User reviews

I'm a fan of 80's movies and The Heavenly Kid was a nice yet charming story filled with emotion, drama and just the right touch of romance added to it. The story is about a a teenage rebel who died in a car accident in the late 60's and is sent down to earth in the 80's on a mission to help a nerdy young man and gain his entrance into heaven.

Lewis Smith was perfect as Bobby Fantana he played the part of a rebellious greaser very well. During the film his character discovers quite a few surprises along the way and learns the importance of sacrifice and getting a second chance. Jane Kaczmarek in her days before Malcolm In The Middle was well casted as Bobby's former girlfriend Emily and the mother of the young lad he was sent to help.

In the 1960's Bobby Fantana (Smith) is a rebellious, greaser with attitude who challenges Joe Barnes(Metcalf) to a game of chicken after he made a pass at his girlfriend Emily. Bobby wins the race but unfortunately isn't able to get out of the car in time and dies in an explosion. 17 to 18 years later he's given an assignment and that is to help an awkward kid become more confident aiding him in the job is his guide Rafferty (Mulligan). Once on earth he meets his project who turns out to be geeky Lenny Barnes (Gedrick) a teen in love with a popular girl named Sharon. Soon enough Bobby begins working his magic and the once shy young man becomes more confident and cool.However with this newfound coolness Lenny becomes cockier and defiant towards friends and family. During the course of the story Bobby discovers that Lenny's mom is his former girlfriend and that she's married to Joe his old rival.

There is a scene where he makes himself visible to Emily and they spend a nice night out reminiscing and then she drops the biggest bombshell of all Bobby is Lenny's father. Trouble soon arises when Rafferty informs him that Lenny is going to die in the same manner as he did, it's then that Bobby learns about the true meaning of love and sacrifice when he decides to give up his soul in order to prevent his son's death.

Filled with nice music and a good ending The Heavenly Kid is a pleasant surprise for anyone who deserves another chance at life.

The Heavenly Kid is poorly written, poorly acted, has bad effects and the cheesiest soundtrack of all time. However, it's always hilarious. The scene in which Jason Gedrick tries on various outfits always gets me laughing. This film is so bad, it's great.

This movie reminds me a lot of the time traveling go back and see your mom in high school trope we got in back to the future but with some of the elements of the movie ghost and those movies like heart condition and ghost dad.

Overall it has a low production quality and the casting and acting are bad... but it's worth a watch if you love back to the future!

Basically this movie is about a guy that ends up dying way too young from a car crash. In order for him to get into heaven, he has to help out a teenager with certain things. I don't want to go too far into it b/c I don't want to risk spoiling it for anyone who hasn't seen it.

Looking back at it now, it's a little aged but no matter how many times I've seen it, I still laugh at this movie. I know that it's quite predictable at times, especially after you've watched other movies with similiar plots/scripts. But it's still one of those films that I watch e every time I see it on cable. :) Good family movie that can bring up some laughter in the process.

A film about a man who looses in a drag race including his love his life dies from the crash and goes to heaven but before being accepted he must help his former girlfriends son.

This story gives a warmth and kindness without giving special explaination of the afterlife giving a closure to this man's former life and helping a kid to achieve happiness of his own and individuality.

This is a family film that should be viewed when issues arise because it pin points some key issues with every ternager. It's comical and charming.

A Fonzy like character dies in his the peak of life, you assume is he not much beyond a teen when he dies in a game of chicken. He sits on a train going nowhere for 16 to 18 years, and then gets his chance to redeem himself by helping a gawky kid named Lenny. His 'help' is not exactly helpful all the time, he does save his life, but then gets Lenny to do some not so 'heavenly' things while giving him a bit too much confidence for his own good. There are some lessons to be learned and a moral of sorts in a bit of a warped way. There are some totally goofy moments, and a few touching ones, but not bad for a low budget 80s movie. They were all a bit goofy in those days. Raferty is hilarious!

I have loaned this to my friends (and their kids) of many ages and all have really enjoyed it. The sketch about the "spazola" had me in stitches although not politically correct these days Also, catch a look at Richard Mulligan as Rafferty (the man from "Soap" I'm told) I believe this film is very underrated but Sadly it is seldom seen on English TV apart from occasionally on Sky. However, should you ever get a chance to watch it...I would thoroughly recommend it ! It has sadness, humour, sex (A little), comedy and a story which is more than a lot of films these days. And..... The whole family can sit down together and enjoy it

The Heavenly Kid is a 1985 fantasy comedy that follows a guardian angel who is tasked with helping a socially awkward high school boy fit in.

