Passaggio per il paradiso

A kid (Lewis Smith) from the late-1960s (who appears to be from the 1950s due to his antics and wardrobe) dies one night in a chicken car race. He is unable to get into Heaven though because of his life on Earth so thus he goes back to the 1980s and tries to help a dorky high school student (Jason Gedrick) become popular and cool. Also along for the ride is Gedrick's mother/Lewis' old girlfriend (Jane Kaczmarek of "Malcolm in the Middle" fame) and motorcycle-riding guardian angel Richard Mulligan. So many plot holes and predictable twists stall this one pretty fast. Smith and Mulligan do what they can together, but they have elementary-styled aspects of film-making to work with. Everything else is not worth your time or effort. Not the worst film of the time period, but another one of those unwanted footnotes from the mid-1980s. 2 stars out of 5.

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.

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.

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.

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.