It hits you like a blast of pure, synth-infused bubblegum pop – the opening chords, the neon colours, the sheer, unadulterated energy of youth breaking free. No, Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985) wasn't trying to reinvent cinema, but slipping that well-worn tape into the VCR back in the day felt like plugging directly into the vibrant pulse of mid-80s optimism. It was a film that seemed tailor-made for sleepovers and dreaming big, even if those dreams mostly involved perfecting a killer dance routine.
### Welcome to the Dance Floor, Janey Glenn
Our guide through this Day-Glo world is Janey Glenn, played by a wonderfully earnest and impossibly young Sarah Jessica Parker. Fresh off the army brat circuit, Janey lands in Chicago, navigating the halls of a strict Catholic girls' school under the watchful (and disapproving) eye of her military father, Colonel Glenn (Morgan Woodward, bringing a surprising gravitas to the stern dad role). But Janey has a secret passion, an obsession really: the local music TV sensation, Dance TV. When auditions for new regular dancers are announced, it's game on. This central conflict – pursuing your passion against parental disapproval – is classic teen movie fodder, but Parker sells Janey's yearning with infectious charm. You believe she lives and breathes dance.
Partnering up with the rebellious, free-spirited Lynne Stone (a scene-stealing Helen Hunt, already showing sparks of the talent that would define her career) gives Janey the push she needs. Together, they scheme, practice, and navigate the social minefield of high school, clashing with the spoiled rich girl Natalie (Holly Gagnier) who sees the Dance TV spot as her birthright. Add in the charmingly goofy love interest Jeff Malene (Lee Montgomery), who shares Janey’s dream, and you have the perfect recipe for 80s teen movie magic. Even a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance from a very young Shannen Doherty adds to the retro fun.
### More Than Just a Title Track
Directed by Alan Metter, who would go on to give us another 80s comedy classic with Back to School (1986), Girls Just Want to Have Fun might seem like a quick cash-in on Cyndi Lauper's massive hit single. Interestingly, while the song provides the film's title and infectious spirit, the movie isn't directly based on it beyond the thematic resonance. It existed as a script before the song became a phenomenon. The filmmakers smartly licensed the track, lending the project instant recognition and an unbeatable anthem. The rest of the soundtrack is a delightful time capsule of mid-80s pop, perfectly complementing the visuals.
And oh, those visuals! This film is a treasure trove of 80s fashion archaeology. We're talking layered tops, off-the-shoulder sweatshirts, fingerless gloves, big hair held aloft by sheer willpower (and probably a gallon of hairspray), and enough colourful leggings to stock a small nation. The production design captures that slightly heightened, almost fantastical version of teen life that these movies excelled at. It wasn't quite reality, but it was the reality we wanted on our flickering CRT screens.
### Behind the Moves and Budget Tapes
Watching it now, the film’s earnestness is part of its charm. Made on a relatively modest budget (around $10 million), it didn't exactly set the box office alight upon release, pulling in just over $6 million. Critics at the time weren't particularly kind either – it currently holds a 38% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, though audiences clearly felt differently, reflected in a much warmer 74% Audience Score and a 6.1/10 on IMDb. Like so many films we now cherish from the era, its true audience found it later, nestled on the shelves of video rental stores. It became a cult favorite, passed around among friends, a staple of weekend movie marathons.
Sarah Jessica Parker, with her background in ballet, handled much of the physical performance herself, bringing an authenticity to Janey's passion. The dance sequences, while perhaps not as technically dazzling as those in Flashdance or Footloose, possess a joyful energy that's hard to resist. They feel like something achievable, something fun, which is precisely the point. Remember that climactic Dance TV audition? The sheer exhilaration of Janey and Jeff finally getting their moment, defying expectations (and Natalie's sabotage attempts), is pure cinematic sugar. It might be predictable, but it delivers the payoff you've been rooting for.
### Still Got the Rhythm?
So, does Girls Just Want to Have Fun hold up? Judged purely on technical merit or narrative complexity, perhaps not entirely. The plot is straightforward, the characters archetypal, and some of the dialogue pure 80s cheese. But viewed through the lens of nostalgia, as a vibrant snapshot of a specific time and a particular brand of feel-good filmmaking, it absolutely delivers. It captures that feeling of being young, discovering your passion, finding your tribe, and believing, just for a little while, that a killer dance routine really can solve all your problems. It’s uncomplicated escapism, served with a generous helping of synth-pop and genuinely likable performances.
VHS Heaven Rating: 7/10
Justification: While it’s not a cinematic masterpiece, Girls Just Want to Have Fun earns a solid 7 for its infectious energy, iconic 80s aesthetic, charming lead performance from a young SJP, and its status as a beloved cult classic. It perfectly captures the era's optimistic teen spirit and delivers exactly the kind of feel-good fun its title promises, flaws and all.
It’s a movie that doesn't ask much of you, except maybe to tap your feet and remember a time when the biggest dream was simply getting your chance to dance. And sometimes, that’s all you need from a trip back to VHS Heaven.