L'amour ne s'achète pas

A high school boy saves up 2000 dollars for a new telescope, but winds up spending it for a girlfriend. She was the most popular girl at school, and needed the money to replace her mother's jacket that she [the girl] had ruined. In return, the girl must date the boy for a month, making him suddenly popular, something he isn't used to at all. Of course, he is found out eventually, and all his new "friends" turn against him. A picture which is well worth seeing.

Can't Buy Me Love is directed by Steve Rash and written by Michael Swerdlick. It stars Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson. Music is by Robert Folk and cinematography by Peter Lyons Collister.

Plot has Dempsey as nerdy outcast Ronald Miller, who fed up of not being popular pays Cindy Mancini (Peterson), the most popular girl in school, one thousand dollars to be his girlfriend.

The 1980s was awash with films of this ilk, the teen dramedy topped up by a big hearted message and a finale of punch the air worth. What it all comes down to is if the film can hold its head above water, not become too twee, and crucially have you smiling come the finale. As evidenced by its popularity among 80s cineastes of a certain age, Can't Buy Me Love delivers all that you expect from such fare.

The core theme is of course self acceptance, the attainment of such in amongst the scary world of teenage school years. This shines bright in spite of some rather unconvincing dialogue and contrived corny moments. Director Rash just about holds it together, ensuring that the charm of the lead actors holds weight for character engagement, even though for thematic depth the screenplay only skims over the surface.

The teenage dramedy would evolve considerably once the 80s was left behind, becoming more biting, daring and observational. Yet for those who lived and loved this type of film in the 80s, there's a lovely nostalgic glow to be gleaned from revisits to the likes of Can't Buy Me Love. Nothing wrong with that. 6.5/10

If you like 80s movies this is my top 5 of all time. This movie is amazing and should not be forgotten. The story is about Ronald played by Patrick Dempsey who is a nerd and lives next door to Cindy the most popular girl in High School played by Amanda Peterson. Ronald mows lawns for a living and is saving his money for his science project. He finally has enough money to pay for his project but he decides to help out Cindy with dilemma. Cindy ruins her moms dress at a party and she needs a 1,000 dollars to buy a new dress so her mom doesn't ground her for life. Ronald decides to give up his money for the project if Cindy pretends to like him. The movie is amazing. Its very funny, great acting, and the chemistry works. This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I could watch it over and over again. If you like 80s movies check this movie out as well as Teen Witch, Some Kind Of Wonderful, Just One of the guys, and Big.

Sometimes the most important thing eludes us and we don't recognize it. Not everyone has the opportunity to recognize, especially when one lives it, what is really important, what is in fact real; the truth of who we are and who others are. And to recognize that before the others and ourselves. Not everyone has that opportunity. Almost all of us fall in the lies and fictions of who we are, who the others are and the place of all of us in our world, but only few of us - lucky few - manage, in the end, but maybe still in time, to see the truth, the reality. And these ones, may consider themselves very happy.

All it takes is to understand that, and we can be who we want to: our own selves.

If you like '80s teen comedies, this one is not to be missed. I liked this movie and i just wanted to share these thoughts i had after seeing it. Patrick Dempsey is good in it, and Amanda Peterson is absolutely great, loved her. Wish i had met a girl like her when i was in high school. But then again, maybe i did...

7/10 overall, a good movie.

It kind of reminded me of revenge of the nerds. I liked this cute little movie about a geeky boy who pays the hottest highschool cheerleader at his school to pose as his girlfriend. This is a fun movie and one that works surprisingly well. One of the better teen comedies from the 80's. Myabe not as popular as some others but just as good and somehow does not come across as ridiculous as so many similar movies of this time period did. It's a definite must see for anyone who appreciates a movie like "Revenge of the nerds" and hasn't got to see this yet. I really enjoyed it. Obviously the movie's not an Oscar winner or to highly original but it works and as teen movies go, it is toward the top of the heap.