Back to School (1986)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A wealthy corporate giant enrolls in college alongside his discouraged son to prove that education cannot be bought.
The story
Thornton Meloni, a self-made corporate giant, decides to enroll in college to support his son Jason, who is struggling with his studies and feels alienated from his father. Despite having no academic qualifications, Thornton uses his wealth to bribe his way into Grand Lakes University. Once on campus, he discovers the reality of Jason's unhappiness and the difficulties of academic life. Thornton quickly becomes a popular figure, throwing lavish parties and attempting to navigate the university's social and academic structures, all while trying to bridge the emotional distance between himself and his son.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Thornton Meloni, a wealthy corporate giant, enrolls at Grand Lakes University to support his son Jason, a struggling C-student who intends to drop out. Thornton bribes the dean for admission and quickly becomes a campus celebrity by throwing large parties. However, his practical business experience clashes with the academic theories of Dr. Philip Barbay, the dean of the business school. Thornton also develops a romantic interest in Barbay's girlfriend, Dr. Diane Turner. While Jason struggles with his identity and feels overshadowed by his father, Thornton hires professionals—including Kurt Vonnegut—to complete his assignments. When Diane fails Thornton for academic fraud, Barbay challenges him to an oral examination. With the help of Jason and others, Thornton crams for the test. During the exam, he is pushed by Diane to finish a Dylan Thomas poem. Thornton passes with mostly D's, except for an A from Diane. At a championship dive meet, Thornton helps Jason's team win by performing a dangerous 'Triple Lindy' dive. The film ends with Thornton giving the commencement speech.
- First release year
- 1986
- Runtime (minutes)
- 96
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Alan Metter
- Writers
- Steven Kampmann · screenplay; Will Porter · screenplay; Peter Torokvei · screenplay; Harold Ramis · screenplay; Rodney Dangerfield · story; Greg Fields · story; Dennis Snee · story
- Cast and characters
- Rodney Dangerfield · Thornton Meloni; Keith Gordon · Jason; Sally Kellerman · Diane Turner; Burt Young · Lou; Adrienne Barbeau · Vanessa; Robert Downey Jr.; Sam Kinison; Ned Beatty
- Genres
- comedy; sports comedy; teen comedy
- Themes
- Education vs. Wealth; Father-Son Dynamics; Intellectualism
- Tone and mood
- Comedy; Good-natured; Brisk
- Premise and plot tags
- College Comedy; Father-Son Drama; Sports Comedy
- Reception
- The film was a critical and financial success, grossing $91.3 million domestically and becoming the sixth highest-grossing film of 1986. It received generally favorable reviews, praised for its timing and humor.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 81% · review count: 73; Metacritic · score: 68 · scale: 100 · review count: 9
- Production trivia
- Kurt Vonnegut had a cameo as himself.; The band Oingo Boingo's frontman Danny Elfman composed the score.; The diving scenes were filmed at the since-demolished Industry Hills Aquatic Club in the City of Industry, California.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…