In an age of mining the past to repurpose for “fresh” content, there is no property that can be resuscitated that will raise much of an eyebrow. Even still, there altogether seems something very unnecessary about reviving the 80s teen rom-com Valley Girl for an audience that seem satiated by a steady influx of YA adaptations over on Netflix such as To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before or The Kissing Booth. Surprisingly, director Rachel Lee Goldenberg seems to acknowledge that there is not much need for copying the successes of the past when there can be innovation in the present. The creative team behind this update has leaned into the glitzy nostalgia of the 80s with a winking eye towards the heightened reality by turning it into a full-fledged jukebox musical. This bubbly feature will not be for all types, but those looking for a lighthearted romp through a superficially happier time may find something charming here.
The film begins in the present as a heartbroken Ruby (Camila Morrone) has just broken up with her boyfriend over her plans to follow school with a study program in Japan. As the youth of every generation does, Ruby bristles when her mother Julie (a refreshing sighting of Alicia Silverstone) tries to share some wisdom from her own youth to help her through the pain. It is through this framing device that we visit the easily-definable, rollicking good times of the 80s. While this may seem like a minor bit of business, through framing this as a memory the movie is allowed to embrace its roots as the cinematic equivalent of “bubblegum pop” with bright, neon colors and a clear-cut dynamic between preps and punks. Life is good for young Julie (Jessica Rothe, Happy Death Day) and her friends as we see through an energetic mall shopping montage set to “We Got The Beat.” This is only the first of a cavalcade of decade-defining bangers that the movie will offer up throughout its swift running time.
Things are equally kinetic on the other side of the hill as we meet Randy (Joshua Whitehouse), a Sunset Strip punk rocker who leads his band Safety Recall, which includes his jaded lesbian roommate Jack (an ageless Mae Whitman, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) and spiky-haired drummer Sticky (Mario Revolori). As if you need clarification on what their general ethos may be, they are introduced with the classic “Bad Reputation.” While life may be good for Julie, she cannot shake this nagging feeling that it may have more to offer than she has been exposed to thus far in her valley bubble. Her curiosity is perplexing to her friends, Stacey (Jessie Ennis, Mythic Quest), Loryn (Ashleigh Murray, Riverdale) and Karen (Chloe Bennet, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), who sees her life with her rich jock boyfriend Mickey (Logan Paul) as perfect. It is only through a chance encounter with Randy that Julie begins to see things through a new perspective. As Julie dumps Mickey to explore life with Randy, their two lives become much more complicated with those closest to them.
The ensemble gathered for this feature is truly quite amazing – for the most part. Jessica Rothe has proven to be impossibly charming in most of her roles and is the not-so-secret weapon of this film. You really feel for Julie even when she is restrained by her narrow view of the world. She is even strong enough to prop up the relationship with Randy, who seems a bit too blandly acted by Whitehouse to come across as someone who would shake up anyone’s life. Outside of this minor misstep, this cast is aces, even Logan Paul who channels his more punchable qualities into this antagonistic role. A personal highlight is Judy Greer and Rob Huebel as Julie’s daffy-but-concerned parents. Easy jokes about whether or not to buy stock in Apple provide a nice chuckle. The film does not seek to reinvent the narrative of the original film in any major way, but with a female perspective behind the camera there are some adjustments that give the women in the film more agency that just feels right. A film can be fun AND forward thinking!
Those who are already not a fan of poppy musicals or rom-coms will not be won over by this new interpretation of the material. This still exhibits all of the traits you have come to expect from the genre, but it has fun while doing so. A prime example of the joy pulsing through this film is a confrontational aerobics workout set to a medley that ranges from Depeche Mode to Soft Cell. These new renditions of the songs are never too far off from the original versions, but all are performed quite capably as if you have put a “Best of the 80s” playlist on shuffle. The choreography from Mandy Moore (So You Think You Can Dance) is oftentimes breathtaking and one of the essential parts of making this story so satisfying. This is a feature that encourages you to sit back and let the fizzy fun of the 80s wash over you. There are flaws that keep this one from rising to excellence, but as a lighthearted diversion this film knows what it is doing.
Video Quality
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment brings Valley Girl to Blu-Ray with a really lovely 1080p video presentation. The presentation provides a significant amount of depth on display, especially in the interior shots. The production design is bursting at the seams with marvelous 80s details along with the fabrics of clothing which this presentation displays with crystal clear textural detail. The image is clean with the bright color palette popping off the screen. The film employs nice splashes of bold colors within the production design, which makes for a very exciting image. The black levels are appropriately deep and inky with only a minor bit of compression detected. The flesh tones are natural with a magnificent amount of detail present in close-ups, especially with some of the bright makeup applied. This Blu-Ray is an excellent representation of this movie that should please fans.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a stellar DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that captures this highly musical movie beautifully. The track is not very complex outside of the musical moments, but the environmental sounds of the world engage the surround speakers in a really pleasing way. When the characters are walking through the house party or school, there are some really nice ambient details that flesh out the setting. Dialogue is the key element of the film, and it always comes through crisp and clear without being clipped by any competing sounds. The music in the film fills the speakers in a wonderful, well-balanced way. The various pop hits engage the low end of the track in a way that provides a nice texture to the proceedings. The audio track is an excellent sounding presentation for this feature in all respects.
Special Features
There are no special features provided on this disc.
Final Thoughts
Valley Girl is a frothy musical update to a cult favorite 80s property that pays respect to the original material while updating it in all the ways you would want it to. Jessica Rothe is a ray of light in the lead role of an ensemble that mostly really impresses. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has provided a Blu-Ray with a strong A/V presentation but nothing in the way of special features. If you are in need of some light entertainment, this has more soul behind it than it might appear upon first glance. Recommended
Valley Girl is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