I don't think most people would consider this to be an amazing 80's film, but to me the Heavenly Kid is a classic, and one that I hold in high regard.

Lewis Smith stars as Bobby Fontana, A 1960's greaser who gets killed while playing a game of chicken with a rival who made a pass at his girlfriend. But in the afterlife he finds out that he must complete a specific task in order to earn his wings and a ticket to get into heaven.

The premise of the movie seems kind of silly, but the story being told is actually pretty sweet and endearing on top of being quite funny. The cast is terrific, the plot is creative, and it has a fantastic theme song that screams the 80's. If you've never seen this film before, I would definitely recommend checking it out.

This movie sucked in more ways than I can say. OK. It's not that bad. Wait yes it was. It was awful. How many times do we need to see this plot. Dead guy turns angel to help others, only he does things his way and learns lesson that his way is the wrong way, and the kid is more than just some random kid. Ohhh. Didn't see that one coming. Brother. 1.5/10 try and miss this flick. I was stuck in a hotel with a brother in law that likes this crap.

I have two sons who have watched this movie over and over. I enjoyed watching it with them. Even their dad watched it and enjoyed it. Yes, it is a family movie - If you are looking for a good movie that leaves you feeling good, this is it. The actors are excellent - WE JUST ENJOYED IT! Thanks.

Nothing earth shattering here. Still, this is a cute film about an early sixties era teen, sent to the eighties to help out an unhip schoolboy. Twists and turns, plus some good moral lessons make this film work.

If you look close, you can also find a key figure from the movie, "Animal House."

There were a lot of great flicks that came out in the mid to late 80s. Many of them (most directed by John Hughes) went down as classics. Others were overlooked and underrated. Some became sleeper hits (John Cusack flicks) and still get heavy play in my VCR, especially during the Summer. "Heavenly Kid", however, is one of my faves that not too many people have heard of.

It's a pretty straight forward story that could have been lifeless, but struck an emotional chord with me due to the acting and the sentimental value of the whole thing. It's also a great father-son story done from a different and original take.

Bobby is your typical badass, black leather jacket wearing, cigarette smoking, drag racing, babe magnet who is killed in a game of chicken. This happens within the first five minutes of the movie and the next thing you know, Bobby is on the train to heaven. Upon getting there, he's presented with a small problem. They won't let him in unless he plays guardian angel and gets his wings. So it's back to earth for Bobby.

He's sent back approximately seventeen years later to help a young geek get his life straight and to give the kid a little self-esteem.

This is a wholly enjoyable film that anyone can enjoy. Although, some may complain that the ending is predicatable, they would be disappointed if it ended any other way.

The movie is one of those where people get second chances and figure out they aren't the center of the universe. Acting okay, really anyone can act anywhere at anytime if you can act, generally.

Without saying what happens, but I think all can figure it out, how does the age add up? When you see the movie and those that saw it and want to watch again am I adding the years wrong for the "Lenny" character? The beginning of the movie (1960 to 1962) and the "present" in the movie is 1984-1985 and Lenny is a "star" student in high school. Do the math and tell me how Lenny is the son, not working.

When you see the movie you will understand what I wrote and maybe make sense of it all!

I'm glued to the TV every time I'm lucky enough to catch this gem on cable. I've never caught this whole movie on TV, always somewhere in the middle and every time it captivated me. Did a little research and finally found out the name and now I'm going to buy the DVD.

I mean, what can be better than an angel who drinks beer, smokes cigars and tries to teach an awkward kid how to be cool? The angel is a riot, kind of like a cross between Eddie Haskell and Fonzie. Rafferty is awesome too (the older guy from Soap who oversees the cool angel earning his wings) is a blast.

There's a message in this movie as well, as the angel tries to teach the kid what is important in life.

You can't beat this movie, guaranteed you will never forget it. Even look at the reviews of people who didn't like this movie, some said they couldn't stop watching in spite of not liking it. What's that tell you?

Awesome heartwarming comedy, don't miss it.

