Patrick Dempsey

Amanda Peterson

Courtney Gains

Tina Caspary

Seth Green

Sharon Farrell

Dennis Dugan

Darcy DeMoss

Devin DeVasquez

Eric Bruskotter

Gerardo Mejía

Cort McCown

Cloyce Morrow

Steve Franken

Ami Dolenz

Max Perlich

David Schermerhorn

Phillip Simms

Tudor Sherrard

George Gray

Jimmie Lee Mitchell

Jan O'Dell

James Gooden

Erin O'Flaherty

Ty Gray

Will Hannah

Todd Walsh

Wayne Chandler

Meredith Wagelie

Jennifer Nelson

Corissa Miller

Lisa Christine Christiansen

Paula Abdul

Brandi Brandt

Anastasia Coon

David Kinn

The Lowpriest

Christopher Maleki

Shawn Tierney

Randal Feemster

John Connell

Eric Wise

Bob Fox

Scott Jacobs

Gillian P. Glen

Craig Fleming

John Phillips

Gregory Poe

Katherine Quinif

Jerram A. Swartz

Peter Bentley

Russ Chesley

Perry Karidis

Michael Swerdlick

Donald C. Klune

Mark Braun

Christian W. Russhon

Andrew Bernard

Annie Koerner

Jay Coolidge

Larry Neimi

Warren Glen Chidester

Mark S. Thomas

Alicia Stevenson

Les Fresholtz

Gary Boulanger

Craig Woodruff

Hal Sanders

Dean Drabin

Carlton Jones

Cher Slater

Mike Warner

Annie Mayo

Mark Burg

William Turro

Gary A. Hecker

Bruce Lacey

Jeff Gourson

Donald Lee Harris

Thom Mount

Bob Smith

Ed Fortson

Vern Poore

Rex Stewart III

Bill Phillips

Jere Henshaw

George Cooper

Maria Lee Silver

Pieter Hubbard

Rick Alexander

Steve Rash

Robert Folk

Ellen Segal

Peter Lyons Collister

Caro Jones

Ron Beckman

Drama

Comedy

Romance

Can't Buy Me Love

Apollo Pictures

Touchstone Pictures

The Mount Company

Silver Screen Partners III

United States of America

English

new year's eve

high school

cheerleader

nerd

coming of age

dress

break-up

teen comedy

teen drama

evening gown

RELEASED IN 1987 and directed by Steve Rash, “Can’t Buy Me Love” is a high school dramedy about a geek at an Arizona high school (Patrick Dempsey) who pays the most popular girl in school (Amanda Peterson) $1000 to act like she likes him for a month so he can move up the social strata. Of course, this creates unforeseen problems. Courtney Gains plays his geek friend and Seth Green his little brother.    

This is better than some 80’s teen flicks (e.g. Molly Ringwald’s movies), but not as good as others (“Fast Times at Ridgemont High”). It’s arguably on par with “Just One of the Guys” and “Some Kind of Wonderful.” Unlike those films, however, it has a semi-campy vibe wherein the cast members often exaggerate their lines in an artificial way, which telegraphs that what’s happening isn’t real. 

If you can roll with this odd element, there’s a lot of good in “Can’t Buy Me Love” and the ending is genuinely moving. There are many serious/realistic scenes, like the notable airplane graveyard sequence. The two protagonists have good chemistry and their relationship arc is convincing. Tina Caspary (Barbara) and Darcy DeMoss (Patty) are serviceable on the fringe female front.          

THE FILM RUNS 1 hours & 34 minutes and was shot in Tucson, Arizona. WRITER: Michael Swerdlick. 

GRADE: B/B- (6.5/10)

Whatever happens to your popularity, stay yourself, don't change to please others. 

Can't Buy Me Love is directed by Steve Rash and written by Michael Swerdlick. It stars Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson. Music is by Robert Folk and cinematography by Peter Lyons Collister.

Plot has Dempsey as nerdy outcast Ronald Miller, who fed up of not being popular pays Cindy Mancini (Peterson), the most popular girl in school, one thousand dollars to be his girlfriend.

The 1980s was awash with films of this ilk, the teen dramedy topped up by a big hearted message and a finale of punch the air worth. What it all comes down to is if the film can hold its head above water, not become too twee, and crucially have you smiling come the finale. As evidenced by its popularity among 80s cineastes of a certain age, Can't Buy Me Love delivers all that you expect from such fare.

The core theme is of course self acceptance, the attainment of such in amongst the scary world of teenage school years. This shines bright in spite of some rather unconvincing dialogue and contrived corny moments. Director Rash just about holds it together, ensuring that the charm of the lead actors holds weight for character engagement, even though for thematic depth the screenplay only skims over the surface.

The teenage dramedy would evolve considerably once the 80s was left behind, becoming more biting, daring and observational. Yet for those who lived and loved this type of film in the 80s, there's a lovely nostalgic glow to be gleaned from revisits to the likes of Can't Buy Me Love. Nothing wrong with that. 6.5/10

can't buy me love

Can't Buy Me Love( 1987)

Ronald is making an investment in his senior year. He's hiring the prettiest cheerleader in school to be his girlfriend.

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A review by Wuchak

Written by Wuchak on Sat Feb 10 2018

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