BLOGS
While Take Me Home Tonight is set in 1988, and constantly reminds you of that fact with its endlessly danceable soundtrack, the real time warp will happen as you look at the faces of the actors and actresses who appear in it. Since the film was shot four years ago, you feel like you're watching archival footage of Topher Grace, Anna Faris, Dan Fogler and the rest, which... actually makes it feel like a real 1980s film. The sense that the movie is old, combined with the film's themes of growing up, the consequence-free gallivanting and the easily pat resolution, cumulatively give the impression of watching a vintage John Hughes movie, with just a hint of Judd Apatow. It likely wasn't intentional, but shelving this movie for so long did wonders for its enjoyability.
Without the sheen of the brand-new, and the expectation of seeing anything new or different, you gleefully settle into the story of MIT grad Matt, who has moved back home and gotten a job at Suncoast video. Harangued at the dinner table by his patrolman father (Michael Biehn) to do something with his life, Matt decides to finally pursue his high school crush Tori (Teresa Palmer), who bumped into him at work and believes that he works in finance like her. With his twin sister Wendy (Anna Faris) and his car-salesman friend Barry (Dan Fogler), they steal a nice convertible with some cocaine in the glove compartment and head to the party, then another party, where hijinks ensue, including a dance-off, a coke-fueled threeway and sex on a trampoline. At various times, I felt like I was watching Big, License to Drive and Weird Science, all of which probably would have been a lot more interesting with cocaine involved.
I'm not saying the movie is as great as John Hughes film (well, maybe Curly Sue), but it's a fun, feel-good flick with a double nostalgia factor, and it's worth seeing just to play "who's who" with the supporting cast. Chris Pratt of Parks & Recreation plays the party host and Wendy's meathead boyfriend, and he shows the same dopey comedic timing he has on the show. Michael Ian Black plays Tori's pervy boss, and Bob Odenkirk plays Barry's boss at the dealership, and various partygoers are played by Michelle Trachtenberg, Demetri Martin, Lucy Punch and Audrina Patridge. And did I mention the soundtrack? Seriously, it's like an '80s dance party. On cocaine.
No, I was not on cocaine when I saw this movie. Let us know what you thought below, then check out the best and worst '80s movies not made in the '80s. And read more movie review here!
See more '80s songs that could become movie titles.
Check out clips of the 50 best music scenes from movies.
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