Playing for Keeps (1986)

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Awesome Movie

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

...in September 1986 when I was 13 and caught it on opening weekend - the only weekend it appeared at a theater - because it sucked so bad no one saw it besides me and some others that barely helped it crack that weekend's top 10 grossing film. Just glancing at this IMDb page reminded me that it remains one of the WORST movies I've ever seen. Don't torture friends or family with this stinker unless you don't want to associate with them anymore. Where do I start? The trailer with the exploding toilet received heavy exposure on MTV, where I suppose the Weinstein brothers got a favor thrown their way for advertising this bomb of bombs, or the horrible acting and non-existent script. If you're looking for good 1980s flicks marketed towards younger moviegoers, anything is better than this with the exception of "St. Elmo's Fire". Find "Fast Times At Ridgemont High," "The Breakfast Club," "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Say Anything," "Heathers" or "The River's Edge" - just don't go near "Playing For Keeps."

I'm surprised to see so many negative reactions to this film. As a regular junkie for obscure 80s comedies, I kind of liked it. I mean, the underdog story was quite far-fetched and there were several elements to make it laughable (the music video-like sequences scattered through the more motivational sequences in the film), but it is it really deserving of such poor ratings? Actually, this is the kind of film that an obscure 80s comedy/drama fan might only appreciate (it is probably destined for cult status anyways, even if the following for such is extremely small) because you have to expect (and forgive) a lot of campy cheesiness. Afterall, that's the natural byproduct of the underdog genre.This is the story of an optimistic, and idealistic, teen from NYC. A recent high school grad, he's determined not to be stuck in some dead end junk job that he would regret for the rest of his life. Among the three friends who are primarily the main protagonists of this film (along with Harold Gould as Rockerfella and Marisa Tomei as one of the girlfriends), he is the dreamer with plenty of ideas for greatness. Opportunity comes a-knockin' this time in the form of a deed to an upstate hotel inherited from an Aunt, along with eight thousand dollars worth of debt. Despite urgings from his mother not to bother with it, he and his friends plan to fix it up and turn it into a youth hotel, The Hotel Majestic.This, of course, is much to the chagrin of the small town's high profile investor, who, in cahoots with another sleazy businessman, intend to get their hands on that hotel any way they can. And when the teens refuse to sell it to him, he turns the whole town of middle-age and senior ogres against them. Being the underdog genre, you have to know that these kids (and their friend, Rockerfella) aren't going down without a fight. Like I said, you have to expect quite a bit of cheesiness. But the film has it moments of sly city humor (I particularly like Jimmy Biao's character, Stienberg) and other elements that may make it worth watching. I actually started watching it with the impression that it was going to be terrible (I had bought it at a video store where I usually have zip luck with the selections). Certainly, fans of obscure 80s films ought to give it a try.

I rented this movie last week because I love 80's teen movies (License To Drive, Can't Buy Me Love, Don't Tell Her It's Me, etc.) I read the reviews (which were pretty negative), but decided to give "Playing For Keeps" a chance anyway. My conclusion: YOU GUYS WE'RE RIGHT! This movie is LOUSY! I tried so hard to like it, but I couldn't. I won't bother explaining the reasons why (because there are so many reasons). Just trust me, and all the other reviewers. Don't bother.

This movie could only be interesting to someone who is conducting an anthropological study of 1980s pop culture. Bad hair, bad soundtrack, bad lipstick, gratuitous shots of women's legs, bad over-acting, ludicrously tight pants, bad plot. It's just very bad.