Valley Girl - "Oh My God?!" It's a Movie Review "Totally"

I was hanging out by my locker one day while in high school and some guy comes bounding down the stairs ranting about me being in a movie. I had no idea what he was talking about and once he explained that he had seen a movie over the weekend and would have sworn that I was in it, I of course had to go see it. That next weekend I grabbed some friends and headed off to the movies. I remember clearly sitting in that dark theater as the film started, the opening scene came up and I about fell out of my chair. It was truly like watching myself on the big screen, but without the big paycheck.

"Valley Girl" was the ideal film at the time and epitomized the life of the typical American teenager living in "the valley" in California. The lingo was a craze everywhere. Deborah Foreman, who could have been my twin sister, plays Julie, a normal "valley girl" whose parents own their own health food store which by her account "totally grosses her out." She is also tired of the same old same old and decides to dump her perfectly groomed boyfriend to try something new. What she doesn't expect is that the "new" comes in the form of Nicholas Cage, a rebellious young man running the punk scene on Hollywood Boulevard, a far cry from the upscale, pristine landscape of the valley. This is Cage's first starring role following on the heels of a brief appearance in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High, " another great 80's film where he was billed under the name of Nicholas Coppola, for those of you who'd like to check that out.

Julie has a hard time choosing between what she wants and what is right according to her friends. They are not fond of Julie's new beau and try to talk her into getting back together with her ex, Tommy, even though she is happier with Randy and living on the edge. Her hip parents, played by Colleen Camp and Frederic Forrest (who makes a great appearance as an ex-hippie) have always instilled in their daughter to make her own decisions and be her own person and their wisdom holds a lot of value in her life.

The movie has a great soundtrack, one of the best of the decade, and is lots of fun. A great film to watch to bring back memories. I know that I enjoy it everytime I watch it, but that's also because it's like stepping back in time for me as I was that girl. I do suggest a parental review first since this film is rated "R" for strong language (it's not that much), nudity (very brief) and content.

You can find this movie at amazon.com, inetvideo.com, bestbuy.com, walmart.com or rent it at netflix.com.