Can’t Buy Me Love (Film)

Film

Can't Buy Me Love (1987) is a teen comedy feature film starring Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson in a story about a nerd who buys a cheerleader's company for a month. The film was directed by Steve Rash. The film ranked number 41 on Entertainment Weekly's list of the 50 Best High School Movies in 2006.

Plot

Ronald Miller (Dempsey) is a typical high school nerd. At an opportune moment, he makes a deal with popular cheerleader Cindy Mancini (Peterson) to spend $1,000 of his savings to replace a suede outfit Cindy damaged that belonged to her mother. Cindy has few options and reluctantly agrees to help him look "cool" by pretending to be his girlfriend for a month. Both agree never to reveal the compact. Ronald then trades his nerdy, but loyal friends for the shallow popular students and undergoes a complete clothing and hair make-over at Cindy's direction. Over the month, the two discover each other's individuality and are drawn closer together in appreciation. When the month has ended, Ronald and Cindy dramatically "break up" at school. Ronald continues playing "cool" by hanging out with the jocks and hot chicks. At a New Year's Eve party, Cindy is brutally dumped by her college boyfriend when he learns about her relationship with Ronald. In anger and frustration, Cindy tells the party-goers the truth about her relationship with Ronald and his "cool" pretenses. Cindy effectively puts Ronald back at square one with not only the hot crowd avoiding him but the nerdy crowd as well. Ronald suffers much emotional distress at being socially isolated; however, a moment comes to redeem himself when he defends a nerd against the onslaught of a jock. Ronald points out they were all friends at one time and suddenly they are divided into cliques. Cindy recognizes Ronald's worth and the two reconcile when Cindy opts to hop on the back of Ronald's riding lawn mower instead of hanging out with her popular friends. The two share a kiss as the title song plays.

Cast

• Patrick Dempsey as Ronald Miller
• Amanda Peterson as Cindy Mancini
• Courtney Gains as Kenneth Wurman
• Seth Green as Chuckie Miller
• Sharon Farrell as Mrs. Mancini
• Tina Caspary as Barbara
• Darcy DeMoss as Patty
• Dennis Dugan as David Miller
• Cloyce Morrow as Judy Miller
• Devin DeVasquez as Iris
• Cort McCown as Quint

Production notes

The film was shot on location in Tucson, Arizona, at Tucson High Magnet School (then known as Tucson High School). The choreography is by Paula Abdul, who makes an uncredited appearance as a dancer.

Reception

Caryn James in the New York Times wrote that the film missed its mark and traded its potential originality for a bid at popularity by writing, "Michael Swerdlick, the writer, and Steve Rash, the director...waste a chance to make the much deeper, funnier movie that strains to break through. [The film]...has an identity crisis that's a mirror-image of Ronald's own. He thinks he wants popularity at any price, though he's really a sincere guy. The film thinks it wants to be sincere, when all it truly wants is to be popular, just like the other kids' movies, so it sells off its originality."

Awards and nominations

Young Artist Award

• Won: Best Young Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy, Patrick Dempsey
• Nominated: Best Young Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy, Amanda Peterson
• Nominated: Best Young Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy, Tina Caspary
• Nominated: Best Family Motion Picture - Comedy

Remake

In 2003, Can't Buy Me Love was remade as Love Don't Cost a Thing starring Nick Cannon and Christina Milian.