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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).
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:
Audio:
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