Starring: Topher Grace, Dan Fogler, Anna Faris, Teresa Palmer, Chris Pratt, Michael Biehn, Michelle Trachtenberg
Written By: Jackie Filgo, Jeff Filgo
Directed By: Michael Dowse
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Buy On Amazon.com
Take Me Home Tonight reminds me of that extremely short-lived That 70’s Show spin-off, That 80’s Show. Try to come up with a funny premise that takes place in the 80s, and everything just falls flat. “IT’S A PORTABLE PHONE!” If you want to watch a funny 80s movie, this isn’t it.
The movie is set in 1988 and is about a recent MIT graduate, Matt Franklin (Topher Grace) who works at Suncoast video. One day his crush Tori (Teresa Palmer) walks into the store and Matt ditches his Suncoast Video work clothes and tells Tori he’s really working at Goldman Sachs. She invites him to a Labor Day party, and Matt brings along his friend Barry (Dan Fogler) who works at a car dealership (until getting fired), and his twin sister Wendy (Anna Faris). His twin sister dates the idiot Chris whose party they are attending. Just when things are going smoothly for Matt, he tells Tori the truth and the night spirals out of control.
I didn’t have any expectations with this movie since it was in movie theaters for a nanosecond. It looked like a decent movie based on the trailers but nope, this movie was pretty bad. It’s not so much Topher Grace’s fault, it’s just the story and the obvious ‘80s references. It’s one thing to say the movie takes place in the 80s, it’s another to point out every little ‘80s reference. Every two seconds was another ‘80s song, just to make you feel you were still in the ‘80s, even though you felt like watching a movie that takes place in the present.
Most of the jokes fall flat, and I didn’t really care about the characters. With John Hughes movies, at least you’d at least care for the characters. Another problem I had was with Dan Fogler. I have not liked one role this guy has done. He’s the new Jack Black, where I can’t stand anything he’s in. His act is so over the top and bad might I add. He’s just loud, obnoxious and brings any movie down that he stars in.
If you’re in the mood for an 80s movie, then go watch Better Off Dead, License To Drive, Weird Science and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Take Me Home Tonight isn’t that good and probably a waste of time, at least that’s how I felt. If you’re one of the few that liked the movie, you can also watch some deleted scenes, a music video and some featurettes on the Blu-Ray.
Features:
Deleted Scenes
Cast Get-Together
Music Boom Box
Take Me Home Tonight Music Video
Digital Copy Of Feature Film
Video:
Widescreen 2.40:1 Color
Screen Resolution:
1080p
Audio:
ENGLISH: DTS-HD MA 5.1
Subtitles:
English, Spanish, French
Bottom Line: If you’re going to watch a movie that takes place in the 80s, might as well watch a movie from the 80s.
Running Time: 97 mins
Rating: R
Extras Rating:
Overall Rating: