Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Beanbioca As Good As It Gets

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

selteab Let me preface this by saying that I was born in 1949. I have lived through the evolution of rock 'n roll. Beginning with my older (7 yrs) sister's obsession in the 50s and watching American Bandstand as a child. Although Perry Como was my first idol, that quickly evolved. And, yes, I am still a Beatles Girl. I think that I was one of the few people that actually saw this movie (twice) in its original theatrical release in 1983. I was mesmerized. Yes, it could have been the combo of Pare and Berringer, et al. Truthfully, it is THE perfect blend of music, characters, mystery (Old Nancy Drew enthusiasts do not fade away), add a dash of "chuck it all, I am out of here" - and who among us has not entertained THAT idea? -class distinction (college kids and working class) you have the perfect recipe for a kick arse movie. I think it is significant that it is set in 1963, in that tiny little sliver of time that was post JFK election (change and youth), his assassination (November 1963) and before The Beatles/British invasion (February 1964). When this movie was made, MTV was barely a toddling toddler (born 1981) and they actually played music. Anyway, here it is thirty years later and I am accidentally catching this movie again on AMC. The music, characters, and story line are still viable. Even the onslaught of 30 years of "life is what happens when you are planning something else", this movie still mesmerizes me.

rooprect This film, along with "Amadeus" and "This Is Spinal Tap", has woven its way into the culture and lingo of musicians around the world. Classic lines like, "Do it my way with the cesarean", "We ain't great--we're just a bunch of guys from Jersey", and the all time rocker, "WORDS AND MUSIC" (with the appropriate finger gesture), can be heard in every recording studio and rehearsal room in the English speaking world.So if you're a musician--or even if you just want to hang out with musicians--you must watch this film, otherwise you'll look like a total n00b.Even to non-musical audiences, this movie is a work of art. It's a nostalgic and poetic trip back to the early 1960s when America was just emerging from its cocoon of innocence. The entire film is a metaphor for this. Eddie's music, like life itself, dared to venture beyond the bubble gum into a world of complex social and personal issues... literally, the "Dark Side" of American life.Once you grasp this fundamental theme, you will appreciate the entire film on a deep level. It's not just a rock'n'roll romp. It's a profound commentary on the growing pains our society endured in the 2nd half of the 20th century. Told in flashback, the story takes on a particularly tragic air, as if you were browsing through a dusty old scrapbook of your childhood memories, now gone forever.The story/mystery is set in the first 5 minutes, and for the remaining 90 mins it unravels concurrently in 2 timelines to a brilliant finale. Acting is absolutely flawless, camera-work is both tense and dreamy, and the clincher is the fantastic music, a retro soundtrack by John Cafferty with songs you'd swear you'd heard from the 50s but were actually written in 1980: "On the Dark Side", "Tender Years" & "Wild Summer Nights" to name some of the best. Check em out on Youtube if you can.Vivid characters bring this story to life. In "Eddie and the Cruisers", the two lead characters personify the duality of a soul. First there's Eddie (Michael Paré) who is the dark, explosive force yearning to evolve. His counterpart is the naïve kid Ridgeway (played by Tom Berenger showing off his amazing versatility as an actor--just 2 years before his role in "Platoon" as the sadistic Vietnam commander. Can you believe it's the same guy?!). The two characters wrestle with each other, at times best friends, at times worst enemies, but always bound together by the thread of music. I'll leave you to discover the philosophical implications of their conflict and its outcome.Notable supporting performances are made by young actors Joe Pantoliana ("Risky Business", "The Fugitive", "The Matrix", perhaps best known for "The Sopranos"), Matthew Laurance (tons of 80s-90s TV), Ellen Barkin ("The Big Easy"), and Eddie's girl played by Helen Schneider who surprisingly never did any other feature films.Some people criticize this film as being "B grade" or "cheezy". Sure, why not. To me, that only added to its charm. The 80s itself was a time of innocence & simplicity relative to today's gritty cinema. Isn't it fitting that we, living in our mega-produced, paranoid, cynical new millennium would enjoy watching an honest 80s flick which itself is taking a look back to the warmth of its prior generation? It's like a window within a window. Don't miss the magic of this experience.I've seen 20 or 30 rock'n'roll films and this is hands down my favorite. Other faves include, by decade they depict, "Jailhouse Rock" (a surprisingly angsty 50s Elvis flick), of course "Eddie" (early 60s) and "Head" (late 60s trippy Monkees flick), "Spinal Tap" (a 70s metal spoof), "Music & Lyrics" (an 80s pop spoof), "Anvil! The Story of Anvil" (80s thru present day comeback attempt/comedy/documentary) and "Garage Days" (a 90s Aussie rock comedy by the director of "The Crow"). Worthy of note is "Looking for an Echo" (2000) by the same writer/director who did "Eddie", it presents a parallel story of what might've happened to a 50s singer if he slowly faded into obscurity.Hope this review made sense to you. "I nearly broke my fingers" typing it. Haha. Watch the movie and you'll get it.P.S. If you see the film, make note that "Wendell" the sax player is actually the one who played sax on the soundtrack. In addition, the writers went to great lengths to ensure that the instruments of the era were used (Wurlitzer 140b piano, old Fender Strat guitar, etc). But notice how the piano isn't plugged in! Doh! Almost perfect. Almost.

lisamariebaker I was 15 when this movie was released, and I LOVED IT. Eddie and the Cruisers is one of those AWESOME movies. I remember partying to it and watching at least 100+ times. It is a movie the seems to describe a lot of what was going on in the 80's even though it was supposed to be set in the 60's. Eddie was a music "ICON" for us, John John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band were awesome, and the music still lives on today. As a child of the "80's" a Gen."X" child, we are called the Lost Generation and Eddie was also lost,and showed how a lot of us felt, just disappear... Again, if you haven't seen this movie, you really NEED to. It is truly a Classic 80's movie. Also, watch garage sales, flea markets, thrift stores. You can sometimes find the Soundtrack which is also awesome. My Ex-husband recently found it in a box a friend gave him, and the first time he listened to "The Dark Side" it took him back again..

carolekindsvatter I was born after Eddie Wilson died. I always enjoyed the few songs released by his band. When I watched Eddie and the Cruisers, it really intreaged me. I am now trying to find the second movie. I also wasn't to find the only album that was released by Eddie and the Cruisers while he was alive. RThis movie really makes you wonder if Eddie is still alive. The movie flashes back to when he was alive. I have tried to find all over the internet the car the Eddie drove. I am purchasing both Eddie and the Cruisers and Eddie and the Cruisers 2 Eddie Lives. If your into rock and roll that made sense and had feeling, Which is what Eddie Wilson tried to show then you will enjoy this movie as much as I did and you will want to watch the second. I can't understand though why the record company did not want to release his second album Season in Hell, because the music is excellent. Watch the movie and see if you wonder if he really is alive.