It is unfortunate that "The Heavenly Kid" became lost under the vast muddle of slick teen comedies that were so rampant during the mid 1980's. This film, which has a pre-"Malcolm In The Middle" Jane Kaczmarek, "Animal House's" Mark Metcalf, "Backdraft's" Jason Gedrick, and veteran actor Richard Mulligan, really shined through for me as an entertaining (yet predictable) dramedy on guardian angels.

It is the story of a brash 1960's greaser named Bobby Fantana, amiably played by TV actor Lewis Smith, who meets an untimely demise in a drag race accident. Once transported into the Afterlife, Bobby teams up with his roguish, motorcycle-driving spectral mentor Rafferty (Mulligan) and discovers from him that he hasn't quite earned his right into Paradise, and the only way he can redeem himself is to undertake an earthly assignment in assisting the mortals. Fast forwarding to the 1980's, Bobby is given the dubious task of coaching Lenny Barnes (Gedrick), a gifted, gawky teen who is a popular target for the class bullies. It's up to him to befriend and guide the boy through his little life crisis, and he decides to transform Lenny into a cool, confident splitting-image of himself that soon gains the attention of his peers. All is fine until Lenny's newfound cockiness butts heads with his family and with two of his old tormentors, who finally challenge him to a drag race of their own. It's then up to Bobby to rectify the damage he has unintentionally done and save Lenny from repeating history while hopefully garnering his wings at last.

Although many critics have scathed this film for a rather shallow, loopholed storyline, "The Heavenly Kid" does exude some attributes that I have come to enjoy over the years. The soundtrack is one of the best I've heard for an 80's teen flick; just love "Out on the Edge" during Bobby's fatal racing scene. Lewis Smith's performance gives a uniquely genial quality to his loner character that makes a sometimes funny "Odd-Couplesque" persona with both Gedrick and Mulligan. Seeing Bobby acclimate to the radically different 80's pop culture brings a laugh or two to myself! Finally, even though the ending is entirely predictable, it always leaves me feeling good inside, even on a bleak, rainy Saturday.

It is also unfortunate that "The Heavenly Kid" has gone out-of-print in recent years! I was lucky enough to record it off of HBO this past summer for my collection, but I think it does deserve a chance for a VHS/DVD re-release. This is one comedy that the entire family can enjoy, provided there's no objection to some PG-13 based language and adult humor.

It's always funny writing reviews like this. It's hard not to be biased. I suppose an outsider might see this film and say it's predictable and boring. For me, I see films like this as a window to my past. The 1980's. Something I would fondly watch on HBO when I was growing up as a teenager. I always found Heavenly Kid to be funny and sentimental. If I had to make an honest review for the public, I'd have to give it a 7 or 8, when inside, it really feels like a 10.

I think the public should see it as a 7 or 8, because even though a lot of it is predictable, it had a unique and entertaining perspective on life, the afterlife, love, loss and closure. And to see this film in 2020 as somewhat lost in time, makes me sad. But I guess that's life. It goes on. And I had a blast watching this all over again. I'll probably click on it a few more times over the next few months, just for fun. I hope you enjoy it too.

I felt that it was clean, non violent and after all it was for family so it was nice to see it was catered in that direction. Taught the children to look out for others. I feel children learn a great deal off movies etc and by making good movies like this one it does make a difference to our children. The humour was great, and I think they choose well in the people that they had playing the roles. It didn't target any religion, it was opened minded so it was enjoyed by all, It is good to have movies back in the past to help you remember those good times and fun times. The movie made you look at yourself and wonder what you were really doing. An Excellent movie all round.

Bobby, a hotshot high-schooler from the 60s, ends up in the 80s to coach a dweebie kid into being a more confident, popular guy. I cant tell you how Bobby got there as it would spoil one of the films more dramatic moments, but I can say you should enjoy all the scenes dealing with his tutoring of Gedrick. He gives him a better look, hot wheels, and a little toughness to stand up to the jerks at school. Its executed pretty well and the pair make a good mismatch. The film also does a nice job when it has to be dramatic, as when Bobby has to deal with a few surprises. The ending is perfectly heartfelt without going over the line into sappiness as well. Great soundtrack, too, with a lot of nicely placed (though all unknown) songs to accentuate the scenes. A teen 80s film that got lost in the mix of so many of them, this belongs on the list of the good ones.