“Take Me Home Tonight”
a review by Darby O’Gill
Did you ever wish you could relive the ‘80s? Well, at least the late ‘80s? How about the first weekend of September in 1988? While we’re at it, did you ever wish that you could have a roly-poly best friend/sidekick, kind of like Curtis Armstrong… You know, Booger from those Revenge of the Nerds movies? You have!? Well guess what!? You’re in luck, because that’s exactly the weekend and type of buddy you’re going to get in the new movie Take Me Home Tonight! Wow, that’s weird! I mean, what are the odds of you wanting to see a movie that’s based on the exact weekend I was just telling you to think of? Pretty heavy stuff, huh?
In Take Me Home Tonight, Topher Grace plays Matt, a recent graduate of MIT that finds himself hiding from the real world as a Suncoast Video employee. Which is a great way to hide from the real world fresh out of college, I should know, I was a Suncoast manager straight out of college myself. Joined by his twin sister Wendy, played by Anna Faris, and his afore mentioned Boogeresque best friend Barry, played by Dan Fogler, the trio seem to have but just one last weekend to celebrate their ill spent youth. For some reason, this Labor Day weekend in 1988 is the last chance they’ll ever have to do it. I’m not really sure why, but let’s just go with it. And, it also seems more like life after high school, but it’s not, so don’t get confused. Add to the mix the return of Matt’s secret high school crush, played by Teresa Palmer, and you’ve got the makings of… Okay, it’s starting to sound like I didn’t like this movie at all, which couldn’t be further from the truth. I actually really liked it! I mean sure it’s got its share of plot holes, and maybe it is a John Hughes high school movie that actually lets its actors play their real age for once, but overall it’s still really a good movie. Man, that still sounds like sarcasm!
All kidding aside, Take Me Home Tonight is a pretty good movie. Most retro ‘80s movies are made just so the filmmakers can take a bunch of potshots at banana clips and leg warmers, but this movie is more like a period piece. Okay, that might be pushing it, but it does feel that way. Topher Grace does a nice job of grounding the movie, even when the night’s events get a little wild, and the subject of not knowing what you ultimately want to do with your life can speak to just about everyone these days. Overall, I had fun watching it and would gladly see it again. I don’t think it’s going to become a classic by any means, but it will take you back.
Rating:
5 comments
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March 4, 2011 at 2:48 pm
casinoskunk
Have you seen Adjustment Bureau? I think i may see that while my wife goes to see that Red Riding Hood movie.
March 5, 2011 at 1:20 am
Darby O'Gill
Yeah, I’ll be posting that on Monday, so keep an eye out for that. Just didn’t have time to write it up this week. I’ve got a bunch of stuff coming down the pike… Stay tuned!
March 6, 2011 at 5:11 pm
casinoskunk
I ended up seeing it anyway. I am going to write me review for it as well. I am not sure i am up for Take Me Home Tonight. I think that Battle Los Angeles and Paul are the next two movies i am looking forward to.
March 6, 2011 at 6:51 pm
imagemoved
I’m looking forward to seeing this considering how much I’m mourning the disappearance of the good teen flicks that were so abundant in the 80s and 90s. Maybe this will be a little throwback.
Thoughts here: http://imagemoved.wordpress.com/2011/03/06/what-happened-to-the-high-school-movie/
March 8, 2011 at 4:56 pm
Darby O'Gill
It’s got the feeling of those old school movies, but it’s not really a teen flick. These guys are all in their mid to early twenties. It’s more like a continuation to those movies, which is cool in its own right. I think the best throwback to those old John Hughes high school films is Easy A.