Can't Buy Me Love
Tags: romantic, cult

Plot synopsis:
Ronald Miller (Dempsey) is a typical high school nerd living in Tucson, Arizona. He has spent all summer mowing lawns to save up for a telescope. At an opportune moment, he makes a deal with popular cheerleader Cynthia "Cindy" Mancini (Peterson). Cindy had borrowed an expensive suede outfit belonging to her mother, without her permission, to wear to an End of the Summer/Back to School party, and needs to replace it quickly after Quint (Cort McCown) accidentally spilled red wine on it at the party. Having few options, save for telling her mother the truth, Cindy reluctantly agrees to Ronald's proposal: he will give her $1000 to purchase a new suede outfit, and she will help him look "cool" by pretending to be his girlfriend for a month, even though she already has a boyfriend named Bobby who is away at his freshman year at the University of Iowa. Ronald feels that he can be a part of the popular crowd if they think Cindy is dating him. Both agree never to reveal their financial arrangement.
Ronald then trades his nerdy, yet loyal, friends for the popular, but shallow, students, and undergoes a complete clothing and hair makeover under Cindy's direction. Over the course of the month, they discover each other's individuality and a bond develops organically between the two. Cindy soon starts to genuinely like Ronald and appreciates his company. As he washes her car at her house, she opens up to him, fetching a poem that she had written that means the world to her and letting Ronald read it. She gets to know him better as he reveals his interests in astronomy and space travel. They gaze at the moon and he tells her how, when they are their parents age, "people will be working there and living there... maybe even us". On the last date which Ronald has "paid" for, Cindy hints that she would like to kiss Ronald, signifying that she has real feelings for him, but he misunderstands and assumes she wants to talk about ending their arrangement. They dramatically "break up" in front of a crowd at school, but Ronald takes things too far and says some hurtful things about Cindy in front of their friends. She becomes cool and distant, but warns him that popularity is hard work and he needs to make sure that he "stays [him]self". The next day, Cindy appears disgusted with Ronald when she sees him behaving arrogantly at school, and becomes jealous when she sees him flirting with her best friends Barbara and Patty, whom he later takes out on dates.
Ronald continues playing "cool" by hanging out with the jocks and hot chicks. He takes Patty to a dance at school, where he performs a dance he learned from an African cultural show on public television (he mistakenly thought he was watching American Bandstand). At first, the other kids are mystified, but they soon join in, and Ronald's new "trendy" dancing further increases his popularity at school. On Halloween night, he and some other boys drive to the house of Kenneth (Courtney Gains), Ronald's best friend, where the jocks test his loyalty by coercing him to hurl dog feces at Kenneth's house. Kenneth is lying in wait and catches Ronald, but lets him go before his dad can call the police. Kenneth ignores Ronald the next day at school.
At a New Year's Eve party at Big John's (Eric Bruskotter) house, Ronald gets drunk and has sex with his date, Iris (DeVasquez), in the bathroom. Iris has a reputation nailing a lot of popular guys. Cindy walks by and hears Ronald reciting to Iris the very poem that she had written and allowed him to read. Devastated, she starts drinking heavily. Later, as a surprise, Cindy's boyfriend, Bobby, shows up at the party, as he still has strong ties to the athletes at the school. After he learns about her relationship with Ronald, through Quint and Ricky (Gerardo Mejia), Cindy is brutally dumped in front of her friends. Even though she tried to explain to Bobby, he paid her to go out with him. Bobby didn't believe her and he still broke up with her. In anger and frustration, she tells the party-goers the truth about her relationship with Ronald and his "cool" pretenses. She scolds her friends for falling for his act and for being "a bunch of followers". "Our little plan worked, didn't it Ronald?" Cindy says as she crushes his popularity, sending Ronald back to the bottom rung of the high school social ladder. Rejected and dejected, Ronald leaves the party alone to spend the night in his garage, crying himself to sleep. When school resumes after the holiday break, he immediately finds himself ostracized as a social pariah. The "jocks" once again tease and throw food at him, and he soon finds that the nerdy crowd has abandoned him also. His distress only deepens when his attempts to reconcile with both Cindy and Kenneth are rebuffed.
A moment for Ronald to redeem himself comes when he defends Kenneth against a potentially violent encounter with Quint. Kenneth, while helping Patty (Darcy DeMoss) with her math homework, is approached by Quint, who orders him back to his side of the cafeteria, or take a serious beating. Ronald intervenes, threatening to break Quint's pitching arm if he does not leave Kenneth, who had only been tutoring Patty out of sincere kindness, with no ulterior motive, alone. Ronald points out that the three were all friends at one time: when they were nine, Quint had fallen out of their tree house and broken his arm. Kenneth carried him twelve blocks to the hospital, with Quint crying all the way. He tells Quint that he - Ronald - was desperate to run with the popular crowd, but he had messed up by trying to buy his way in. Kenneth, however, was just trying to make friends by being himself. Ronald goes on to say that the cool/nerd dynamic is "all bullshit, it's tough enough just being yourself", and walks away. Quint apologizes to Kenneth and the two shake hands as the whole school applauds. Ronald finally redeem himself with everyone.
Following the incident, Cindy recognizes Ronald's worth, and the two reconcile when she decides to hop on the back of his riding lawn mower instead of hanging out with her popular friends. He asks her to prom and the two kiss as the title song plays. Closing credits roll while the two of them ride off into the sunset on the lawn mower.

Review: The difference is that the stars, Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson, are not so stereotypical in their roles as lonely nerd and ultra-popular head cheerleader.Patrick Dempsey has always been underrated as an actor with style, and it is unfortunate that his character, Ronald, is so unlikable after the film's premise kicks in.
But Dempsey himself seems too inherently confident to really pull off the geek aspect believably, and he's too cruel to the girl whose heart he won for Ronald to be a truly sympathetic character.
The standout in this film is Amanda Peterson, whose character Cindy has to be one of the most genuinely likeable "stuck up" high school girls on film.
Making characters likeable is much more difficult than making them sympathetic, and I'm frankly shocked that Peterson's career did not skyrocket after this performance.Whether you're looking for creative ways to invest $1000 or dancing lessons, Can't Buy Me Love is one 80's teen flick that has a lot to offer..
Can't Buy Me Love ridicules the high school caste system--that popular kids are the invincible social class that other social groups strive to be part of, but are limited by the "understood" rigid rules of their place among the social system.
Ronald is in love with senior cheerleader, Cindy Mancini (Amanda Peterson).
Is he willing to trade it all in for popularity and all the superficiality that comes with it?Ronald's opportunity arrives when Cindy stumbles into the mall one day looking to return or exchange her mother's outfit stained with wine thanks to Cindy, who wasn't supposed to be wearing it, anways.
And how long can he live down the lie?It was one of three good movies Dempsey made in 1987, along with Loverboy and In the Mood (actually the latter is better than the former), all being cute romantic comedies.
Patrick Dempsey, Amanda Peterson, Seth Green (who plays Ronald's little brother, Chuckie), or hell, even Max Perlich fans, are certain to like this movie.
I liked this cute little movie about a geeky boy who pays the hottest highschool cheerleader at his school to pose as his girlfriend.
Patrick Dempsey is good in it, and Amanda Peterson is absolutely great, loved her.
The story is about Ronald played by Patrick Dempsey who is a nerd and lives next door to Cindy the most popular girl in High School played by Amanda Peterson.
This was a little past the dawning of the high school movie, and the characters of the nerd, jock, cheerleader, etc.
But if I just want to kick back and watch a cheesy high school movie that will put a smile on my face and contains no intellectual value, I'll watch "Can't Buy Me Love."  Of course, the movie has a "message" at the end about being yourself, and not caring what others think of you, but the message is delivered with the finesse of an after-school special and is strictly pasted on.
In a way, not all will agree with Neil or the song, but this movie had me in stitches (at times) given that I didn't laugh as much as "Fast Times At Ridgemeont High", this was a more heart felt story of a young nerd/geek (Dempsey)who is definitely coming into his own.
