Directed By: Mark Rosenthal
Written By: Mark Rosenthal and Lawrence Konner
Cinematography: Anthony Richmond
Editor: Jeffery Wolf
Cast: Donovan Leitch, Jennifer Runyon, Joe Pantoliano, Sean Gregory Sullivan, Bruce Kirby, Scott Plank, Wendy Gazelle, Charlotte D’Amboise, Page Hannah
A young man of the rock and roll generation is in his senior year of high school. When one day he successfully gets on a popular teen dance television show he becomes a star. The plot follows him as he lives his new life in his new world. What he finds are adoring fans, jealous rivals, bitter friends left behind, and the girl of his dreams…his dance partner.
This film used to be on all the time on the legendary (To me at least) Flix Channel that Moore played films from the past 90s 80s 70s even 60s some even older but they mostly stayed within those decades.
I would always see glimpses of this film and advertisements, but never managed to catch the whole film. In fact the only scene I really remember was when Joe Potano goes into the star of the film Donovan Leitch’s classroom to retrieve them and decides he won’t take them out until the end of class and then they all have a discussion about Charles Dickens book A TALE OF TWO CITIES.
Now decades later, I finally got to watch this film, beginning to end, and while it leans heavily into nostalgia, there is that feeling that this is kind of a b-movie, less campy more romantic version of HAIRSPRAY (even though they came out in the same year. Like competing products with similar stories to revolve around) and of course it’s very white washed version of it too with no real mention of Race that at least was a major plot point for the other film. This seems just wanna almost be an updated HAPPY DAYS blast from the past.
Though it does pay a lot more attention to character. I wish there was more Joe Pantoliano throughout.
Now, while the film is more nostalgic less overall comedic. It does try to show the changing times, but sticks with a universal youth story. Surprised at how much this film chooses to be a study of class, but then again once you take Race out of the equation you gotta have some story of the haves and have nots.
There are quite a few things that are memorable by the end. Sean Gregory Sullivan is a scene stealer as Popeye, as well as a cameo from Peter Boyle and a dance battle in a loving room that has to be seen to be believed
By the end, the film isn’t necessarily remarkable. It’s a fun watch and fits along with all those 80s and 90s films that seem to want to take a look back at the 1950s and 60s through a more coming of age, romantic and throwback lens. Think movies like SHAG, THERE GOES MY BABY, 1969)
It’s an entertaining family film that tries to be rebellious, but by the end is all heart.
Grade: C+
