down the isle. He continues narrating, "The butterflies? Oh, yeah! But it's been that way ever since we met. I know it was over four years ago, but I remember it like it was just yesterday -- the band was unloading "
His thoughts drift back to that day, and the scene transitions to the outside of the school gym, where Eric, the sound guy, is unloading band equipment. Shawn, the bass player, is upset because Jason, Phil's best friend and lead singer of the group, hasn't shown up yet. Luke, the drummer, is inside jamming away, not lifting a finger to help. Eventually Jason comes rolling in on his motorcycle. An older MG convertible follows with smoke billowing from the hood. In the car are two beautiful girls.
With the arrival of Jason
there is a sense of relief, but also of intrigue. Shawn looks on in amazement.
He comments, "How does he do that?!?" Phil checks his hair in the side mirror
of the band van before walking over. Jason has the hood up, looking at the
engine. He tells Phil that he found the girls stranded on the side of the road
and stopped to help them out. After closing the hood he introduces Phil to
Nicole and Kate. Phil doesn't know if it's the heat of the day or the exhaust
fumes from the trip there, but he thinks Nicole's the most beautiful girl he's
ever seen.
Kate and Jason take to each other quickly as she helps him set up, though it seems Nicole is too busy socializing to give Phil the time of day. He is disappointed, but not hopeless. After the dance Kate is talking with her father on the phone in the school hallway. She is visibly upset, almost in tears. Jason, leaving two very attentive girls in the gym doorway, goes over to Kate and comforts her. He gives her the money he made that night to help pay for a tow truck.
Nicole, to Phil's
delight, asks him for a ride home. It's a calculated plan on her part. She is
attracted to Phil, boyish charms and all. At her house he tries to ask her out,
but the 'three stooges' in the back of the van distract him with their
comments, "Oh, she's so fine, but she ain't mine." And, "Hey Phil, tell her you
can make beautiful music together." Nicole can't wait any longer so she takes
the initiative, "Yes! I'd love to go out with you!" Phil is surprised as his
fellow band members, who's only response is the sound of their chins hitting
the van floor.
Before going home, Kate takes Jason to a ridge and they have a real heart to heart talk. Both know it's something special when they can open up to each other and talk about their lives in such an intimate way. Kate tells of her overbearing father whom she used to be so close with. Jason talks about his single mom and hero dad that was killed in action. Jason's last comment before taking her home is, "Dad's, can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em." At the house Jason and Kate are having an intimate kiss when her father calls her in. Even without really seeing him Jason can tell he is an intimidating presence.
As things would have it,
hormones ignite and the relationships of both pairs grow quickly. The girls
join the band, and after a frustrating search for the individual talents, they
wind up becoming the promotional team. A perfect fit.
Phil falls hard for Nicole, "I've read about it in books, I'd seen it happen in movies. I'd even written a few really bad songs about it, but until it actually happens to you, you have got absolutely no idea how incredible it feels to be in love. And what's really funny is all that gushy stuff about melting at the sound of her voice, and feeling like you're walking on air, and being obnoxiously cheerful all the time - it was true!"
A few days after that the band
files into health class as the teacher writes one word on the blackboard. When
all of the students are seated he suddenly turns around and shouts the word,
"SEX!" The room goes silent as he continues, "Got your attention didn't I?
That's good. Sex should get your attention. It proves that you are alive, that
you are healthy, that you are human. And the first thing you need to know about
sex, is that sex is good. It's not bad. It's not evil. It's not unnatural. In
fact it's very natural. Probably one of the most natural things that we as
human beings can involve ourselves with. But if you are going to become
sexually active, or if you already are, then there are some very important
rules that you need to follow. Rule number one: use a condom!"
Later in the boys locker room the band members talk about sex, condoms, etc. Phil voices his opinion and is heavily chided by Luke for his idea of wanting to wait until marriage. Jason is listening to the conversation, thinking back to the night when he had sex with Kate. For some reason he seems pretty upset about it.
Phil is exposed
to the same sexual pressure the night Nicole comes to meet his family. After
dinner Phil takes Nicole to his favorite hideout, a tree house he and his dad
built when Phil was just a kid. As they have this time alone watching the stars
they find themselves in a very romantic situation. Gentle kisses lead to
heavier kissing, and before they know it passions ignite and the academic
nature of sexual abstinence is strongly challenged. The scene leaves us
wondering if they crossed the line or not.
The next day Phil is deep in thought on a fishing trip with his dad, Jack. With Phil being brought up that you wait until you're married to get involved sexually, it's hard for him to understand why the urges are so strong. Why wait? After a humorous attempt by his dad, Phil opens up, almost yelling at him for teaching him these things. Jack realizes that Phil doesn't need to be preached at, but listened to.
Jack shares his own
experience with Laura, Phil's mom, and what they went through. Jack says that
passion is an incredibly strong force, taking over and you no longer seem to be
in control. He tells Phil, "If we hadn't drawn some lines, and stuck to them,
there's a good chance you'd have an older brother or sister right now." Jack
sums it up with; "Sex isn't just about a physical act. When you make love
you're creating an emotional bond with that person. I'd even say a spiritual
bond. And pain the couples experience when they separate are those emotional
and spiritual binds being ripped apart. Now the gift of sex is incredibly
fun...but it's also very serious business." Phil's last questions is, "Was it
worth the wait?" Jack's response? "Definitely!" Jack reassures Phil that he can
wait. No matter what he's heard and no matter how he may feel, it's not
impossible.
