Oh, the ’80s. They were so memorable — you know, neon spandex, shoulder pads, jean shorts, Eddie Money —wait, how old am I?
“Take Me Home Tonight” is a sketch of the ’80s for a generation that doesn’t have a clue. The movie offers those infatuated with the stereotypical decade accouterments one night to drift back and reclaim those lost high schools selves that they never had.
Matt Franklin (Topher Grace) is an MIT grad living with his parents and working at Suncoast Video. Maybe they held off on releasing this movie back in 2007 for better timing — who hasn’t realized their degree is useless yet?
Throw in his sloppy, recently fired car salesman best friend, and this pair is far from a Dream Team. Motivated by a run-in with the hottest girl in their class, Tori Frederking (Teresa Palmer), and a white lie about working at Goldman Sachs, our zero tries one last time to make his way to hero.
“Take Me Home Tonight” would have us believe this could all happen in one night at one wild Labor Day Bash hosted by “that” douchebag we all went to high school with.
It’s a bad high school reunion amped up by coke, car theft and a game of truth or dare. If it’s paying homage to the ’80s, it isn’t the ’80s classics we know and love.
Directors have been sitting on this film for four years and time has only made it more passé. It’s a shoddy facsimile, but a funny one. The only thing more unbelievable than the storyline is that Tori “The Frederking” went to Duke.
