Film

Porky's II: The Next Day

Name: Porky's II: The Next Day
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1983
Cast: Dan Monahan, Wyatt Knight, Mark Herrier, Roger Wilson, Cyril O'Reilly

Gross-out comedy
Light-hearted

A raunchy 1980s comedy sequel where high school misfits stage a Shakespeare production despite a prudish school administrator and religious activists determined to stop them. It's broad, silly, and unapologetically juvenile—a time capsule of teen comedy before it learned restraint, aimed squarely at audiences who think shock value and dick jokes are the same thing as humor.

TMDb rating

2.9

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoyed the original's loose, rowdy bawdiness and want more of its pranks, with a gang of horny teenagers scheming their way through a town full of scandalised grown-ups.

Skip it if you want a tight, plotted comedy: this is a loose string of gags and set pieces, with juvenile humour that can feel repetitive and leering.

What it asks of you: Roughly ninety-eight minutes, brisk and busy, with scenes stacking up quickly and little pause for breath; it wants you to laugh at the noise rather than follow anything intricate.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Porky's1981

The original is sharper and tighter, with better comic timing and genuine affection for its ridiculous characters. If you're curious about where this sequel came from, start here instead.

But It's equally crude and dated, just packaged with slightly more finesse. The novelty wears off fast.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High1982

A smarter, more observant take on high school life with stellar ensemble cast and real warmth beneath the raunch. Shows what teen comedy could do when it aimed slightly higher.

But It's less interested in pure shock value and more interested in actual characters. Slower paced. Some find the earnestness cloying.

American Graffiti1973

High school ensemble comedy-drama with genuine sweetness, nostalgia, and character development. Lucasfilm before lightsabers, capturing the end of an era with real poignancy.

But The broad comedy is gentler and stranger. No nudity, minimal vulgarity. Different movie entirely from what you'd expect.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Porky's II: The Next Day

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Heathers1989

Both use high school as a battleground, but Heathers weaponizes the same crude impulses into something with actual bite and consequence.

A high school dark comedy that takes the same crude material—sex, violence, social hierarchy—and makes it genuinely dangerous and satirical. Winona Ryder is magnificent. It finds the poison in teen culture.

But It's bleak, nasty, and deeply cynical. The humor is dark and often uncomfortable. Requires a very different mindset than broad raunch.

Sixteen Candles1984

John Hughes' teen comedy has heart, humor, and real stakes. Molly Ringwald is wonderful. It takes its characters seriously while still being genuinely funny.

But It's sweeter and more romantic than crude. The comedy lands differently. Also it hasn't aged perfectly—some jokes land wrong today.

Revenge of the Nerds1984

Similar energy and structure but rooted in actual social anxiety. The humor comes from character and situation rather than just shock. More resourceful, less mean-spirited.

But It's earnest about its underdogs in a way that undercuts the pure comedy. Pacing drags in places. Less interested in pushing boundaries.

Weird Science1985

Teenage wish-fulfillment fantasy with genuine science fiction elements and real character arcs. Kelly LeBrock is a perfect vehicle for the absurdity. Anthony Michael Hall is endearing.

But It's more fantastical than grounded. The movie cares about plot and character growth. Tone shifts between comedy and sentiment can feel uneven.

The Breakfast Club1985

High school ensemble that actually *means* something. Funny, moving, and genuinely interested in who these teenagers are beyond stereotypes. Bender remains iconic.

But It's a drama that uses comedy, not a comedy that uses drama. Some find the sincerity pretentious. No raunchy humor at all.

Private School1983

Exactly the same era and register as Porky's II—all-girls school, lustful boys, authority figures trying to stop them. Matches the energy beat for beat without much judgment.

But It's not significantly better or worse, just more of the same. Interchangeable from Porky's sequels. Fades from memory almost immediately.

Losin' It1983

Tom Cruise in a teen sex comedy road trip film that captures the same grimy, horny, utterly silly spirit without pretense. Pure wish fulfillment filmmaking.

But It's aggressively minor. No subtext, no stakes. The whole thing is cynically calculated to appeal to one specific audience at one specific moment.

The Decline of the American Empire1986

Both are ensemble comedies about desire and social transgression, but one uses body humor and one uses the body as a text—completely different languages for the same hunger.

A French-Canadian ensemble film where intellectuals spend a weekend talking about sex, politics, and mortality with wit, intelligence, and genuine insight. Hilarious without trying too hard.

But It's talky, philosophical, and European. No visual gags, no slapstick. Requires actual engagement with ideas. Operates at the opposite register entirely.