Graduate student Leon (Alan Solomon) summons five college students to his apartment and challenges them to participate in his latest game creation, The Great All-Nighter. He tells them about his game and instructs them to form teams. At first, the leaders refuse to play, but rivalries between them lead all five to change their minds by the game's start time – a scenario Leon has already predicted based on his extensive planning. Leon, as game master, keeps track of the teams' locations with a giant map, and various radio equipment. The teams are supposed to call and check in at each clue (though many of the teams end up skipping at least one location). The adventures of the other three teams are
subplots, as well as the situation at Leon's apartment ("Game Control"). Here, along with his female assistants Candy and Sunshine (Debi Richter and Kirsten Baker), Leon monitors the progress of the game. Already unpopular with his
landlady, Mrs. Grimhaus (
Irene Tedrow), for the amount of noise he makes, Leon faces eviction if any of the other tenants complain. Several of them
do show up to complain, but as Leon explains the mechanics of the game to them, they become fascinated with it and help run it, much to the annoyance of Grimhaus. The game culminates in a race-to-the-finish at the
Westin Bonaventure Hotel where the yellow team ultimately prevails and wins the game. A huge party consisting of all contestants and game control follows.
Teams Teams are made up of characters who are broad stereotypes. They wear matching sweatshirts, and ride in vehicles that also match their team color. • The members of the Yellow Team are friendly and kind; they play fair and are the main heroes of the film. The yellow team are led by the protagonist Adam (Naughton). Partway through the game, they add a member, Adam's troubled younger brother Scott (
Michael J. Fox, in his first movie), who acts out to get Adam's attention. They also force the shy Flynch (Joel Kenney), whom Adam has been counseling, to play the game rather than go on a date with an unattractive girl. Also on the team are Adam's love interest Laura (Debra Clinger) and friend Marvin (David Damas). The team vehicle, owned by Marvin, is often referred to as a Jeep but is actually a
J40 Land Cruiser. • The members of the Blue Team are selfish and rude individuals who cheat at every opportunity and are the main antagonists. They are led by overweight snob and main antagonist Harold (
Stephen Furst), who is intensely jealous of the popular Adam. Melio (played by future Hollywood director
Andy Tennant) purposely instigates fights between Harold and his girlfriend Lucille (Patricia Alice Albrecht), who puts Harold on a diet just before the game starts. "Blade" (Sal Lopez), a
Mexican-American constantly brandishing his
switchblade knife, never speaks. Additional member Barf (Brian Frishman) is apparently mentally challenged. The team vehicle is a
Chevrolet Van equipped with a computer that can solve clues, but this device is destroyed early when Harold hides a stash of
marshmallows in the circuitry. • The Green Team, also known as the Meat Machine, is composed of
jocks from the school football team. They are led by Lavitas (Brad Wilkin); the others are nicknamed "Blaylak" (
Dirk Blocker), "Armpit" (Curt Ayers), "Cudzo" (Trevor Henley) and "Gerber" (Keny Long). Their antagonism drives both the Red and White teams into playing. The team vehicle is a
Volkswagen Beetle cabriolet named the "Meat Wagon". • The Red Team is made up of four members of an unpopular sorority, led by Donna (
Maggie Roswell) and Berle (Robyn Petty) who are
feminists. The other two members are frequently giggling, overweight
twins (Betsy Lynn and Carol Gwynn Thompson), and many jokes involving the red team come at their expense. The Red team's vehicle is a
Datsun 620, which is eventually destroyed by the Green team when they accidentally back into it. • The White Team is made up of debate team
nerds, led by Wesley (
Eddie Deezen). The White Team rides matching
Puch mopeds, which they eventually share with the Red team after their vehicle is destroyed. ==Cast==