User reviews

I'm a big fan of the original. I grew up during the Valley Girl era, only in a valley in Northern rather than Southern California. I leaned heavily towards the punk/post punk side of things, but I have fond memories of the more mainstream styles and music of that time. Seeing The Plimsouls playing in a club in a movie was a BIG DEAL to an 80's music nerd, as was hearing Bonnie Hayes, Sparks and Modern English when it was still rare to hear those types of bands on mainstream radio.

But this movie just feels too far removed to really get how we were back then. The styling is just all wrong. Punks in the early 80's had really short and razor-styled haircuts. It was a radical departure from the long surfer mops and floppy mullets that your average dude was rocking back then. Short, tightly cut hair looked revolutionary back then. Some sloppily-dressed guy like the lead actor with messy, longish floppy hair would have been seen as a stoner, not a punk. Or maybe, they got the look confused with the grunge styles of a decade later. But punk? No way. Nic Cage wasn't 100% authentic either, but his hair was spot-on, and his style really set him apart from the preppy jocks.

The casting of the original was so inspired. Nic Cage was just starting to step into his acting style, and he was sexy, and totally believable as the edgy guy who was an undercover hottie, and also possessed of a big heart and soul. But Deborah Foreman-she was so PERFECT. She had this luminous quality about her, with a lithe, delicate build, perfect 80's feathered hair, a very clean and fresh face with sparkling eyes, and a winsome sweetness and elegant poise and grace that made her totally believable as "that girl" that made Cage's character fall so incredibly hard. The girl in this remake just doesn't have the sparkle and ease that Foreman had in spades. And they made yet another styling error by spackling on the very 2020-style heavy, layered makeup. That's nowhere close to the preppy-Val look, which was very clean and minimal. And the hair? That was merely 2010s-style barrel-rolls that every overly made-up girl and celebrity of that time, laden with pounds of extensions, thought was a throwback to the 70's/80's feathered look. It's not even close. That's another big style difference-80's girls never wore extensions, fake eyelashes, fake tans, or fake bolt-on breasts. A lean, natural body, a tan actually from being outside on a California beach, and healthy, natural hair was how us 80's girls did things. If you were a punk girl, you probably chopped your hair into a spiky asymmetrical wedge, and fiddled around with bleach and dyes.

I don't see the need to go on much more-this movie didn't need to be made. And whomever was in charge of the costume and makeup stylings really should have listened to someone who was actually around during that era.

I don't mind the musical format change. It doesn't bother me that the script was altered in key spots. The main area where this movie falls short is where the original movie succeeded. The music was skewed to the pop and completely ignored the punk music. There was a distinct line in the original of two sets of behaviors and music and this movie had both sides focus on the pop. Besides some wardrobe changes both sets of people acted the same.

The biggest fail here was a misunderstanding what a valley girl was and how she behaved. They threw some one liners in the movie, but completely MISSED the essence of the valley girl. These valley girls and boys acted like regular kids and threw in some period phrases and that is not even close.

I like some of the story changes and if they got the point of the original movie and did some research on valley speak and act, it would have been good.

Casting: horrible. Starting with the 30 year old high schoolers casting!!! I didn't buy the chemistry between randy and Julie for one second. Sad. Liked the Alicia Silverstone tie in. That's it. This was a truly poor movie.

Why? Why does this exist? Valley Girl is a very 1980's movie. Everyone likes Valley Girl because it's very representative of the times. Nobody likes it because it's a timeless story, because it isn't. It's dated, but charmingly so. Why, oh why does this exist?

Watch it as a film separate from the 80s version. It's not plot driven (as most musicals aren't), but it's lighthearted and funny. Good music and excellent recreation of the wonderful 80s.

Do yourself a favour and watch the original movie. 80s teen movies were far better and these dull silly hollywood remakes only suffer more by comparison.

6/10 - a love letter to the 80s feels a little more like a compilation of amazing music videos with a loose thread of a plot tying them together (but why on earth would they cast Logan Paul as the hot, popular guy even before his controversies?)

I actually made an IMBD account just to review this movie. Honestly I couldn't make it more than 10 to 15 minutes into it, it was that bad. If I could give it zero stars, I would.

I am such a huge fan of the original, a true cult classic with an outstanding soundtrack. (The live venue scenes featuring The Plimsouls were tremendous.) The original captured what the 80's were like for so many of us, and yes, I was a teenage punk during that era. The remake loses all the realness and grittiness of the original.

Maybe it is a generational thing, but why does every remake have to be a f'n made for Disney type movie. Why does everything have to become so CUTE? Why does everything have to become just another teen musical?

