Cast Topher Grace, Dan Fogler, Anna Faris, Teresa Palmer
Director Michael Dowse
Just like me, Take Me Home Tonight is stuck in the 80s. But don’t undermine its merits just yet!
The story of a confused guy who goes bonkers over a babe one exciting party night may have been done to death, but the manic energy in the movie makes you want to be young again.
A recent MIT graduate, Matt (Grace) has what it takes to do well, but as he possesses the slacker gene he ends up working at a video store (ahhh, videos. Remember them?), leaving his cop father fretting about his future. But one bright day, Tori (Palmer), his high school crush, walks into the store and invites him to an end-of-the-summer party he just can’t resist.
So smitten is Matt that he lies about his job, telling her he’s not a shelf stacker, but works for a big city corporation, and with the aid of his twin sister Wendy (Faris) and best pal Barry (Fogler), Matt then attempts to get everything right about his mega-lie on that crazy night.
Lavishly packed with 80s paraphernalia, the flick made me terribly nostalgic for the decade that fashion forgot, and even the overplayed 80s tracks were music to the ears.
While there are plenty of enjoyable gags, the film lacks real surprises – just likable characters mouthing funny lines – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and all the stars, from Grace and Faris to Palmer are highly watchable.
In short, great cast + retro storyline = enjoyable flick!
