Can't Buy Me Love (film)

Infobox_Film
name = Can't Buy Me Love


caption = Film poster
writer = Michael Swerdlick
producer = Thom Mount
starring = Patrick Dempsey
Amanda Peterson
Courtney Gains
Tina Caspary
Seth Green
director = Steve Rash
music = Robert Folk
cinematography = Peter Lyons Collister
editing = Jeff Gourson
distributor = Touchstone Pictures
released = 14 August 1987
(North America)
December 31 1987
(Australia)
runtime = 94 min.
awards =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
country = United States
language = English
amg_id = 1:7974
imdb_id = 0092718

"Can't Buy Me Love" (1987) is a teen comedy feature film starring Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson in a story about a nerd who buys a cheerleader's company for a month. The film was directed by Steve Rash.Cite web|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F19870814%2FREVIEWS%2F708140301%2F1023&AID1=%2F19870814%2FREVIEWS%2F708140301%2F1023&AID2=|title=Can't Buy Me Love|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=November 11|publisher=Chicago Sun-Times, rogerebert.com|year=1987|author=Roger Ebert] The film ranked number 41 on Entertainment Weekly's list of the 50 Best High School Movies in 2006.Cite web|url=http://www.nbc5i.com/entertainment/10095641/detail.html|title=Entertainment Weekly's 50 Best High School Movies|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=November 11|publisher=NBC5.com - Internet Broadcasting Systems|year=2006|author=NBC5.com] Cite web|url=http://www.nbc5i.com/entertainment/10096282/detail.html|title=Entertainment Weekly Ranks Top 50 High School Flicks|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=November 11|publisher=NBC5.com|year=2006|author=NBC5.com]

Plot

Ronald Miller (Dempsey) is a typical high school nerd. At an opportune moment, he makes a deal with popular cheerleader Cindy Mancini (Peterson) to spend $1,000 of his savings to replace a suede outfit Cindy damaged that belonged to her mother. Cindy has few options and reluctantly agrees to help him look "cool" by pretending to be his girlfriend for a month. Both agree never to reveal the compact. Ronald then trades his nerdy, but loyal friends for the shallow popular students and undergoes a complete clothing and hair make-over at Cindy's direction. Over the month, the two discover each other's individuality and are drawn closer together in appreciation. When the month has ended, Ronald and Cindy dramatically "break up" at school. Ronald continues playing "cool" by hanging out with the jocks and hot chicks. At a New Year's Eve party, Cindy is brutally dropped by her college boyfriend when he learns about her relationship with Ronald. In anger and frustration, Cindy tells the party-goers the truth about her relationship with Ronald and his "cool" pretenses. Cindy effectively puts Ronald back at square one with not only the hot crowd avoiding him but the nerdy crowd as well. Ronald suffers much emotional distress at being socially isolated; however, a moment comes to redeem himself when he defends a nerd against the onslaught of a jock. Ronald points out they were all friends at one time and suddenly they are divided into cliques. Cindy recognizes Ronald's worth and the two become friends -- with the suggestion of a genuine romantic relationship developing in the last few frames.

Cast

* Patrick Dempsey as Ronald Miller
* Amanda Peterson as Cindy Mancini
* Courtney Gains as Kenneth Wurman
* Tina Caspary as Barbara
* Seth Green as Chuckie Miller
* Sharon Farrell as Mrs. Mancini
* Darcy DeMoss as Patty
* Dennis Dugan as David Miller
* Cloyce Morrow as Judy Miller
* Devin DeVasquez as Iris
* Cort McCown as Quint

Production notes

The film was shot on location in Tucson, Arizona, at Tucson High Magnet School (then known as Tucson High School). The choreography is by Paula Abdul, who makes an uncredited appearance as a dancer.

Reception

Caryn James in the "New York Times" felt the film missed its mark and traded its potential originality for a bid at popularity by writing, "Michael Swerdlick, the writer, and Steve Rash, the director...waste a chance to make the much deeper, funnier movie that strains to break through. [The film] ...has an identity crisis that's a mirror-image of Ronald's own. He thinks he wants popularity at any price, though he's really a sincere guy. The film thinks it wants to be sincere, when all it truly wants is to be popular, just like the other kids' movies, so it sells off its originality." [ [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B0DE5DD1F3FF937A2575BC0A961948260 "New York Times: Can't Buy Me Love"] ]

Awards and nominations

Young Artist Award
*Won: Best Young Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy, Patrick Dempsey
*Nominated: Best Young Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy, Amanda Peterson
*Nominated: Best Young Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy, Tina Caspary
*Nominated: Best Family Motion Picture - Comedy

Remake

In 2003, "Can't Buy Me Love" was remade as "Love Don't Cost a Thing" starring Nick Cannon and Christina Milian.Cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,519555,00.html|title=Love Don't Cost a Thing|accessdate=2007-11-11|publisher=Entertainment Weekly|year=2003|author=Scott Brown]

References