Valley Girl - Blu-ray Reeview

[Michael Scott]

Valley Girl



Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:


​

Movie
I’m going to get a lot of flack from this, but not only do I actually like the 1983 Valley Girl (a fact my wife rolls here eyes at), but I actually really enjoyed the 2020 musical remake. I didn’t expect to. I didn’t go in with high hopes. I didn’t even expect to even CARE about it, as the film had been delayed for years. It was SUPPOSED to be released in the summer of 2018, but due to Logan Paul’s infamous “scandal” back then, the movie was shelved for two years, and then unceremoniously dumped on the market today. I initially wrote the whole thing off as yet another cash grab, but I was a little curious when I found out that Jessica Rothe of Happy Death Day was cast as the lead role, and that douche bag of all douche bags, Logan Paul was cast as the jerky boyfriend Mickey (seriously, who better than to play a douche bag than Logan Paul. He basically oozes it from every pore in real life). The end result you might ask? Well, a perfectly fun and serviceable musical comedy that thrives off of 80s new wave music and an infectious comparison to Clueless meets the original Valley Girl.

The film is bookended by a 40 something year old Julie (played by Alicia Silverstone) telling her jilted daughter about her first REAL love in an effort to comfort the teen. Rewind back to the 1980s and we see Julie (Jessica Rothe) in all her valley girl glory, prancing around the malls, shopping her besties, and getting ready for prom with her hunky boyfriend Mickey (Logan Paul). It’s like totally rad and far out man! Her world gets turned upside down when punk rock outcast Randy (Josh Whitehouse) catches her eye and runs headlong into her world. Soon she’s out at punk rock shows in Hollywood central, popping on some dark eyeliner, and trying to convince her parents (played by Judy Greer and Rob Huebel) that her boyfriend is up to their hoity toity standards.

But things don’t exactly go well for the young couple. They’re Romeo and Juliet in the 1980s. Both of them come from completely different walks of life, and soon their differences start to come to the surface. It doesn’t help that Mickey is trying to get back with Julie, AND that her besties Stacey (Jessie Ennis), Loryn (Ashleigh Murray) and Karen (Chloe Bennet) are all trying to dissuade her from making the worst mistake of her life (at least in their eyes).

In my humble opinion, the worst possible way to view this remake is to compare it against the original. The 1983 film was a total tongue in cheek satire about the valley girl culture, and was more of a harsh and brutal take on real world. It’s a fun film, but it’s main purpose is more in the subtext than in the actual story. The 2020 film is much more a bubblegum pop musical that just tries to be fun and encourage exploration to the audience. The music really drives and pushes the narrative along, and it borrows much more from Clueless than it does the original, outside of some of the same characters and basic plot points. I appreciated that Rachel Lee Goldenberg didn’t try to clone the original TOO much, or make it a modern 21st century film. It’s more a love letter to the 1980s and the joy of growing up than it is trying to be a social commentary or to too closely replicate the original. THAT is what makes the film actually work.

Well, not completely, as the rest falls squarely on the shoulders of our “young” cast (most of them are in their 30s). Jessica Rothe really caught my eye after watching Happy Death Day and Happy Death Day 2U as she had that right amount of cute, and spunky that make her strong leading woman. She brings that same pep and spirit to Valley Girl, making Julie a much stronger and more stable character than she was in the 198s film. It also didn’t hurt that they chose a guy who EXCELS at being a douche nozzle as the jerky boy toy Mickey, as Logan Paul is known for his jock-jerk attitude, and he just plays himself on screen. I do admit that I really wish they hadn’t butchered so many classic 80s songs (Josh Whitehouse is a HORRIBLE singer, and while not as bad as Pierce Brosnan in Mama Mia, it was pretty hard to hear him try and belt out lines), but the music, the infectious bubblegum pop vibe, and the solid acting made this a rather enjoyable watch. Something I really didn’t see coming.




Rating:

Rated PG-13 for teen partying, language, some suggestive material, and brief nudity.




Video:

Once again, I’m left with no information online about what cameras were used, or the resolution of the final master. But whatever it is, the resulting Blu-ray looks stunning. It has a bright and glossy look to it, filled with bright and well saturated colors that literally pop off the screen, and that sort of “bubblegum shine” that you would associate with films like Clueless or the like. Fine details are generally great, with strong facial details, good background clarity (even things like the stuff in Julie’s home look really sharp and refined) and great black levels make this a fantastic looking 1.85:1 framed film. I did notice a few times where the darks got a LITTLE milky, but it was very slight and vanished quickly.









Audio:

There’s only one simple 5.1 track on the disc, but said 5.1 DTS-HD MA track is a doozy. The high octane 80s new wave music really drives the film and the mix is more than capable of being rich and full figured. The songs are all super charged with energy and the mix is perfectly balanced from all angle. Dialog is clean and clear, surrounds get some solid activity with the school scenarios (and of course the punk rock clubs that Randy takes Julie too) and the bass is hitting hard and heavy in that mid bass area. Simply put, a great sounding mix that fits perfectly with the musical nature of the flick.







Extras:

•

Final Score: ​

As I said above, it’s probably best to not think of the remake as a true beat for beat remake, but a reimagining. Comparing the two side by side is futile, as they’re two completely different animals outside of the characters and a few story beats. Both have their pros and cons, and both are perfectly enjoyable in my opinion. I know I may get some flak for this, but I actually kind of liked the 2020 film a teensy bit more than the original! I don’t know why, but for some reason the musical nature of the film really had me grinning. It’s not a perfect film, but I more than enjoyed it and will gladly give it another spin sometime. The Blu-ray is really well done, with great video and audios, with the only downside being the complete lack of extras. Still well worth it as a fun watch if you’re so inclined.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Jessica Rothe, Josh Whitehouse, Jessie Ennis, Ashleigh Murray, Judy Greer, Alicia Sliverstone, Mae Whitman, Logan Paul
Directed by: Rachel Lee Goldenberg
Written by: Amy Talkington
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 AVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 5.1, English DVS
Subtitles: English SDH
Studio: Warner Brothers
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 102 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: October 6th, 2020

Recommendation: Fun Watch

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

The original is an absolute classic. So many great moments, great lines, great locations. I've always enjoyed it.

I have been hesitant about this, because why remake perfection, but if you enjoyed it, I'll give it a spin.

 

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review. I agree, the first one was great. I don't really want to see the remake but this has changed my mind as well. Will check it out once available on amazon prime/netflix.

 

[Epoxy1]

Michael,

I'm totally with you on this. My wife and I really enjoyed it a lot and it's something we'll watch again. In regard to the original, how I interpreted this modern telling is the "Mom" was retelling the "original" story from her perspective and that's why the daughter asked "did you really start singing in the mall?" (or something of the sort). As we all know, when we tell a story of something that happened 30+ years ago, certain embellishments take place

 

[NBPK402]

Thanks for the review... I found the movie entertaining.