Take Me Home Tonight is an ’80s style comedy romance starring Topher Grace, Teresa Palmer, Dan Fogler and a low-key Anna Faris… rare. Topher Grace, best known for his lead role in That ’70s Show, does what he does best… playing the nice guy who doesn’t want to finish last. He’s a good-looking man-boy, so why doesn’t he deserve a shot at love in acne-free later life? When his sister’s boyfriend holds a much-anticipated house party, Matt (Grace) takes a shot at Tori (Palmer), his high school crush.
Revenge of the Nerds started the ’80s on the wrong foot and can probably account for most of the bizarre fashion, music and movies to come out of the era, allowing a rebellious “everything-goes” attitude to creep in – as long as you own it. How else can you explain movies like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and The Breakfast Club? These iconic films demonstrated that geeks have got their own subculture and if you wear it with pride, you’re worthy of cool.
This age of reckless abandon in American youth culture generated much of the nostalgia we have for the ’80s – and explains why they won’t go away. Hollywood gave the care-free time a surreal quality, breaking culture down into simple bite-size chunks, adding a touch of flair and a bottle of rose-tinted romance. Who doesn’t want to daydream? Especially when we find ourselves in post-recession depression… sorry about the reminder. The Wedding Singer just about made up for all the disappointment in the ’90s and so it seemed only natural that a new ’80s style movie lift our spirits.
“That chick Tori, she’s truly dazzling.”
Sadly, that movie is not Take Me Home Tonight. This comedy romance drama about one wild night to remember has all the elements of a light-hearted foray into the ’80s complete with hairdos, fashion, cars and house parties with an easy-to-spot selection of jocks, nerds and punks. It’s even got that sweet psychedelic innocence that Cindy Lauper and The Cure tried to indoctrinate through their music, but with one flaw… it’s forgettable.
Unfortunately, the script lets the side down with an inconsistent mix of comedy and romance – leaning heavily on the cast to get the movie through on charm and style alone. There are one or two laughs, but Take Me Home Tonight just doesn’t hold up against the films its trying to emulate and more contemporary comedy classics like The Wedding Singer. Going ’80s for comedy is always going to draw comparisons, but it’s tough measuring up to the magic of Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore in the rewatchable ’80s comedy that put Sandler on the map.
“One, two, three, four… I declare a dance war!”
Topher Grace plays Topher Grace as Matt. Teresa Palmer is smoking hot… ratcheting up yet another performance in her bid to Hollywood fame and fortune – and it’s working! Anna Faris tries a straight comic performance for a change, offering a toned down older sister who doesn’t have to be the centre of attention. While Dan Fogler gets his party face on in a hedonistic binge – delivering most of the fun and energy in this spicy yet sweet-natured “romcom”.
It’s not going to change your world, but it’s fun and entertaining enough to get you through the night. A plucky cast of young, likable actors, a night of rebellious excess and one or two moments of magic. Adam Sandler is to The Wedding Singer, what Topher Grace is to Take Me Home Tonight… so if you’re up for some nice, sometimes naughty and sweet entertainment, then by all means take this movie home tonight.
The bottom line: Charming
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