Girls Just Want to Have Fun

I just rewatched it on the comedy channel. It's such a feelgood movie. It makes you want to dance. I always wished for a sequel. I would love to see how the characters turned out years later. Sarah and Helen are great in this movie. And I think Sarah did alot of her own stunts because she was doing gymnastics at the time. The dancing is great and the music is pure 80's fun. The movie has a good storyline that moves along with just the right amount of suspense and timing. This is a fun, feelgood dance movie. I highly recommend it.

This is a wonderful 80s film - the best of the bunch if you ask me - beats breakfast club anyway. Great dancing, great suspense - will she make it to the competition or won't she? And then, the wonderful Lee Montgomery (what every happened to him?). A feel good film to remind you of your teenage years.

This is one of my all-time favorite 80's movies! There are a lot of funny one liners, great dancing and a really good soundtrack! I like this version of the Girls Just wanna have fun song than Cyndi Lauper's original. My favorite scene is when Janey, Lynne, and Maggie get even with Natalie:)

Janey Glenn (Sarah Jessica Parker) is a teenager newcomer in Chicago, who loves the TV show Dancing in TV. In the Catholic school, she becomes friend of Lynne Stone (Helen Hunt), who also loves to dance and invites her to an audition to be part of the show. However, her tough father, who raises Janey in a military environment, does not accept her participation in the audition, and she has lots of trouble to escape for the competition. The rich Natalie Sands (Holly Gagnier) tries to use the influence and power of her wealthy father to win the competition. This silly movie is crowded of teenager starlets. It is funny to see names such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Helen Hunt, Jonathan Silverman, Shannen Doherty, in the beginning of their careers, playing very goofy and foolish roles. However, the story is nice, there are good songs from the 80´s and in the end, it is an attractive and forgettable entertainment. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): `Dançando na TV' (`Dancing in TV')

A Catholic school girl (Sarah Jessica Parker) hooks up with a cool guy from public school (Lee Montgomery) to enter a TV dance competition in Chicago. Helen Hunt plays her best friend while Holly Gagnier is on hand as her spoiled nemesis. A 13 year-old Shannen Doherty appears as the guy's little sister.

"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (1985) mixes the 80's teen/school genre with the 80's dance genre in the mold of "Footloose" (1984), just not as heavy with the anti-legalism theme. It's a fun, energetic flick like "Heavenly Bodies" (1984), but more teen-oriented.

Although those two movies are better, "Girls" is a good movie for when you're in the mood for a lighthearted fun 80's flick. Sarah was 19 years-old during shooting and never looked better; same thing with Holly Gagnier (Natalie), except she was 26 at the time. It's interesting to see Doherty when she was so young and innocent. I shouldn't fail to mention Charene Cathleen in a bit part as Patty.

On the masculine front, Montgomery is effective as the "hip" male protagonist, coming off as a mid-80's version of the The Fonz. It's a wonder his career never took off. If you like him, be sure to catch him in his final movie, 1988's "Into the Fire," aka "The Legend of Wolf Lodge," where he plays the same type of character as in "Girls," except that it's an adult-oriented tragedy.

Interestingly, the producers didn't use Cyndi Lauper's version of the title song for licensing reasons. Yet the cover version is acceptable.

Bottom line, if you're in the mood for a flick in the mold of "Heavenly Bodies," "Footloose," "Teenage Dream" (1986), "Flashdance" (1983) and "Tuff Turf" (1985) this one fills the bill.

The film runs 1 hour, 30 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles & Culver City (the mall), with some exteriors done in Chicago.

GRADE: B.