 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
- Review Date: April 23, 2007
- PG
- Genre: Comedy
- 1985
Common Sense Media says
Dance to the cheesy '80s beat with tweens and up.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie is mostly PG -- there's only a little kissing and no drinking, swearing, or drug use. But there's considerable -- and benign -- teenage rebellion. Janey moves to a new school, meets a wild girl, and starts ditching class and sneaking out of her house to meet a boy. She doesn't do anything dangerous, but she does learn to be insubordinate to her parents. There are also gratuitous shots of girls sitting around their bedrooms in their underwear.
What's the story?
In GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN, Janey (Sarah Jessica Parker) starts school in Chicago, home of her favorite dance show, Dance TV. When the station announces it's holding a contest to choose two new dancers for the show, her best friend, Lynn (Helen Hunt), encourages Janey to try out. She has to lie to her drill sergeant dad and sneak out of the house, but when she makes it to the finals, will her dream come true? Will the evil rich-girl Natalie (Holly Gagnier) fix the contest to take the final spot? Will Jeff (Lee Montgomery) fall in love with her?
Is it any good?
Take a big helping of Hairspray (minus the political consciousness and the divine Ricki Lake) and sprinkle it with a candy-covered version of My So-Called Life and what you have is the totally tubular '80s teen dance movie Girls Just Want to Have Fun. Complete with bad fashions (neon fingerless gloves, anyone?), bad hair, and even worse dancing, This movie features some of today's most popular actors doing some of the cheesiest things you've ever seen. See a pre-Sex and the City Parker as the Catholic school girl Army brat who dreams of dancing on Dance TV (hosted by Richard Blade, whom some '80s music lovers may recall as a DJ on an L.A. radio station). Watch her doing back flips and practicing dance lifts a la Dirty Dancing. Witness the Oscar-winning actress Hunt hamming it up in some of the most absurd -- but actually worn -- '80s ensembles and big, ratted-out hair. It's Totally Awesome without the irony. And if you love the '80s, it is totally awesome.
Forget the plot, though. Just concentrate on the Solid Gold-quality dance numbers and the outrageous fashion. Forget, if you can, that Helen Hunt is way too mature-seeming to pull off the role of Lynn (where's AJ Langer when you need her?) and just look for the cameo by a preteen Shannen Doherty and the New Wave girls in Cindy Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" video. And then sit back and giggle. It's a good, cheesy time.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about appropriate ways to blow off steam -- what things do kids often want to do that parents won't let them? Are they dangerous?
Do you think Janey's dad's rules are too strict? How do you deal with rules you don't like?
What kind of role models are the movie's characters? Can a teen movie have strongly positive role models and still be entertaining?
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- Teens & kids
Kid, 11 years old
December 22, 2010
AGE
great for tweens
Tis movie is about beliveing in yourself and sacrificeing things to capture your dream . this movie will make anyone who whatches want to dance and sing
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Kid, 11 years old
September 2, 2009
AGE
its purfect for kids 9 to 13 and up
It is perfect for my kid! And my kids need to learn to not have to u know u know what. Well it was good anyway
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AGE
Great 80's Dance Movie
This movie is a classic 80's movie full of great dancincing and music. Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt are AMAZING! A must see for every girl.
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Kid, 12 years old
December 2, 2011
AGE
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun 101
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun is a fine movie for kids 10+. Although...I really found the sexual content in this movie....bad! At one part, a guy grabs a girls breats! Some girls are shown in lingerie. Other than that, I found the movie very interesting. Definetly watch if your are 10 or older! Thanks for reading! :)
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Kid, 12 years old
August 24, 2010
AGE
awesome
luv this movie
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AGE
Great for girls over 9.
Great for all girls when at the appropriate age to discuss bad decisions such as lying, sneaking out of the house, etc.
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AGE
Amazing movie......but......11+ is resnable
This is one of the greatest movies now I think that 10 year olds can only see this movie if they are sensible and responsible like i was when i was teen so even though i said 10 plus i suggest parents let their children watch this if they are 11 or 10 if really responsible and sensible and make sure they don't go bad
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AGE
Great for 10 year old girls!
Great movie for any girl 10 years or older. This was my moms favorite when she was young!
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AGE
cool movie
great movie love the 80's perfect movie oh yeah!
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| Topics: | friendship |
| Studio: | Anchor Bay Entertainment |
| Director: | Alan Metter |
| Cast: | Helen Hunt, Sarah Jessica Parker, Shannen Doherty |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 87 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | April 24, 1985 |
| DVD release date: | April 28, 2008 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
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