The Bikini Shop

LOng before he would make a name for himself in films like "The Great Hereafter"."Double Jeopardy" and "Thirteen Days",handsome Canadian actor Bruce Greenwood was in this perpetual boner on celluloid. He plays the easygoing,beer-guzzling beach bum who co-owns the titular shop with his upright,uptight brother(Michael David Wright,anyone know where he went?)after their dear Aunt passes on,leaving the store to them in her will(likely? You betcha!). Of course,nearly everybody in this film is a nobody(Save for long-running lounge and TV variety act impresario Charlie Brill,in a bit part),and the film is entirely motorized on the presence of sexy,scantily clad women who may or may not be taking' it all off over the course of the film. THink "HArdbodies" with a slightly less misogynistic tone. I enjoyed this movie quite a bit when I was a teen(take a wild guess as to why),and while I probably haven't had a look at this film since the early nineties,I saw it enough times that I can practically count all the scenes of nudity(and recall them in loving slow-mo!)that occurred and which ones I liked the best(a scene involving a two-way mirror and a proportionately perfect,LAnders-sister-looking model was my favorite). i would say that if you've rarely if ever seen naked women before,or are under the age of eighteen,you'll enjoy this film immensely. To anyone else--and assuming you'd have the patience to sit through this!--I'd say,understand that this whole film is a device and accept it for what it is: a pure,brainless '80s sex movie featuring an up-and-coming actor who'd probably like to forget he'd ever agreed to do it. Well,Bruce,just repeat to yourself:it was experience and I needed the money.

Just a fun movie set in the 80's before political correctness, which has driven movies to be largely manufactured with the same plots, and with a single developed character (supporting actors with real roles has become a thing of the past). The feminists will scream exploitation, but it's harmless fun, and extremely tame compared to what teenagers now watch on the internet by comparison - just bikinis and a few boobs. It's a fact of life that men will always look at women, especially good looking ones; and this film has a number of them, plus some good music. The plot was never meant to be drama, but just a light weight comedy about two boys inheriting a bikini shop - every guys dream; and their attempts to save it with marketing initiatives worth seeing. It was never attempting to win an academy award - the film doesn't take itself seriously; but rather just providing light titillation with a few chuckles & smiles. No murders or gratuitous violence; you just end up with a grin after watching it. Our world could do worse.

Two bothers, business oriented Alan, & the more fun loving, skirt-chasing Todd (Bruce Greenwood) inherit a bikini shop in Malibu and attempt to make the failing business profitable. At first in order to sell it. Meanwhile Alan (whom is engaged to the stunning, but whiny, spoiled Jane) is falling for Ronnie, a sexy worker at the shop.

This is a typically lightweight '80's teen sex comedy that's a tad light in the nudity department when compared to other films of it's ilk, yet still holds a place in my heart, simply because it was a staple of USA's now sadly defunct "Up All Night" series which in turn was a big part of my formative years. Choice nudity from the stunning Bobbi Pavis doesn't hurt in the least, and it's always nice to see the late great Frank Nelson at work (sadly younger generations only know of him through his caricature on a few episodes of "The Simpsons") So if you're in the mood for stuffy 'old fogies' getting shocked at the 'hijinks' of teens, big hair, natural boobs, light escapism & other staples of the more innocent 1980's comedies, give this one a watch. (although the lengthy dance number & cheesy hot tub scenes still makes me cringe a bit whenever i see them)

Eye Candy: Bobbi Pavis, Jeana Loring, Barbara Horan, & about 8 or 9 extras fleetingly get topless; one extra shows her ass

My Grade: C+

This film most definitely belongs in the so-bad-it's-almost-good category. Very much a product of its time (1985), the hairstyles, fashions and soundtrack songs are hysterical to those of us who were fortunate (?!) enough to grow up in the 80s. There are embarrassing dance sequences, bikinis that are testament to the aerobics craze - and of course there's lots of flesh on display. Hmmm, must be a guy thing... Bruce Greenwood is the only actor in the cast who has moved on to bigger and better things - I bet a clip of this will come to haunt him one day on The Tonight Show!

It was at my next-door neighbours house that I first saw "The Bikini Shop," I was eight years old and very grateful. Tonight, some 14 years later I was reminded of the movie, when dinner conversation turned to two way mirrors.

To my surprise the local video store still had a copy so I forked out my hard earned $2 for the weekly and re-lived the glory of poor writing, bad lighting, over acting and no name talent all in the name of BOOBIES!.

The story is that ancient old one of, boy meets girl - boy runs a bikini shop his late aunty has left him - boy wins over girl. Throw in a baddie, an old flame he is trying to be rid of, a rambunctious brother and some trippy dream sequences and you have 90 minutes of a flimsy story line standing in the way of the meaning of life for most fellas - naked women.