Eddie and the Cruisers (1983)

One of my all time favorites.

I'll tell you why so serious

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

This movie has everything. Suspense, love, great music.

I enjoyed this movie from the get go... As much as I love the music and even some of the acting...the guitar playing from a authentic standpoint is pathetic! I don't think there was any point in having Eddie (Michael Paré) attempt to act like he was playing because anyone who does play could tell he wasn't playing. Also, in Tender Years, he puts the guitar down but guitar is clearly heard throughout the performance... Was there a point to that? As a musician, I notice these things. The bass and drums appeared to be adequately portrayed... The sax was obviously authentic... Never could see the piano keys...so it's easy to fake... Despite that, I still enjoyed the movie and watch it when I notice it is on.

In 1983 reporter Maggie Foley (Ellen Barkin) goes searching for the members of a 60s rock group that is becoming popular again--Eddie and the Cruisers. Eddie (Micahel Pare) died in 1964--but his body was never found. She talks to ex-member Frank Ridgeway (Tom Berenger) and discovers there are some tapes from their last recording session that were never released. They seem to have disappeared but someone is looking for them--and it might be Eddie! A decent idea totally ruined by a boring script with some truly terrible dialogue. There are some good actors here--Berenger, Barkin, Pare and Helen Schneider--but they can't do much with this script. The saving grace is some good acting and the music. All the songs were done by John Cafferty and his Beaver Brown Band and they are good-- especially "On the Dark Side" which became a belated hit one year after this came out. This isn't a terrible movie--it's just overly predictable and badly written. This was an understandable bomb in theatres in 1983 but became a hit on cable the following year. It also made Cafferty and his band popular for a few years. Worth catching for the music. Also it's kind of funny seeing Pare badly lip-sync to Cafferty who sounds NOTHING like him! A 6.

I was born after Eddie Wilson died. I always enjoyed the few songs released by his band. When I watched Eddie and the Cruisers, it really intreaged me. I am now trying to find the second movie. I also wasn't to find the only album that was released by Eddie and the Cruisers while he was alive. RThis movie really makes you wonder if Eddie is still alive. The movie flashes back to when he was alive. I have tried to find all over the internet the car the Eddie drove. I am purchasing both Eddie and the Cruisers and Eddie and the Cruisers 2 Eddie Lives. If your into rock and roll that made sense and had feeling, Which is what Eddie Wilson tried to show then you will enjoy this movie as much as I did and you will want to watch the second. I can't understand though why the record company did not want to release his second album Season in Hell, because the music is excellent. Watch the movie and see if you wonder if he really is alive.