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Johnny Be Good

Johnny Be Good

List Price: $14.95
Your Price: $13.46
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: so bad, it's not good
Review: A truly horrible film. Not bad in the Ed Wood sort of way which is both horribly bad and so bad it's actually funny, JBG is simply consistently un-entertaining. Johhny (Anthony Michael Hall looking pumped up from his geekier "Breakfast Club" and "Sixteen Candles" days) is a star football player, so good that he's got every college in America lined up to offer him an athletic scholarship. (Though such scholarships probably gave many HS athletes a chance at college that ultimately helped them and proved beneficial to society, JGB pretty much disses them: a hardy team of NCAA investigators is barely able to keep schools from engaging in various unethical recruitment practices; the players themselves, though eagerly sought by schools are all-but entirely discarded by them once their better-playing days are behind them). Johnny promises his girlfriend to join her at a state university, where he'll have none of the perks offered by bigger and richer schools. Nevertheless, he can't resist the partying that the big leagues throw just to convince him to come to their side. Will he fall for the lure of the big school teams?

I remember sitting through this flick with almost nary a laugh. It was supposed to be funny, but it never was. It tried to tackle a serious subject, but it never did (it's as clearly enthralled by the world of college football as "The Program"). You keep thinking that it will develop, but it never will. The only entertaining scene? While sneaking away from the press, Johnny and his girl catch a drive-in movie, which turns out to be the fun/horrible movie that JBG couldn't be, centered around a horrifically and hysterically awful love-ballad. I should have left the multi-plex at that point, and quit while I was ahead.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: So bad its good
Review: As a huge fan of bad movies, this one is essential to see. Boasting Uma Thurman's big-screen debut as well as Anthony Michael Hall (of Breakfast Club, Vacation fame), this is a must-see. A truly horrible movie, a truly good laugh.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: So bad its good
Review: As a huge fan of bad movies, this one is essential to see. Boasting Uma Thurman's big-screen debut as well as Anthony Michael Hall (of Breakfast Club, Vacation fame), this is a must-see. A truly horrible movie, a truly good laugh.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Uma Thurman in Teen Movie Hell
Review: Even at the tender age of sixteen, Uma Thurman has the good sense not to appear very much in this death-rattle of a teen flick. Anthony Michael Hall, impressive as a nerd in The Breakfast Club appears to have been living on cow pie ever since, and has filled out to become a most ungainly quarterback. Some colleges try to recruit him. He eventually realise this is a bad thing, and money isn't everything. Ho hum. Funniest bit was realising that people ... now think that the geek is attractive.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Classic... but edited!
Review: Hey, I know it's not Citizen Kane, but it was never intended to be. Anthony Micheal Hall is actually the cool guy in this one... enough said. It is truly one of the most overlooked 80's film ever (this and Emilo Estevez's brilliant directorial debut, "Wisdom")and actually contains one of the 3 inspired performances Robert Downey Jr has commited to film (Johnny Be Goode, Less than Zero and Weird Science).
I was extremely glad to see this finally released on DVD, but MGM has mislabled this version as "R" rated. This is a glaring and lazy oversight. This DVD version is actually the "PG-13" theatrical version. Once "Johnny Be Goode" came out on video, it was released with extended footage in an "R" rated version. It contained more nudity and showed a great deal more footage of Johnny's visit with "Ole Tex". I know this sounds crazy but this particular version of the movie helped enhance the other "Ole Tex" candidates roles quite a bit and showed why they backed Johnny's ultimate decision towards the end of the movie.
I believe MGM should correct this lazy mistake by either releasing the actual "R" rated version or re-labeling this version as "PG-13".

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Classic... but edited!
Review: Hey, I know it's not Citizen Kane, but it was never intended to be. Anthony Micheal Hall is actually the cool guy in this one... enough said. It is truly one of the most overlooked 80's film ever (this and Emilo Estevez's brilliant directorial debut, "Wisdom")and actually contains one of the 3 inspired performances Robert Downey Jr has commited to film (Johnny Be Goode, Less than Zero and Weird Science).
I was extremely glad to see this finally released on DVD, but MGM has mislabled this version as "R" rated. This is a glaring and lazy oversight. This DVD version is actually the "PG-13" theatrical version. Once "Johnny Be Goode" came out on video, it was released with extended footage in an "R" rated version. It contained more nudity and showed a great deal more footage of Johnny's visit with "Ole Tex". I know this sounds crazy but this particular version of the movie helped enhance the other "Ole Tex" candidates roles quite a bit and showed why they backed Johnny's ultimate decision towards the end of the movie.
I believe MGM should correct this lazy mistake by either releasing the actual "R" rated version or re-labeling this version as "PG-13".

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Classic
Review: How this movie can be out print is beyond me. This is the best John Hughes movie that Hughes never did. Where else can you see Uma Therman before she had her teeth fixed. Anthony M. Hall in the part that he was born to play. Robert Downey didn't even have a script, which is nice. There have been some fine football movies made in the past, The Longest Yard & North Dallas Forty come to mind. Those others might have made my father laugh, but I will stick to comdey duo that almost killed Saturday Night Live. Open the vault and release this beast.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Flick
Review: I admit, I am a fan of cheesy, juvenile, FUN movies, and that's what this is. Don't look here for any real substance. The highlight for me was seeing Hall as something other than a "nerd" for a change. Downey, Jr. was fantastic as the sidekick. Hall's character, Johnny, did a fine job of handling the agressive scouting measures used by various college football coaches. He ultimately decides to go to school close to home, after seeing what his new-found fame has done to those close to him. I can't say too much negatively about this movie.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Not the typical 80s teen flick
Review: I just watched Johnny Be Good- it's an hour and a half of my life that I will never get back! This movie is bad! Usually when a movie is bad at least it is somewhat amusing. Not so with Johnny Be Good- this movie tried to be humorous in parts but did not succeed. It tried to be dramatic in parts and fell short. No wonder Anthony Michael Hall hasn't been in any decent movies since! I wouldn't want him in my movie if I were a director after this turkey.

Johnny be Good is a John Hughes wannabe flick! If you want great teen movies from the 80s watch The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueler's Day Off and Pretty In Pink. These movies were directed by John Hughes and define what 80s teen movies were all about-humor, drama and real characters- Things that Johnny Be Good lacks!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Gives 80s Teen Movies A Bad Rap
Review: I saw this movie because I love 80s teen movies and I also like Anthony Michael Hall...but I have to say that this movie sorely disappointed me. Though it does have it's moments, it is nothing near some of his other 80s films such as "16 Candles" and "The Breakfast Club." If you're looking for a cheesy but fun 80s movie, try "Love Bites," a very funny and silly vampire movie with Adam Ant.

OK, maybe I shouldn't complain about being disappointed...after all, the premise of the movie isn't very exciting. Johnny is a highschool senior and football star who has all the top football schools after him. Basically the movie is about his visiting the different schools and the various ways they try to "bribe" him to go there. Meanwhile, there is a tiny amount of conflict with his girlfriend, played by Uma Thurman (this is her first role), about his going to State with her. Johnny's friend, played by Robert Downey, Jr., is supposed to add some more comedy to the movie (at least I think so), but he is so bizarre it's hard to even laugh at him.

Basically my problem with this movie is that it really isn't all that funny; and it doesn't have much of a plot. I know, I know, what do you expect, it's a cheesy 80s flick. Basically, I think there are many more great 80s movies out there than this one, even though I do have to admit that seeing AMH in that silly purple outfit is sort of funny.


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