DramaComedyRomance

Can't Buy Me Love

- Ronald is making an investment in his senior year. He's hiring the prettiest cheerleader in school to be his girlfriend.

Nerdy high schooler Ronald Miller rescues cheerleader Cindy Mancini from parental punishment after she accidentally destroys her mother's designer clothes. Ronald agrees to pay for the $1,000 outfit on one condition: that she will act as though they're a couple for an entire month. As the days pass, however, Cindy grows fond of Ronald, making him popular. But when Ronald's former best friend gets left behind, he realizes that social success isn't everything.

Release Date : 1987-08-14

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Apollo PicturesTouchstone PicturesThe Mount CompanySilver Screen Partners III

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : The PayoffBoy Rents Girl

Cast

Character Name : Ronald Miller

Original Name : Patrick Dempsey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cindy Mancini

Original Name : Amanda Peterson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Kenneth Wurman

Original Name : Courtney Gains

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barbara

Original Name : Tina Caspary

Gender : Female

Character Name : Chuckie Miller

Original Name : Seth Green

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Mancini

Original Name : Sharon Farrell

Gender : Female

Character Name : David Miller

Original Name : Dennis Dugan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Patty

Original Name : Darcy DeMoss

Gender : Female

Character Name : Iris

Original Name : Devin DeVasquez

Gender : Female

Character Name : Big John

Original Name : Eric Bruskotter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ricky

Original Name : Gerardo Mejía

Gender : Male

Character Name : Quint

Original Name : Cort McCown

Gender : Male

Character Name : Judy Miller

Original Name : Cloyce Morrow

Gender : Male

Character Name : Moda Clerk

Original Name : Steve Franken

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fran

Original Name : Ami Dolenz

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lester

Original Name : Max Perlich

Gender : Male

Character Name : Albert

Original Name : David Schermerhorn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rock

Original Name : Phillip Simms

Gender : Male

Character Name : Brent

Original Name : Tudor Sherrard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bobby Hilton

Original Name : George Gray

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Webbly

Original Name : Jimmie Lee Mitchell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Hagmer

Original Name : Jan O'Dell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Wurman

Original Name : James Gooden

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jr. Wurman

Original Name : Erin O'Flaherty

Gender : Male

Character Name : Duane

Original Name : Ty Gray

Gender : Male

Character Name : Camera Salesman

Original Name : Will Hannah

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stocky Jones

Original Name : Todd Walsh

Gender : Male

Character Name : African Host

Original Name : Wayne Chandler

Gender : Male

Character Name : Freshman #1

Original Name : Meredith Wagelie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Freshman #2

Original Name : Jennifer Nelson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Transfer Girl

Original Name : Corissa Miller

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bambi La Brock

Original Name : Lisa Christine Christiansen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dancer (uncredited)

Original Name : Paula Abdul

Gender : Female

Character Name : (uncredited)

Original Name : Brandi Brandt

Gender : Female

Character Name : Dancer (uncredited)

Original Name : Anastasia Coon

Gender : Female

Character Name : Extra (uncredited)

Original Name : David Kinn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tucson High Student (uncredited)

Original Name : The Lowpriest

Gender : Male

Character Name : Frat Guy (uncredited)

Original Name : Christopher Maleki

Gender : Male

Character Name : High School Student (uncredited)

Original Name : Shawn Tierney

Gender : Male

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

RELEASED IN 1987 and directed by Steve Rash, “Can’t Buy Me Love” is a high school dramedy about a geek at an Arizona high school (Patrick Dempsey) who pays the most popular girl in school (Amanda Peterson) $1000 to act like she likes him for a month so he can move up the social strata. Of course, this creates unforeseen problems. Courtney Gains plays his geek friend and Seth Green his little brother. This is better than some 80’s teen flicks (e.g. Molly Ringwald’s movies), but not as good as others (“Fast Times at Ridgemont High”). It’s arguably on par with “Just One of the Guys” and “Some Kind of Wonderful.” Unlike those films, however, it has a semi-campy vibe wherein the cast members often exaggerate their lines in an artificial way, which telegraphs that what’s happening isn’t real. If you can roll with this odd element, there’s a lot of good in “Can’t Buy Me Love” and the ending is genuinely moving. There are many serious/realistic scenes, like the notable airplane graveyard sequence. The two protagonists have good chemistry and their relationship arc is convincing. Tina Caspary (Barbara) and Darcy DeMoss (Patty) are serviceable on the fringe female front. THE FILM RUNS 1 hours & 34 minutes and was shot in Tucson, Arizona. WRITER: Michael Swerdlick. GRADE: B/B- (6.5/10)

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Whatever happens to your popularity, stay yourself, don't change to please others. Can't Buy Me Love is directed by Steve Rash and written by Michael Swerdlick. It stars Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson. Music is by Robert Folk and cinematography by Peter Lyons Collister. Plot has Dempsey as nerdy outcast Ronald Miller, who fed up of not being popular pays Cindy Mancini (Peterson), the most popular girl in school, one thousand dollars to be his girlfriend. The 1980s was awash with films of this ilk, the teen dramedy topped up by a big hearted message and a finale of punch the air worth. What it all comes down to is if the film can hold its head above water, not become too twee, and crucially have you smiling come the finale. As evidenced by its popularity among 80s cineastes of a certain age, Can't Buy Me Love delivers all that you expect from such fare. The core theme is of course self acceptance, the attainment of such in amongst the scary world of teenage school years. This shines bright in spite of some rather unconvincing dialogue and contrived corny moments. Director Rash just about holds it together, ensuring that the charm of the lead actors holds weight for character engagement, even though for thematic depth the screenplay only skims over the surface. The teenage dramedy would evolve considerably once the 80s was left behind, becoming more biting, daring and observational. Yet for those who lived and loved this type of film in the 80s, there's a lovely nostalgic glow to be gleaned from revisits to the likes of Can't Buy Me Love. Nothing wrong with that. 6.5/10