Review: Take Me Home Tonight

Over the weekend, I went to see a movie at Cinemark Plano and a man approached me and gave me a free pass to see a preview screening of "Take Me Home Tonight." Last night I went.

"Take Me Home Tonight" is a Relativity Media film starring Topher Grace and Anna Farris. The film takes place over the course of one night. Think "Night at the Roxburry" or "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist." The high school class of 1984 has just graduated from college. Grace's character, Matt Franklin, graduated from MIT and is working at Suncoast Video in a mall. Matt, his twin sister Wendy (Farris) and his best friend Barry Nathan (Dan Folger) are all going to a wild Labor Day party hosted by Wendy's high school sweetheart. Matt spends the entire night trying to get his high school crush Tori Fredericking (Teresa Palmer) to like him. 

Thinking about the plot of this movie, it seems that it should be starring Seth Rogen, Michael Cera and Zach Galifianakis. I was refreshed to see a different cast in this stupid-humor comedy. Topher Grace seemed to have dropped out of the public eye for a while, so I was pleasantly surprised to see him back on the big screen. It was also nice to see Anna Farris stepping out from her ditzy blonde role. (Literally. She is brunette for the film.)

Before the movie, a Relativity Media rep came up to talk about the film. Besides trying to get us to tell everyone about the movie and to follow them on Twitter, his big point was that this movie was a nod to the John Hughes era. I'm thinking, "Okay. This is set in the 80s. How can they try to compare themselves to such classics?"

Topher Grace also made a 60 second appearance to introduce the film. 1) Do you like John Hughes moives? 80s music? 2) Most importantly, do you like to party your f****** a***** off?! The crowd cheered as Grace disappeared into a seat in the audience to watch the film with us.

Let me just say this: I WANT THIS SOUNDTRACK. The best of the 80s, truly.

Grace's character reminded me of Patrick Dempsy's ultra nerd of "Can't Buy Me Love," even down to the suit outfit he wears to the Labor Day party. He just can't seem to get anything right. He walks up to Tori "freaking" Fredericking, as he calls her to his friends, and starts talking about his mad athleticism in windsurfing. That's what Tori listed in the high school yearbook as a hobby. Turns out she isn't really interested in it and Matt is just digging himself into a hole. 

Just-fired-from-my-job-so-I-want-to-be-wild Barry Nathan (Folger) was a great counterpart to Matt, who is afraid of everything in life from asking a girl out to finding a good career. Barry's motto of the night, which he also impresses on Matt, t is "Don't think. Just do." You can only imagine what shenanigans this might lead to.

Honestly, it was a 2000s version of a John Hughes. Just sprinkle in some cocaine, nudity and newer 2000s humor. I didn't expect a deep plot or twists and turns. I expected a good laugh, and that's what I got. I was highly entertained, and I certainly enjoyed the 80s ponytails, the shoulder pads and neon suits. I didn't leave the theater in deep thought, left to ponder life's biggest questions. I left wanting to go out and have some fun of my own. It's the kind of movie I'll want to own and watch at night when I can't sleep.

"Take Me Home Tonight" hits theaters March 4. If you've had enough of teenage comedies that are all bathroom humor and dirty jokes, go see "Take Me Home Tonight" for a different kind of laugh that'll take you back to the golden years of teen comedy.

 

 

Note to the advertisers: I really, really hope you don't put all the best parts of this movie into the trailer. I was lucky that I hadn't heard or seen much about this movie prior to viewing. Don't give it all away.