Rachel Weisz was originally cast opposite Dennis Quaid in this film, but she decided to leave the project. She was then replaced with Sarah Jessica Parker.
After Chuck is just about to light up a joint while she is trying to study, Vanessa says, "Great, I'm in an Afterschool Special." ABC Afterschool Specials (1972) originally aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) weekdays sometime in the 15:00 to 18:00 time slot i.e. after school starting in the early 1970s. As the title implies, they were one off television specials geared toward adolescents, the stories often with a moral bent meant to teach children something of value.