Do yourself a favor and skip the remake and watch the original.

Am I the only one that thought the movie was okay, sure they looked like they were going to a 80s themed party, and they didn't really focus on the punk music but I enjoyed it, the plot and acting was pretty good and honestly I would watch the movie again. It was good.

First they turn a memorable classic into a musical cliche and then make a sad attempt in recreating the 80's with everyone looking like they're on their way to an 80's themed birthday party and worse yet they threw Logan Paul in the mix! This was nothing more than a poor man's LA LA Land!

The original was a classic and there was no way this would ever measure up to it, but I enjoyed this for what it was. Yes it features Logan Paul and he is the low point of the film, but other than that it was entertaining enough for me to keep on until the end. This remake stays true enough to the original film while adding in just enough to keep it fresh and interesting. It's worth giving a chance if you don't mind covers of the songs from the era and this genre of film.

I'm not a fan of musicals to begin with but this was just torture to sit through. I was a teenager when the original came out so I could relate and it was decent for the time. This remake suffers in every area. The worse-than-karaoke singing of the original pop/rock hits was awful. You don't feel much of a connection between the main characters (unlike the original). Logan Paul looks like a 30 year old high school dropout (with that receding hairline he could pass for Woody Harrelson's son). It lacks all the "Valley Girl speak" since it just copied a few quotes and the actors/actresses didn't have to skill to pull it off convincingly. This is lacking in the humor department as well. Do yourself a favor and watch the original for some decent Nicolas Cage (he was, really) and adorable Deborah Foreman.

30 year old teenagers dancing to 80s songs with poor singing voices. Cheesy love story between two teenagers of different worlds. Why is this even a movie? Maybe Hollywood can stop making remakes. Because they are usually not entertaining.

This movie accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do, it is strictly for light entertainment with 30-ish actors playing high school teens. There is ample musical numbers throughout, the singers are passable but not particularly talented. It is just an interesting movie with 1980s music and anyone who doesn't particularly enjoy musicals should avoid this movie.

It is told as one long flashback with Alicia Silverstone (uncredited) telling her 1980s story to her own teen daughter. I found it on Amazon streaming movies.

As someone who grew up in love with eighties and loves the 1983 film Valley Girl, I can say I didn't have much hope for this movie. I was pleasantly surprised. I also hate when new films and tv shows set in the 80s overdo it, but this was pretty entertaining.

Cringe, totally, gag me with a spoon. Whoever made this must not have been old enough to remember what the eighties was about and it shows. Full of stereotypes and misconceptions with modern sounding eighties music peppered in at awkward moments. I watched it so you don't have to. You're welcome.😬😁🤢

"That's how I remember it." Grown-up Julie, Valley Girl 2020.

Ok, let's clear up some things first. It is nearly impossible for any film to capture the essence of life in the 1980's. It was a very unique period in history, as there was a renaissance happening in all forms of art and culture in a way that we may not see again for a very long time (although I will always heed the advice of Romeo Void and "Never Say Never").

Hey, I get it. I have walked out of remakes in tears after witnessing the bastardization of everything that made the original incarnation so special (perhaps I should work harder at tempering my expectations). But every now and then, a remake differs so much from its forbear that it makes one question why it wasn't conceived as a standalone work from the get-go. Take Rachel Lee Goldberg's 2020 Valley Girl. I suspect that had it gone by its purported original title "Melt With You", it would have prevented many a bum from being hurt.

With that soapbox out of the way, I will just rip off the bandaid and say it: Valley Girl 2020 is far better than its poor reception would suggest. While Martha Coolidge's original cult favorite has been designated by some as a post-punk counterpart to its spiritual cousin from the previous year, "Fast Time at Ridgemont High" (which presented a more untamed, hormone-driven version of the early 80's teen valley life), this reboot has much more in common with what I call 80's 'second-tier' 'PG-13 teen comedy/romances (think Can't Buy Me Love, Girls Just want to Have Fun and Just One Of The Guys, to name a few). Add the dance/musical element and what we have here is a New wave Grease.

Nicholas Cage was the essence of the original; he created the role of Randy- a sort of 80's punk Rock version of James Dean. It's impossible to hear the film's title without immediately picturing his bad-boy prince charming with those sad eyes and that haircut. There's probably no point in discussing Josh Whitehouse's take in this update because it pales in comparison (but at the same time, should we really be comparing the two?). As for the character of Julie, Deborah Foreman was an impressionable wide-eyed space cadet-not exactly a standard to which many girls of any generation would aspire. By comparison, Jessica Rothe's version is relatively more self-aware and at least has something that resembles an arc-a reimagining of the character through a twenty-first century quasi-feminist lens, (although I still prefer Foreman and think she and Cage make a far more endearing and organic couple).

