CAN'T BUY ME LOVE

US, 1987, 94 minutes, Colour.
Patrick Dempsey, Courtney Gains, Amanda Peterson, Seth Green, Sharon Farrell.
Directed by Steve Rash.

Can't Buy Me Love is a pleasant surprise. It begins like one of the many youth comedies of the '80s - but is entertaining and highly moralising. The original title focused on the renting of the girl but the rights were bought to the Beatles' Can't Buy Me Love and that became the title. It is appropriate enough. Patrick Dempsey is quite effective as the boy who wants to be popular and who finds that he is not himself. Direction is by Steve Rash (director of The Buddy Holly Story - which is glimpsed showing at a theatre in passing).

The film has an Arizona setting but is a typical piece of Americana. It has a universal message about being oneself and not trying to live up to an image. It is quite emotional in its exposure of Ronald's ambitions, in his hurting other people - especially his friend, Kenneth. A worthy message.

1. An enjoyable film? For what audience? Moralising? '80s and the youth Movie? This film as different? Its universal message and appeal?

2. The Arizona settings: city, homes, school? Piece of Americana? Musical score, the title theme, the range of songs?

3. An entertaining film for youth to identify with characters and situations - and message?

4. Ronald at school, his age, finishing school, at home with his parents, with his obnoxious brother, Chuckie? His mowing the lawns, getting money for a telescope? Not being popular, with the 'nerds of the school'? Kenneth and his friendship, playing games on a Saturday night with the group? In class? Hard worker? Envious of the popular group, the jocks? His idealising Cindy? His dream girl? The saving up the $1000, going to buy the telescope, hearing of Cindy's plight, his brainwave - and her warning?

5. Ronald's transformation: persuading Cindy to take the $1000, the proposition for the month, her changing his hair, the sleeves of his shirt, his style? Eating at the table with the popular students? Their reaction? The jocks and their lording it over the others - despite their all having been in primary school together? The games - and Ronald sitting in the visitors' section? His being accepted, the parties, talking in the school corridors, ignoring his friends, the girls ignoring him and, then warming to him and telling him things? His enjoying the popularity? His focus on the contract, how to end it - and setting up the fight with Cindy and not understanding it at all? Deceiving himself, dressing up, going to the parties, leading the dance move, sexy with the girls, the importance of the Halloween night and his throwing the manure bomb at Kenneth's family's door? The irony of his being caught in the net - and Kenneth letting go? Slighting his friends, the build-up to a fall?

6. Cindy as attractive, cheerleader, friendship, with the girls, watching Bob on the television, in love with him? Moving with the popular set? Her relationship with her mother, her mother's going out with sexy boyfriends? Cindy borrowing the suede outfit to be popular, getting the wine over it? Her dilemma, the need for the thousand dollars for the new outfit? Accepting Ronald's proposal?

7. The conditions of the contract (and getting his name right)? The walking with him, meals? his taking her out but no car? The outings, her change in attitude, friendship, being listened to, his washing the car and playing with the hose, showing him her poetry (and no-one else)? The final outing and the going to the graveyard of the planes, his explanation of the planes, the telescope and her fascination with the moon, changing her understanding of the moon? Her trying to broach Ronald to end the contract? Her being hurt by his performance? Watching him, making a fool of himself? the dance, her date - and his chauvinism and her pouring the milkshake over him? Her drinking at the party, seeing Ronald in the bathroom with the girl, Bob's arrival, her speech and exposing everything?

8. Ronald and his being exposed, people turning against him, his being hurt, ignored, humiliated at the meals? Eating alone? Trying to ring Cindy -and her ignoring him? Trying to talk to Kenneth - and Kenneth's being hurt ? The scene with Kenneth at the video game parlour and the emotion?

9. Kenneth helping the girl at the table, the jocks standing up to Ronald intervening, his telling the truth, remembering Kennedy and he had helped the big jock when they were young? His persuading them to shake hands? Everybody applauding? His going back to mowing, Cindy becoming friendly, coming back to him, telling him about the poem?

10. The character of the boys, especially the jocks, sport, self-importance, crassness, vulgarity? The girls and their wanting to be seen following the boys? The dance and everybody imitating Ronald? Cindy's denouncing them as followers?

11. The sketch of Cindy's mother, self-absorption? Ronald's father and his geniality but naivety, his friendly mother? Charlie and his slinging off at Ronald, getting, the money from his father, his parents both turning on him, his hiding in the car to see what was going on?

12. Kenneth and the group, genuine, trying to study, authentic friendship, the card games, being hurt by Ronald not letting them know of his absence? In class? The Halloween manure bomb? Kenneth letting Ronald go? Confronting him later?

13. The presentation of teenagers, relationships, adolescent crises, infatuations and friendships, the dream of popularity, of being oneself?