They Got the Beat: “Valley Girl” remake an infectiously peppy musical

Valley Girl (2020)

104 min., rated PG-13.

Release Date: May 8, 2020 (On Demand)

It’s too much of a blanket statement to say no movies should be remade. “Fun” is the word, and you will know right away if “Valley Girl” is for you or not. It is a poppy jukebox musical remake of the 1983 Romeo-and-Juliet-minus-the-tragedy teen favorite of the same name starring then-unknown Nicolas Cage and Deborah Foreman. Director Rachel Lee Goldenberg, whose main claim to fame was the straight-faced Will Ferrell-Kristen Wiig Lifetime thriller “A Deadly Adoption,” and screenwriter Amy Talkington commit to an upbeat tone and enliven what is a lightweight, predictable romancer with energetic covers of catchy, recognizable earworms, a cross-section of pop and New Wave. So much of “Valley Girl” feels familiar but comfortably so that one would be a real grouch to not have a smile on his or her face throughout this undeniably entertaining froth.

Sherman Oaks teenager Julie (Jessica Rothe) has a safe, totally tripindicular life in the San Fernando Valley, where she shops with her three girlfriends and dates popular tennis player Mickey (Logan Paul). The free-thinking Julie has always wondered what life is like over the hill, where the punks and runaways live, until one day at the beach she runs into Randy (Josh Whitehouse), an edgy, tattooed but sweet punk from the wrong side of the tracks in Hollywood. Julie knows her friends and parents won’t accept Randy, but the heart wants what the heart wants. 

Pinpointing June of 1983 specifically, with the news of Sally Ride being the first American woman launched into space, “Valley Girl” delights in the goofy, brightly colored ‘80s fashions and details of the era without being a full-on parody. Many of the prefabricated obstacles that keep our lovers apart could be solved with a simple conversation, but a lot can be forgiven when everything else is an absolute delight. As an additional pleasure, the story is told through a framing device with grown-up Julie (played by Alicia Silverstone, pretty inspired casting) relating to her teenage daughter (Camila Morrone), who has just broken up with her boyfriend, and telling her story of falling in love with Randy. Because of the fairy-tale nature of the flashback structure—“That’s how I remember it,” adult Julie says as her teenage self sings and dances around a fountain in the mall—it makes one forgive some of the anachronistic musical choices.

The adorable Jessica Rothe—you know her and you love her from the “Happy Death Day” movies—is totally vivacious as Julie, the kind of valley girl who begins to think for herself. Relative newcomer Josh Whitehouse isn’t quite Rothe’s match as Randy, but he is cute and charming enough as a bad-boy first love. The rest of the voluminous ensemble make the most of their roles that are exclusively underwritten types, including Jessie Ennis (2018’s “Life of the Party”), endearing as worrywart Stacey; Chloe Bennet, an eye-grabbing talent who might have the most impressive vocals as Karen; Mae Whitman, rarely ever less than a standout in anything and lending true humanity as Randy’s belligerent lesbian bandmate Jack; and Judy Greer and Rob Huebel, fairly well-used and amusing as Julie’s reasonably cool parents (although Greer always deserves even more than she gets). Then there’s irritating YouTuber Logan Paul (one of the reasons for the film’s delay), and he’s actually fine with what he has to do, which is be a collar-popped tool as Mickey. There are some cameos in store, too, but no, Nic Cage does not show his face.

Even in its imperfections, “Valley Girl” is an infectiously peppy and uncynical confection that works its sparkling, candy-colored magic on you. Of course, the song-and-dance numbers are the thing, and they wouldn’t be anything without the high energy of the cast and elaborate choreography by Mandy Moore (a choreographer for TV’s “So You Think You Can Dance” and 2016’s “La La Land,” not the pop singer turned actress). A grand, vibrant opening number to “We Got the Beat” in a Valley mall and a bouncy beach romp to “Girls Just Want to have Fun,” led by the bubbly, squeaky-voiced Loryn (Ashleigh Murray), are highlights, as is an aerobics-set “Just Can’t Get Enough”/“I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)”/“Material Girl”/“Tainted Love” mash-up. There’s also a dreamy, down-tempo cover of Kim Wilde’s “Kids in America” that progresses into an all-out dance party; a duet of a-ha’s “Take On Me” on a carousel; an affecting duet of The Cure’s “Boys Don’t Cry” where Randy and his best friend Jack (Mae Whitman) make up after a falling-out on the roof of their apartment building; and the climactic “Under Pressure” involving nearly the entire cast’s pressures in preparation for prom night. If there are any numbers that work less well, Randy’s screamy rendition of The Cars’ “You Might Think,” where he pursues Julie at a costume house party, is on the tinny side. Watching “Valley Girl” is like listening to a cheesy, bitchin’ ’80s pop song: you know it’s a little cornball but you just can’t resist it. Good luck trying to stop most of these songs from bopping around in your head. 

Grade: B