I probably looked like Charlie Brown after being kissed by the little red-headed girl at that point as the car was pulling away.I recommend this for all the high school crazy antics we all did and or miss, from that era in our lives.
RELEASED IN 1987 and directed by Steve Rash, "Can't Buy Me Love" is a high school dramedy about a geek at an Arizona high school (Patrick Dempsey) who pays the most popular girl in school (Amanda Peterson) $1000 to act like she likes him for a month so he can move up the social strata.
This is better than some 80's teen flicks (e.g. Molly Ringwald's movies), but not as good as others ("Fast Times at Ridgemont High").
Music is by Robert Folk and cinematography by Peter Lyons Collister.Plot has Dempsey as nerdy outcast Ronald Miller, who fed up of not being popular pays Cindy Mancini (Peterson), the most popular girl in school, one thousand dollars to be his girlfriend.The 1980s was awash with films of this ilk, the teen dramedy topped up by a big hearted message and a finale of punch the air worth.
As evidenced by its popularity among 80s cineastes of a certain age, Can't Buy Me Love delivers all that you expect from such fare.The core theme is of course self acceptance, the attainment of such in amongst the scary world of teenage school years.
This is the best 80s teen movie of all time (period)The chemistry of Amanda Peterson and Patrick Dempsey is truly flattering and comes across so natural Tina Caspary does really well in this one too and you really feel the tension with her and Darcy DemossThe soundtrack by Robert folk in this movie is simply a masterpiecealthough one of the best tracks of the prom dance scene is not included in the soundtrack (actress) by randy hall ( the only downfall)This movie can be watched over and over again without disappointment.This is truly a masterpiece with Amanda Peterson at her best..
It is a hilarious movie and teaches important lessons about popularity and high school life.
Amanda Peterson plays as Cindy, the most popular girl at school.
While, Patrick Dempsey is Ronald, a nerd who wants to fit in with the cool kids.
An unpopular guy desperately wants popularity so goes about it by paying a girl $1000 to be his girlfriend...but then they begin to fall in love with each other...ooh.Let's be honest you know exactly how the movie is going to pan out from the start.
I liked her character because she knew who and what she was, but she was willing to take some chances.Believe me though, that most of the snobbish popular kids in real 80's high schools were shallow and not very nice people.Check it out on youtube..
Patrick Dempsey, and Amanda Petersen, what an iconic '80s casting.Teen oriented movies that started with "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" paved the way for whole slew of movies of this kind which this one now has a "classic" status.Now, girls are wishing there's someone who would take them on a lawn mower ride.
That's become a romantic thing now - wow !Pretty cool movie that's fun to watch even now.Just because the casts are teenagers doesn't mean that the movie is a light weight.It seems like a dumb movie, but it's too good of a romance to be taken lightly.Older actors would have done it differently, but this is just as good as any love story..
Yeah, unless you were already in it we all thought about it at one point or another but in the movie I'm reviewing this time, Can't Buy me Love, Ronny Miller played by Patrick Dempsey actually got a chance to.
When he goes to buy the telescope he notices Cindy Mancini, played by Amanda Peterson, who of course is the most popular girl in school in need of some help.
Ronny decides to buy her a new one in exchange for a date that he hopes will make him popular.I didn't know why I loved this movie as a kid so much.
much less any other 80's movie.Many of us have been in Ronald's shoes in high school: alone, trying desperately to fit in, and just being ever-so-slightly on the nerdy side; for those of that have, this is their movie.This movie is not only entertaining in the fact that it's funny, but it also has a very useful message: if you want to be popular or at the very least be reasonably liked, the best thing to do is to be nothing but yourself.I give this underrated favorite a 10 out of 10..
I loved this film, but I admit it's a love it or hate it sort of flick - a high school nerd wants to be cool, so he pays a cheerleader to date him for a while, but he becomes too arrogant and it all comes crashing down around him, and I think you can work out how it goes from here.It's a classic 1980s teen film, perhaps comparable to 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' or the 'Revenge of the Nerds' series of films in its attitude and style, although the story is most similar to the more recent 'She's All That' starring Freddie Prinze Jnr and Rachel Leigh Cook.
