A newcomer from Connecticut (James Spader) finds himself attending a public school in Los Angeles when his family relocates due to financial setbacks. He becomes interested in the girlfriend (Kim Richards) of a local gang leader (Paul Mones), which quickly leads to conflict. "Tuff Turf," released in 1985, shares plot elements with "The Karate Kid" from the previous year, but doesn't quite measure up because it attempts to incorporate too many different genres. It’s presented as a musical, a story of personal growth, a teen comedy, a romantic storyline, an artistic endeavor and a film featuring graphic gang violence—all at once. The initial portion is an enjoyable musical with energy, while the latter half shifts into a more serious and violent tone. Essentially, it combines aspects of "Grease," "The Warriors," "Valley Girl," "Rumble Fish" and “The Karate Kid.” I found myself enjoying it, although the final scene set in a warehouse becomes overly bizarre. Nevertheless, the soundtrack is excellent, Spader holds the film together, Robert Downey Jr. provides some amusement in an early role, and Kim Richards’ appearance is striking because of her elaborate hairstyle. The movie has a running time of 1 hour, 51 minutes, and filming took place around Los Angeles. GRADE: B-

Source on TMDB