“Matthew, the summer’s over. I wanna hear your plan.”
"I guess my plan is to keep working at Suncoast video until I figure out what I wanna do with my life."
"I guess my plan is to keep working at Suncoast video until I figure out what I wanna do with my life."
The Story:
It’s Labor Day Weekend 1988, and Matt Franklin (Topher Grace) is an MIT grad who indeed has taken a job as a clerk at Suncoast Video until his life takes some sort of direction. One day, his high school crush, Tori (Theresa Palmer) , strolls into his store. To impress her, he claims that he’s an investment banker at Goldman Sachs; the ruse seems to work, as she invites him to an annual Labor Day bash that just happens to be hosted by the boyfriend of Matt’s twin sister (Anna Faris). With his buddy Barry (Dan Fogler) in tow, Matt prepares to finally let loose and have the night of his life.
The Review:
Take Me Home Tonight perhaps gives us a glimpse of what a proper That 80s Show would have looked like had we been able to continue following the adventures of Eric Forman and gang. It employs some typical coming-of-age concepts—Matt’s post-college listlessness is a particularly resonant and identifiable plight, as is his status as the geeky wallflower trying to score the girl of his dreams. Of course, numerous hijinx ensue along the way, leaving the film feeling like a cross between Adventureland and Superbad-lite. The film never really aspires to the ultra-raucous or raunchy heights of the latter and instead chooses to dabble in the awkward situations and conflicts that populate many young romances.
That said, there are some fun exploits that are mostly funneled through Fogler’s character. He’s recently lost his job, so he truly feels like he has nothing to lose; as such, by the end of the night, he’s got his nose into everything from cocaine to grand theft auto. In some ways, the film feels a bit disjointed because Matt and Barry go their separate ways for much of the film, with the latter seemingly thrown in just so we can get the typical 80s zaniness. On the other hand, Matt’s attempt to woo Tori rolls along as you’d expect, considering it’s entirely built upon falsehoods. Everything culminates in a climax that involves a legendary, daring feat known only as “The Ball” (which proves once again that you can’t have a real 80s comedy without some balls). Just as he did with his Fubar films, director Michael Dowse manages to bring the two tones together well, with the film’s heart ultimately shining through, however predictable and well-worn it may be.
The 80s aesthetic adds a layer of nostalgia, but the setting is more incidental than anything; still, fans of the decade should have fun with the fashions, visual landmarks, and a soundtrack that features the likes of Duran Duran and N.W.A. The characters all feel authentic enough as well, which is where the film finds its strength. Grace might be channeling Eric Forman, but it’s a role he’s obviously comfortable in; Faris is one of the world’s most unsung funny-women, but here, she mostly serves as a sarcastic foil to her on-screen brother. Speaking of foils, the always excellent Michael Biehn is the Franklin patriarch and steals the few scenes in which he appears. He’s involved in the film’s best scene—a moment where, as a father, he comes to understand the impasse at which his son has arrived. Or maybe it isn’t an impasse at all—it’s probably more of a cross-roads. That’s ultimately where most of the characters find themselves in Take Me Home Tonight—how appropriate that it all takes place at the close of summer, that bittersweet time of year where youth has to move on and resume growing up. There’s something to be said for how this film captures the difficulty of doing that, especially when everyone expects you to have already done so. (Brett G.)
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