Barnes & Noble

Although the teen-movie genre underwent a renaissance of sorts in the 1980s, Can’t Buy Me Love inexplicably failed to achieve the enormous success of films like The Breakfast Club or Pretty in Pink. But now, thanks to DVD, you’ll have another chance to catch up with this underrated, often imitated comedy from 1987. Working-class teen Ronny Miller (Patrick Dempsey) is a social misfit who craves popularity and the chance to date his dream girl, sexy Cindy Mancini (Amanda Peterson). When fate unexpectedly throws them together, Ronny pays Amanda to pose as his girlfriend, thereby granting him "star" status at their high school. Sound familiar? It should: The plot of Can’t Buy Me Love, with minor variations, has been appropriated for no less than a half dozen teen movies over the last 15 years. The original still outshines the knockoffs, though, owing to the facile direction of Steve Rash (The Buddy Holly Story) and the winning performances of Dempsey and Peterson. Unmistakably a product of its era -- you can tell by the hairstyles, fashions, and music -- this charming, low-key farce hasn’t lost any of its resonance. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

Borrowing a chapter from the John Hughes school of teen comedy, this likeable caper was a box office success. Patrick Dempsey stars as Ronald Miller, a high school nerd about to enter his senior year, who longs for acceptance as one of the "cool kids." His next-door neighbor Cindy Mancini (Amanda Peterson) is a cheerleader and one of the most popular girls in school, but she doesn't even know that Ronald exists. When she ruins an expensive outfit of her mother's, Ronald offers the $1,000 needed to replace it, if she will pretend to date him for one month. Although skeptical about Ronald's plan, Cindy agrees, and her "new boyfriend" turns out to be right about what he thinks dating Cindy will do for him -- he becomes accepted by the school's snobs because of his association with one of their own. At least, for a while. Originally titled "Boy Rents Girl," Can't Buy Me Love (1987) was the first production launched by former studio executive Thom Mount after leaving his high-profile post. His company went on to produce weightier material such as Bull Durham (1988), The Indian Runner (1991), and Natural Born Killers (1994). Karl Williams

Product Details

• UPC: 717951002785
• Source: WALT DISNEY VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Aspect Ratio: Pre-1954 Standard (1.33.1)
• Sound: Dolby Digital Surround
• Time: 1:34:00
• Sales Rank: 15,074

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