A few days later
Nicole talks with Mr. Seavers from Bridgestone Management, one of the largest
music promoters in the region. The band is right there taking the call
together. This is their chance at the big time. A date is set for an audition.
When the phone call is finished, Jason and Kate seem to be missing. The two of
them are off in a hidden corner of the school. When they are alone Kate tells
Jason of the recent pregnancy test she took.
Phil and Nicole meet up after school and are relaxing under a few trees. Phil proceeds to talk with Nicole about the struggle he's facing. Surprisingly, she tells him he's not alone. She reminisces about her father and the promise necklace she still wears. After some discussion, they mutually decide to hold off with their desire to take intimacy to the furthest level. They know it's a hard choice, but they decide to sexually abstain.
Knowing she's
disappointed her best friend, Kate tells Nicole about the pregnancy. Nicole
realizes she could have been in the same place with Phil. Nicole doesn't know
what to do except comfort her friend.
Phil attempts to talk with Jason about the pregnancy. Instead of opening up to his best friend, Jason puts up a wall and in frustration takes off on his motorcycle... tires squealing. Phil narrates, "I couldn't believe it. So many things were finally starting to come together in my life - the band, Nicole, heck even my grades were higher than they'd ever been. Yet in the face of it all, I was watching my best friend come apart. For the first time since I'd known him, Jason had a problem that he couldn't fix by himself."
Kate's father
has strong feelings about his daughter's pregnancy. No daughter of his is going
to throw her life away, demanding that she be taken to the "clinic" for an
abortion. Kate isn't about to let someone else decide the fate of her baby and
enlists Nicole's help to drive her to her sister's home in another town. For
the first time in her life Kate has complete clarity in knowing what she has to
do.
As Nicole and Kate travel down a mountain road they meet up with Jason. Dejavu? Kate tells Jason it's not all his fault for what happened. She will have the baby, and then give it up for adoption. The hardest part is when Kate tells Jason their relationship is over. This puts Jason over the edge, sending him deeper into an emotional tailspin.
Phil fears the worst...
suicide. After a long and exasperating search, he is headed back to the
audition when he sees Jason's bike parked out on the field of their old grade
school. They talk and Jason knows that Phil is a true friend, there for him in
the toughest of times. They hop on Jason's bike with the hope of still making
the audition in time.
Nicole and the band are waiting with Mr. Seavers and his entourage at the auditorium. Luke and Shawn are playing an improvisational jazz piece, thoroughly embarrassed. Nicole is trying to stall, "Uhh... Mr. Seavers, we like to open with a contrast of styles. By starting with a... with this type of sound... it ahhh... brings more of a punch to our format." Feeling it's a waste of time Mr. Seavers stands up, telling Nicole it's not what he's looking for.
Just as their big chance seems
to vaporize, Jason and Phil come barreling through the backstage door and park
the motorcycle front and center. Mr. Seavers's secretary's opinion? Performance
Art! Nicole's? Timing! Mr. Seavers?, "This is all very fine... contrasting
styles, performance art, but I came here to listen. So play something!"
They go into a high-energy rock tune that thoroughly pleases Mr. Seavers. Yes, this is the sound he was looking for. The story continues with a montage of shots; the band signing a contract at Mr. Seavers office, Nicole wheeling and dealing a recording contract, and Kate giving up her baby for adoption. Phil's last words during this montage are, "Way back in ancient history, known as the 60's, a band called The Byrds came out with a tune called, 'Turn, Turn, Turn.' What it says is that there is a right time for everything in life. A time to work, a time to play, a time to laugh, a time to sing, a time for love, and a time for sorrow, a time for choices... and the coolest time of all... a time to be there for a friend."
The voice of the pastor snaps Phil back to the real world, "It is my sincere privilege to introduce to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Philip Glass." Some catcalls and whistles are heard. We find out that it's Luke and the rest of the band who are in the wedding party. Jason stands next to Phil as his best man. The final music comes on and they go off in couples up the isle.
In the foye they slap high fives
and are extremely excited. As Jason jumps around he catches someone out of the
corner of his eye, Kate. She was watching the wedding from the back. He becomes
motionless and they lock eyes. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, she
gives him a reassuring smile. He smiles back and then rejoins the group,
heading for the reception area. The last to leave is Nicole, who is glad to see
that Kate decided to come after all. The scene fades to
Phil and Nicole walk out of the church with people throwing rose petals.
They are still a bit dazed, taking it all in. Hopping into the open door of a
limo they close the door and laugh. The other band members stick their noses to
the windows, making comments about what is to come. Just as the limo begins to
pull out Nicole yells, "Stop!" Then to Phil, "I can't to this
yet." Phil
is beside himself. She reaches around, starts to take off her necklace, and
opens the door. She manages to find her dad in the crowd and very gently hands
him the necklace with the words, "Thanks dad."
The final sequence has Phil carrying Nicole down a hotel hallway to their room. They both are a little giddy, knowing what's to come. As the door closes Phil narrates, "So, you're probably asking yourself right now, was it worth the wait?" Behind the door Phil says, "Just a minute, I still gotta do something." Nicole can't believe it. Just then the door opens quickly and a Do Not Disturb sign is slapped on the handle. Phil's last words to us, "Oh, yeah! Definitely!"