"Let's deflower the kid."

The time period represented and overall setting of backstage with rock bands is more to blame than the male/female thing. The girls were underage too. Rock bands in the 60s and 70s had fans who were largely comprised of high-school aged kids. Sure some college aged as well. If you look back to real life examples you'll see the average groupie was around age 16-18 and the average rock star aged 17-25. I think it's more realism in the movie.

Times have changed. A 16 year old in the 70s was infinitely more mature than a 16 year old in present times. I'm not condoning it. I'm just giving the generational perspective of someone who lived in those times.

what makes you think they were adults? Penny was 16, why couldn't the others have been?

@RgxeO

Why is it even considered a sex offense when an adult woman has sex with a boy under 18 years of age, when everybody is lining up to high five the kid afterwards? Why do we arrest these women when all they're doing is giving hormonal teenage boys the time of their lives?


First of all,that was a different era (didn't make it any less wrong,though) this film is set in. Nowadays,if you're been watching the news, female teachers have been getting arrested left and right for messing around with boys (and I do mean boys---some as young as 13 years old) in their classroom. Nobody should be messing around with underage kids period---dosen't matter whether they're boys or girls. Attitudes toward that have definitely changed for the better,thank goodness. And that outdated attitudes that it's cool for an adult women to mess around with an underage boy is obviously isn't the case anymore. And, hell yeah, it's a sex offense---make no mistake about that. You make it sound like it shouldn't be---the reality is that they're are folks who will take advantage of minor, and use and abuse them---that's also what the law is, to protect them from such people. Get it, now? And, no it's not just "hormonal boys getting the time of their lives", that's sexual misconduct with a minor charge. If you're an adult, you should be messing around with anyone under he age of 18, period. 'Nuff said.

Others have already pointed out that the three women were likely teenagers as well, given that Penny is only 16.

But more importantly, it looks like William went along willingly (his initial refusal was "I have to write"). When he and Penny exchange looks as he leaves, he's basically checking with her to see that what's about to happen is okay with her. She indicates that it is, and he smiles. She leaves the room while the three girls are still dancing around him. Cut to the next morning with all of them asleep.


Revenge is a dish best served cold.
-- Klingon proverb

I remember that era vividly. I don't think I can ever remember anyone talking about statutory rape with a- for example- 19 year old girl and a 15 year old boy.

Attitudes were much different then. Most people would have either laughed it off or said something like 'well done to the kid'.

To be honest, even though it sounds terrible, I knew plenty of 15 year old girls who were going out with guys who were of legal age of majority. Sometimes in their 20s. And sometimes or even often, the parents of the girl knew and didn't interfere.

The only times I can ever remember it being a problem was if the girl got pregnant- then the girl's parents would usually hold the threat of statutory rape over the guy to force him into a course of action the parents' desired.

Times have changed, obviously. Today it is the horror of horrors. Back then, it was maybe frowned upon or slightly scandalous (or more depending if the girl got pregnant) but it was't considered some big societal problem.

And to be honest, I would love to have had an experience like that when I was fifteen.

Marvin Gaye was dating a 16 year old back in the day and no one cared.

According to Cameron Crowe himself, he lost his virginity the same way. He never referred to it as "rape." Only that the girl he wanted to do it with ended up getting sold for a bottle of beer at the time.

The 70's were great! Everyone today is uptight and offended by everything. Glad I grew up then...