Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives!

The production could have been a lot better but the story is a universal one, and this is what pulls you into this film along with a nice soundtrack. Premise: A rock star dies tragically at the peak of his career/life. But what if he didn't really die in that car crash? what if....?

Eddie and the Cruisers II tries, with good intentions, to tell that story. The story of Eddie Wilson, a boy from the north jersey shore who in the late 1960s became the greatest rock star to ever live, and who was believed to have been dead for the past twenty years, suddenly re-emerges when he finds out that his former record label is about to release the unreleased last album tracks that he allegedly lost his life over. The album that the record label would not release in 1969, because the execs thought the tracks were trash, are now thought to be a work of genius. -- Ironically, not because of the rock star's alleged death, but because 20 years later the album tracks that were recorded in '69 are now thought to be visionary of what rock n roll would eventually evolve into (heralding of Sid Viscious/Bruce Springsteen). Eddie puts together a band of musicians from the small Montreal community he has been "hiding out" in for the past twenty years under an assumed name. And along with his girlfriend, a struggling little rich, french canadian artiste [grin], hits the road on a northern U.S. tour that will culminate in the return of Eddie Wilson and the New Cruisers at what I believe was suppose to be Madison Square Garden (most of the film, with the exception of a few exteriors, was shot in Canada). In the beginning, the girlfriend and one of the new band members are the only two who know that "Joe" is really Eddie Wilson. Along the way Joe/Eddie has a few demons to put to rest and a couple of burnt bridges to mend (an old best friend and band member back in Jersey that he neglected to inform that he really wasn't dead all these years and a record mogul he would like to see dead). --

Eddie and the Cruisers II: a nice date movie to rent at the local Blockbuster or better yet, catch it on cable. 2 1/2 stars.

I started out watching Eddie before I could walk and It is to this day one of my absolute favorite movies. This movie brings back great memories for me and now that my daughter loves this movie as much as I did I hope it will mean as much to her. This is definitely a classic in the making if you ask me. Some of the greatest things didn't get the proper recognition until many years sometimes hundred of years after the fact.A line from the original "the world needs dreamers" and I couldn't agree more. This movie allows that to happen. Who in their life hasn't hoped and dreamed for something and been knocked down? I think this movie gives people that connection to real life but also hope in seeing "Eddie" actually come back from the lowest point in his life. I would recommend this movie to everyone, male, female, young, old and anywhere in between.

Eddie strove for something real, something meaningful. How many people like that do you meet in your daily life? I meet zero. What a shame.

Maybe he was self-absorbed at times to the detriment of his friendships. There is no excuse for that, but I do believe that he cared about others.

Michael Pare put so much feeling into his role as Eddie, in both the original and this sequel. He is not even a particularly well known actor, yet he put more feeling into this role than most popular actors put into their famous roles.Popularity does not necessarily signify quality.

The makers of this film should have explained what the hell Eddie has been doing for the past 20-25 years. Why did it take him so long to get back into music? Why is he living in a modest apartment, with no woman or kids, or anything after this many years? They could have at least given it a backhanded treatment, so that we would know the basics.

Nevertheless, nice job otherwise. Sweet, understated love affair. Conflict, resolution, emotion, and great music. John Cafferty is Eddie. Eddie lives!

Having recently aquired a copy and getting to see it again, my original opinion still stands...Eddie and the Cruisers 2 is a great sequel! It has drama, a little mystery, alot of great music and wonderful acting from Michael Pare! He does a great job lip singing to John Cafferty. If you didn't read the credits you would actually think Michael Pare was singing! The only thing I didn't like about this movie was in a flashback, it showed Eddie talking to Sal instead of Frankie. But it was still a great movie. I loved the way Joe/Eddie wrestled with his emotions in choosing what to do about his music and life. Very moving! So, if you want to see a relaxing, feel-good movie, this is the one to watch. Even better if you can watch both the original and Eddie Lives in the same weekend!

What a fun movie to watch in these times when everything else is total chaos. My husband and I watched both of them in two weeks after the person who recommended mailed me #2. My other brother sent me the sound track for both of these movies! I have played it every day sense then. I would love Eddie and the Cruisers 3. It so reminds us of the innocent times when we went to hear bands whose music we could sing to. When dancing at a local hangout, and the bands where you cheered on to be successful. That actually played the music versus having the sounds made by machines! This is one set of movies I will watch again and again. I don't care whose music it sounded like, it reminds us all of more fun times. I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!1