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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
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The Allnighter
Not a bad little movie. A typical 80s Girl wants Boy, Girl too scared to tell Boy, Girl has wacky last night with College Girlfriends, Girl land in Jail, Girl tells Boy she loves him after she is bailed out of Jail story.
Rating: 
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Proof the 80's sucked.
It's no wonder that neither Tamar Hoffs who wrote, directed and produced this junk NOR her daughter Susanna Hoffs ever made another film again. Sue is now married to film director Jay Roach (Meet the Parents, Austin Powers) and wisely, unlike Madonna, isn't letting her hubbie direct her in anything else. Why? Because the girl can't act to save her life and she knows it. Sue is a great video poser (like Madonna) but is she ever wooden -- even in a silly, no-serious - acting-required romp like this. This film isn't even for Bangles fans since the other three Bangles themselves wanted nothing to do with it, and even Vicki Peterson wondered how this atrocity was "even being made." But it does go to show what happens when you get a hit record. For some reason pop stars believe that hitting the Top Ten automatically qualifies them for starring roles in films. In this case, Sue's mom wanted to be the Orson Welles of her generation. Only because she had a famous daughter, and a forgettable short flick to her name, did she get the chance to do it. You would think the film had a better soundtrack, being that Sue and bandmates did make some good music. But this purposeless film is not even unintentionally funny; it's just stupefyingly dumb! "Molly's" moronic, valedictory speech is appropriate for the fictitious "Pacifica College" (where teachers "recreate Woodstock" as part of the curriculum). Any brains, out there? And how do three penniless college students afford such a gorgeous beachfront house? Except for Joan Cusak's character Gina who displays some occasional caustic wit and seems to be very aware of the idiots she's surrounded with, this flick is a lame -- one wonders if these 5 brainless twits will ever make it in the real world. PS: this mess certainly didn't help Sue's standing in the Bangles who at the time were trying hard to fight the "sex kitten" image the record company imposed on them: the film brought even more media attention onto Sue whose half-naked close-ups was hardly going to help the Bangles be taken seriously female musicians.
Rating: 
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A Movie to cry about... The time was the 80's...
It's a great movie, great actors, now we have seen them become legends, and Susanna Hoffs, a voice, a Star, in a time that fasion and music were everything, if you ever read this Sue... I just want to tell you, I'm proud of you!!!! keep on rocking!!!
Rating: 
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Oh Well
Yeah, she's cute, but the movie is a real stinker. You're not sure what's going on and then you realize it............Nothing's going on. The only good thing about the movie was Joan Cusack who, as usual, is the real star of any movie she's in. If you're having trouble getting to sleep, this is a real tranc.
Rating: 
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A nice surprise from the day-glo era...
I found this one in the bargain section. As others have mentioned, this film is not exactly "Citizen Kane". What we have here is a tame teen-sex comedy from the mid-80's that is almost instantly forgettable... almost.
The big draw is of course Susanna Hoffs, of Bangles fame. While Hoffs dances a bit, she doesn't sing anything except on the soundtrack. Still, if you're a fan of the Bangles or just Hoffs, then this film was made for you.
Hoffs doesn't really embarrass herself acting-wise. She does pretty good for what a film like this one demands (not too much), and the same can be said for the other cast members. Actually, the whole cast is likable. And at heart, "The Allnighter" is an indie film more than it is a throwaway Hollywood teen flick. Both factors make the film more tolerable.
The story is pretty weak, lending more to caricature than characterization. Five co-eds are about to graduate after four long years at Pacifica University. Gina is documenting her friends' last day as college students on a videocamera, so that "twenty years from now... [you'll] remember us as were were on this day." While not quite twenty years later, the line is still ironic.
Val is about to be married to some rich but overbearing and fey business dude, and she must go spend time with him rather than attend the last big fiesta with her pals. Bummer! The strangely pale Gina (the only character without a suntan), is fixated on her documentary. Molly (Hoffs) is just down on herself. After four years, she's still not met the perfect guy (or any guy). The girls' two male friends are surfer dudes. Killer is a philosophying hippie soul-of-an-artist type, and king of the waves. CJ is his best pal, and the object of Molly's affections, 80's hair wings and all. If only CJ could open up and be real, and see more than the waves, he and Molly could be making their own waves!
Complications follow throughout the rest of the evening in this "Animal House Lite" chick-flick, including a run in with the police, the big fiesta, an old romance between one of Molly's teachers and a former rock star, etc.
Actually, there are some interesting moments, since as I said, at heart this is an indie film. Credit newly minted director (and Hoffs' Mom), Tamar Simon Hoffs for making the attempt to go beyond the average teen comedy flick.
Familliar faces include Pam Grier as (of all things!), Sergeant McLeesh, matron of the female section of the local jail. Pam Grier fans will like her in the movie (and acting-wise, she overpowers the entire cast despite her small supporting role). Michael Ontkean of "Twin Peaks" fame is also on hand, as a washed up rock singer that Molly idolizes. Meshach Taylor plays a hotel detective. Dedee Pfeiffer (Michelle's sister), plays the struggling Val, and Joan Cusack plays the camera-toting Gina.
The device of Joan Cusak's character documenting the last day of their college time works for the most part, but somewhere along the way the film gets lost and takes bizzare sidetrips that stall the story. This is too bad, because there was some real potential for a memorable film here, which could have gone further than just Bangles fans or day-glo-philes.
On the plus side, the disc includes "The Haircut", a short 1982 indie film by Tamar Simon Hoffs. This is the real prize, believe it or not.
The cast is impressive for what Tamar readily admits was practically a student film. John Cassavetes stars. Three Bangles are on hand. Joyce Bulifant (best known as Murray's wife on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", among many other roles in the 70's & 80's), plays a manicurist. Remember Nicholas Colasanto, Coach from "Cheers"? He's the barber! Again, Meshach Taylor plays a role, this time as a shoeshiner/waiter.
This is a real treat, as we see a man getting the best haircut ever, which seems to change his outlook on life in the span of fifteen minutes.
Audio commentary is available for both films, plus a short behind the scenes interview with Tamar about "The Haircut". This was subtitled in French. I suspect the interview was probably made for a Canadaian audience, since Canada was where the short was filmed.
If you like the 80's, the Bangles, Hoffs, or just want a harmless teen flick from the day-glo era to watch, then this disc is for you. I give it three stars for "The Allnighter", plus one for the addition of "The Haircut".
