Nice 80′s music!
Take Me Home Tonight (2011)
Directed By: Michael Dowse
The Prologue
I use to really dig those movies from the 80′s that would take place at a party. I just really loved most films of the 80′s, especially the comedies. In, Take Me Home Tonight (named after a awesome song), we have a current movie made about one wild night in the 80′s. And I believe it’s 1988 to be exact. It’s not always an easy thing to re-create a time period and have it work. Dazed and Confused did a great job bringing back the 70′s and this film does an OK job with the 80′s. Yet I can’t help but feel it could have been a little better. Still, it’s not horrible, just not really all that special overall once all is said and done.
The Movie
It’s the late 1980s, when Wall Street is riding high, and it seems as if the entire country is cashing in on the bumper profits. Disgusted with the materialism that surrounds him, Matt Franklin (Topher Grace), a brilliant young MIT graduate, has walked out on his well-paid position at a local lab and taken a low-level job as a video clerk, much to his father Bill’s consternation. And the crises keep piling up in Matt’s life. His best buddy Barry has just gotten fired from his job, his brainy sister Wendy (Anna Faris) is getting hitched to her vapid boyfriend Kyle, and the gorgeous Tori Frederking (Teresa Palmer), long-time object of Matt’s unattainable adoration, is suddenly back in the picture. Now, on one wild, woolly and irresponsible evening, everything is coming to a head, with explosive (explosive is too good of a word, more like a pop) results.
Movies that take place mostly during one night with a bunch of wild and crazy things taking place are always a fun watch. And this movie here is indeed a little fun, but it seems to kinda lack in some ways. I don’t know if it’s just the way the plot unfolds or if some characters are just a bit too annoying (like our main man Matt’s buddy Barry), but something just seemed a little too off when this movie is rolling along. I’ve heard a lot was cut out and perhaps that is true. I do have to admit that at times things do seem kinda uneven. And it’s an uneven feeling you get from a movie that has some awkward cuts here and there. So perhaps to get the full feel of this movie we need a director’s cut? Seeing as how this movie bombed however, not sure we’ll get that much effort ever put into it.
Maybe the cast, in a way, is an issue with this film. Topher Grace, who co-produced this film and is our lead, Matt, does come across as bit of a d-bag at times. And seeing as how he’s our main man we are supposed to root for as he goes after the girl of his dreams, that’s not a good thing ya know? His best friend (Barry that is), as I noted before, is played by Dan Fogler, but comes across really annoying at times. But giving the devil his due, there is some times where he seems kinda funny as well. As far as the rest of the group goes, Anna Faris’ character seems kinda dense but passable as Matt’s sister. And Teresa Palmer in the role of the girl Matt has been crushing on since school, is likeable, yet very gullible. And while it doesn’t mean much to the most of you I’m sure, Michelle Trachtenberg, is very much wasted in her small role as, Ashley.
Also one thing holding the movie down, to spite it’s few funny moments. It just goes the exact way you think it will. It really does seem to follow the format of pretty much every movie of this nature. You like things to go certain ways, but I think the impact of a films is sometimes a lot more hard hitting if it tosses you a few shocks and twists here and there. I guess you could say this movie at times just seems to kinda just be “there”. No flash, no bells, no whistles..no real reason to watch it again. But the music is really cool. I think we all love 80′s music right? But why on earth name it after a cool song if you don’t even use that song in the movie?? That’s another complaint of mine.
The Conclusion
You may enjoy it for a rental or something but nothing worth really seeking out here. I guess it’s somewhat on a Hot Tub Time Machine level, just a little below that actual movie. It still looks nice and with the music sounds nice. But the characters aren’t that great and the plot is too predictable.
The Rating (6/10)
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