How do you know if you will adore or deplore Valley Girl 2020? If you are a dude who loved the original, wanted to be Nicholas Cage's Randy growing up and/or expect to see the fringier and grittier side of Los Angeles nightlife of the 1980's, chances are this version will make you want to punch a hole in the wall with all of the testosterone-fueled vitriol you can muster. It is oozing with estrogen and is anything but cool, edgy, or Nick-Cagey. However, if you ever fantasized about strolling towards your high school sweetheart in glorious MTV music video-style slow motion to "Space Age Lovesong" by Flock of Seagulls, - or if you spent a great deal of your youth lip-syncing to "Destination Unknown" by the Missing Persons or any of the other new wave hits so generously showcased here, then Valley Girl 2020 will leave you buzzing. If you meet any of the above criteria and can forfeit all memories of the original for an hour and a half, then do Erasure and Abba proud and take a chance on this.

Valley Girl 2020 feels like the cinematic equivalent of a daydream that a teen similar to Julie would have experienced back in high school. While the original was progressive and forward thinking, the remake is awash in over-romanticized retrospection; thus, its depiction of a giddy, fantastical, sugarcoated '80s is perfectly fitting. Taken as a stand-alone film, it is-to reference one more tune from the era- Simply Irresistible, despite being pure nostalgia fuel. The choreography is top-notch, the singing appropriately clumsy, the vibe spirited and energetic, and perhaps most refreshing of all is the lack of cynicism and self-seriousness that you find in 99% of the movies these days.

PS: I took one star off for the cringey "Glee"-esque "We Got the Beat" opening number. One for Josh Whitemore's anachronistic wardrobe. And a final one for not including more famous, era-specific valley lingo such as "gag me with a spoon" and "Groddy to the Max".

First I'll say I have never seen the original so I have no idea how similar or different they are.

I was at one point convicted this must have been at some point a Disney Channel Original because it just has that sort of feel. Even the musical numbers were staged and sounded like they were ripped from Disney Channel.

It was just super basic. It was a Romeo and Juliette-esque story set to 80's pop songs. Which may or may not be the original plot too.

I just found it so cheesy.

Literally every time without fail for some unknown reason every time the sung I started to giggle. I don't think that is the reaction they were aiming for. I don't even know what was funny, I just started to giggle every single time.

I wouldn't really recommend it about from I liked the colours and some of the costumes but that's probably because I'm a sucker for the look for the 80s.

I didn't watch the original film so I can rate this film itself without comparison it. Firstly, the story is interesting, is tells about teenager girl who tries to choose what she wants in life. I really like that she doesn't want to copy someone's behaviour, she finds her own way. Secondly, the cast is beautiful. Thirdly, the atmosphere of film is made by wonderful 80s music and costumes. So, it's good romance musical.

Having grown up with the original this movie is not even a pale comparison to the original. It's high school musical meets the worst stereotypes of what people portray the 80's looking like. Trying to hard to be cool. It borrows some key lines from the original movie and uses them completely out of context while changing the entire premise of the movie. Just very disappointing. I tried to give it a chance but wow ...wish I had those hours of my life back now in hind sight. My advice is go watch the original and forget this one exists.

Why not? She should have been credited even though her role was small. It took me forever to remember her name. Happy I finally did!!

She's still adorable and fun to watch even though her role was small it was a good add to the story line. I'm going to keep blathering now because I have to hit 150 characters to complete this review, which will probably not be seen on this site, especially if anyone reads what I'm writing. What else can I say, it was ok, not great but parts of it were fun and most of the music was very good. I liked the supporting characters the best. I hope you're still with me, I have a feeling that this post won't actually be posted as I only had good things to say about the retro music, which I love and have a lot of, and I think I finally made the characters quota! TaTa.

This movie was cute for the most part; the music was great and even the dance numbers were entertaining. BUT they had to cast LOGAN PUKE! I don't understand how anyone could look at Logan and think to themselves "wow this guy is so hot it'd match the hotness of our lead!" That's as believable as a model dating Jason Voorhees without his mask. How he continues to get work is a shocker to me as well. If this movie was about a blind deaf girl I would probably understand the casting choice but she wasn't! It could have been better without him and someone else cast instead because everything was great when he wasn't on screen.

Outside from that rant the chemistry between the two leads were amazing. I'd definitely re-watch this movie but fast forward certain scenes with a certain someone.

Super cheesy and such a poor attempt at an 80s movie! Save your time and money.