Valley Girl (2020)

Valley Girl review by Mark McPherson - Cinema Paradiso

It may come as a mild-disappointment that this remake of the Nic Cage classic 80s dramedy doesn’t update for a new era. How could it, really? Are valley girls that much of a thing anymore? Hard to say, but 80s new-wave appeal is certainly still in style. And so back to the decade we go for yet another timid trailing down the whimsical neon wonderland of 1980s teen romance.

The story is relatively the same. Julie (Jessica Rothe) is a valley girl of Encino, Los Angeles where she indulges in all the luxuries of such an upper-class lifestyle in LA: shopping malls, fashions, cool cars, the works. Though dating the most popular guy in school, Mickey (Logan Paul), she finds the sweet life quite a drag. Perhaps the punk stylings of Randy (Josh Whitehouse) can give her teenage life some more zest. She starts making some big changes in terms of who she hangs out with and what education she wants to pursue, much to the chagrin of her strict parents and snooty friends who frown on her strikes against conformity.

The film certainly does have some flair in how it tries to favor a musical jukebox format of accompanying synth-pop fit for the era or at least a nostalgic reading of it. The musical element is at least visually pleasing with an astounding color palette, though the songs seem pretty par for the course. There are some decent renditions of "We Got the Beat", "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", and "Kids in America.” And yet the presence of these songs just can’t shake that one unappealing notion, that you’re watching a cover of something great that came before. Not to suggest that the original Valley Girl was somehow an 80s staple but it was very much of its time.

And this is the biggest problem with a film like Valley Girl. It’s an average allure of appealing to nostalgia while treading down territory far too familiar in a manner far too pedestrian. Nothing really stands out in this new version that more or less feels like a fan tribute than anything else. Kudos to Jessica Rothe and Josh Whitehouse actually busting out some solid vocals, strong enough that I wish there were more original songs for them rather than just the greatest hits of the 1980s. And, wow, does Logan Paul stick out like a sore thumb even when cast in such an easy role as the antagonist love interest we’re supposed to despise.

Valley Girl will most certainly have an audience among the younger crowd who has become obsessed with 80s culture in the retro-chic appeal. But I can’t help but feel it’s only going to remain so for those who haven’t seen the original Valley Girl. Because if you’re that engrained in 80s culture, you’re more likely to go back and watch the original rather than waste your time with ho-hum modern retreads. There’s no shortage of 80s retro style teen movies around in this day and age, which is why Valley Girl more or less becomes the uninspired reboot that is not exactly a sleight on this subgenre but not really necessary either.