Thank God It's Friday (1978)

Really Surprised!

A Disappointing Continuation

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

The setting: a single wild and eventful Friday night at a popular disco club. A motley assortment of folks converge at this dynamic hot spot for a happily swinging good time: Said folks include a couple of teenage girls who are eager to make the scene, a married couple out on a date, the club's sleazy womanizing heel owner, a sweet gal looking for Mr. Right, a merry Mexican-American who lives for dancing, an aspiring singer trying to get her first major break, and a hot-tempered fat jerk. Director Robert Klane, working from a busy script by Armyan Bernstein, ably juggles a bunch of disparate narrative threads which crisscross in all kinds of witty and entertaining ways. Moreover, Klane and Bernstein astutely peg the gaudy threads, thumping insanely groovy music, anything-goes hedonism, uninhibited excessive drug use, and sense of pure live-for-the-moment fun which were hallmarks of the 70's disco craze in a breezy and snappy way. The lively acting from the attractive and appealing cast rates as a real substantial plus, with stand-out contributions by Jeff Goldblum as conceited smarmball ladies' man Tony Di Marco, Debra Winger as the uptight Jennifer, Terri Nunn as spunky teenager Jeannie, Valerie Landsburg as Jeannie's gawky pal Frannie, Chick Vennera as passionate dancer Marv Gomez, Ray Vitte as hip DJ Bobby Speed, Mark Lonow as stuffed shirt accountant Dave, Andrea Howard as Dave's easygoing wife Sue, Robin Menken as the sassy Maddy, John Friedrich as the nerdy Ken, Paul Jabara as the klutzy Carl, Mews Small as the kooky Jackie, and Donna Summer as the determined Nicole Simms. Among the highlights are Vennera's exciting and exuberant impromptu parking lot solo dance, Summer belting out the glorious Oscar-winning disco smash "Last Dance," and the delightfully energetic big dance contest. James Crabe's glittery cinematography gives the film an appropriately garish look while the throbbing disco soundtrack certainly hits the hoppin' spot. Best of all, there's a joy, vibrancy, and infectiously good-natured carefree sensibility evident throughout that's impossible to either resist or dislike. An immensely enjoyable 70's time capsule.

If you ever tried to sneak into a club while underage, you will definitely be able to relate to our young dancers. The writing is intelligent, the movie was well-paced & exciting. The cinematography was beautifully done.Even if the hilarious antics of the actors, don't make you laugh, the music will be like a trip through a time machine.Donna Summers is beautiful, talented & funny. Unlike Last days of Disco, this movie actually has a reasonably good storyline, with excellent acting throughout.I definitely recommend this movie.

THANK GOD IT'S Friday needs to be reissued in Dolby digital and promoted like the GREASE 20th anniversary was in 1998. TGIF is a very funny film with an very recognizable cast - Jeff Goldblum even still looks the same! Does he have a painting in a cupboard getting old instead? Debra Winger, (the late great) Paul Jabara and Donna Summer and all those brown clothes and hideous cars! It was released with 4 track magnetic sound in 1978 and became quite a hit with all us flared up dance pants disco moviegoers. It is not Paul Jabara's only film appearance, he turns up in drag in DAY OF THE LOCUST the dark and scary look at 30s Hollywood. There is a place for this film in 2005 and I hope Columbia see the value. They also have a lot of other great music/concert films of the 70s that deserve another cinema reissue because of the sensational music content: WATTSTAX, FILLMORE and maybe the Fox doco CONCERT AT BIG SUR. If THE LAST WALTZ and GREASE can get out again to new audiences, so deserves TGIF and those others mentioned above. It is a very entertaining musical for lots more reasons than in 1978. The world of 1978 is almost enough alone.

I really like Thank God It's Friday because reminds me of my very young years. Perhaps this movie today does not represents much, but is itself a simbol of an era. At that time (1978) the movie was a fashion hit due to the disco vogue, becoming the Academy Award Winner as the best musical theme in 1978 (Last Dance). Donna Summer was at the top of her career, and Jeff Goldblum with Debra Winger were new debutants in the movie business, who years later became big Hollywood movie stars because of this movie. This movie is actually a lot much better and fun than many other musicals. The music itself has better quality than much of today's music which absence of quality, taste and talent is so evident (and presence of violence, terrible languaje and sex and drugs abuse is so evident as well). The only one thing I really don't like from this 1978's movie is the consumption of drugs, but at that time that was considered pretty tame. However the young people at that time watched the movie more for the fun to enjoy it and the fashion of the disco vogue, than the drugs use or abuse. This movie is much fun and it is a way to say : go ahead and have fun at least one time in your life!. Be young and be happy once everywhile! Dance and enjoy yourself! This is an Anmerican classic in my opinion because it is the mirror and reflex of an era. 1978's Thank God It's Friday obtained actually the Academy Award that Saturday Night Fever didn't get in 1977! And both are pretty much about the same stuff. However Saturday Night Fever focused more in the personal life of a dancer ("Tony", John Travota), but Thanks God It's Friday was made to focus in the common and real people having fun in the best Disco of the town, as we actually did in the discos at that time, with Tarzan included!.