Set to a new wave ’80s soundtrack, a pair of young lovers from different backgrounds defy their parents and friends to stay together. A musical adaptation of the 1983 film.
This musical adaptation of the 1983 hit of the same name, gives us all the feels of life as a Valley girl and all the connotations that go along with it. Alicia Silverstone (Older Julie Richman) stars as the mom of high school girl Ruby (Camila Morrone) who is doing all the things high schoolers do to defy their parents. Like all misunderstood teens, she feels that her mom is out of touch with current events and relies way too much on the past to teach life lessons. When Julie’s daughter breaks up with her boyfriend and has to make an emergency call for her mom to pick up her after lying about her whereabouts, they get into a heart-to-heart discussion about Julie’s teenage years as a valley girl. The foundation of the story sets the stage for a heartwarming adventure about life choices and choosing to be around the people who can support you unconditionally and have your best interest at heart.
Julie thinks her life as a teen pretty much mirrors the same set of circumstances as her daughter’s whereas she hangs around a group of friends who all have the same “Valley Girl” desires of shopping at the mall, graduating from High School, and then marrying the man of their dreams and living happily ever after. Her daughter doesn’t agree and is forced to sit down and listen to Julie’s story. As Julie delves into her story about being a total valley girl and then suddenly finding Randy (Josh Whitehouse), a guy who has been raised on the other side of the tracks and is a struggling musician, her daughter begs her to continue. She talks about falling completely for Randy, who neither her parents nor her circle of friends approve of. In fact, the guy Mickey (Logan Paul), who she has been dating, is one of the coolest guys at school, however, he doesn’t have Julie’s best interest at heart. When she breaks up with Mickey and goes all the way with Randy, she faces opposition she never expected, she chooses to follow her heart. When she thinks it is time for Randy to meet her family and friends in order to gain their acceptance, the whole plan backfires as Randy realizes he may not be cut out for the valley life. This causes friction between the two when Randy stands her up for the family dinner and then makes a spectacle of himself after being invited to one of Julie’s peers’ birthday party. After a multitude of events, they part ways, and then Randy and Julie resolve their issues and get back together just in time for a prom night reunion. Julie’s daughter is so consumed by the story, that it allows her to see her mother in a different light and helps her to make decisions on her own future. In the end, Julie admits that she and Randy later parted ways, but her relationship with him allowed her to adjust her expectations by seeing a totally different side of humanity.
The way the story ends is enlightening and upbeat. In spite of all the struggles with adapting, everyone seems to have come out whole, including Julie’s daughter. The songs, including “Material Girl” and “I Can’t Go For That,” although seemingly forced to fit into the framework at times, still provide substance and help to keep the message lighthearted, yet strong. Each role provides a diverse, yet crucial experience that makes the entire film fun and entertaining while taking us back to a time when things weren’t so serious. “Valley Girl” truly reflects on relationships that brought people together into accepting others from different backgrounds and levels of societal influence. Director Rachel Lee Goldenberg has definitely found a way to reprise this film and demonstrate comeuppance in a way that all ages can appreciate. The added update of characters’ lives at the end, made it even more pleasurable to know that they all succeeded in their own time and own way.
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