One of the few women directors working regularly in mainstream Hollywood, Amy Heckerling has specialized in amiable character-driven comedies and displayed an eye for acting talent. The New York native worked as a video editor and sound editor before making a name for herself as the helmer of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982), a superior teen comedy based on writer Cameron Crowe's nonfiction account of his undercover return to high school. The film boasted high energy, a lively rock'n'roll score and a surprising degree of honesty and sensitivity. "Fast Times" also benefited from a fine