The movie is about a guy called Ronald who is something of a nerd.Ronald has a crush on the most popular girl in school.
Amanda Peterson who plays Cindy does a pretty good job as does Patrick Dempsey as Ronald.
It has been a long while since i've seen this movie, but i can remember a lot of it.Actually, it reminds me a bit of myself.Okay, i didn't pay a girl to be my girlfriend for a month, just to become popular, but i was a bit of a loner, and girlfrienless untill iwas 20.This movie is a great movie to watch, even if you aren't a teenager anymore.It has humor for all ages, and i think most people find something they can relate to.The ending is ofcourse also classic.
I think this movie gives a good message to teenagers that what is more important than popularity is to "be yourself.".
He rents Cindy for a month and this does make him popular but it falls apart near the end of the movie.
Can't Buy Me Love is My Favorite All Time Movie!
The most important aspect of the film is Cindy having feelings for Ronald even though in her eyes, he wasn't popular, but she didn't care.
I don't know why I liked this movie so much, but when I was 16 it was at the dollar movie over the summer and we saw it at least 6 times over three weeks.It is just your basic funny, cute movie about high school life.
It is at least worth a rental, especially for high school kids.Patrick Dempsey does a great job and his friends play the perfect "Geeks.".
Ordinarily I don't like this kind of American high-school movie, but I actually enjoyed this one.
"can't buy me love" was just such a sweet movie to watch, i couldn't help smiling throughout most of the scenes up until the ending.
out of all the teen flicks i've seen about meshing the "cool" kids and the "nerds" (and there is a lot of them) i thought this movie was the most endearing.
This movie had some classic lines in it:* "cards, chips, dips, and dorks" * "cold brew just not going to be the same" * "Quintan is here" <--- I don't know why this makes me laughand my favorite:* Look, it's a nerd herdI'm sure my phrases are off, but I have't seen it in about 13 years, so I guess that's pretty good.In the cast listing it says that Seth Green played his little brother.
Ronald ( beast ) falls for Cindy ( beauty ) I just love it :-) I feel that it could have been a little bit longer of a movie , it seems to be a good movie but it all happens too fast :-( I still love it :-) It is still to this day one of my many faveorite movies from the 80s:-) I mean the only way you can't like it is if you just didn't like the 80s or you just not into that kind of movies but i also agree if you liked Revenge of the Nerds then you will like this movie :-) 80s movies were big on GEEKS :-) Laugh Out Loud :-) Melissa.
The relationship--actually, the movie--provides some valuable lessons on friendship and the costs of gaining our wildest dreams.Along with "The Breakfast Club," "Say Anything," and "The Sure Thing," this is one of the best teen films of the 80's..
Because Can't Buy Me Love is one of those movies that comes along ever so rarely and leaves the viewer realizing that this is the way things are(Not getting a girl for $1000,but the way "popularity" is).The cast is excellent right from Patrick Dempsey as the lead to Seth Green(*yes from Austin Powers*).The clothes,the music may be all 80's but so what?
I was a science-loving film-geek, but I just so happened to letter in varsity swimming and track-and-field, so while I shouldn't have been popular, my "jock" status allowed me fame and kind treatment.Sorry to digress, but, if anything has been clear from what I've been attempting to write, I didn't like the movie.
Charming and cute 80's movie about a colorless high school nerd who desperately wants to get into the cool clique of jocks, quarterbacks and foxy cheerleaders.
Ronnie Miller (Patrick Dempsey) pays the popular Cindy 1.000,00 $ to hang out with her for a month.
You'll fall in love with the characters on both sides as this movie shows you that not everything you think is reality and you won't ever really know what it's like in someone else's world until you walk in their shoes..
A nerdy outcast (Patrick Dempsey) secretly pays the most popular girl in school (Amanda Peterson) one thousand dollars to be his girlfriend.At the time this film was made, I do not think anyone involved was terribly well-known.
I was inspired to watch this otherwise forgotten 80s teen rom-com by the recent tragic death of star Amanda Peterson.It certainly doesn't hold a candle to the better known teen comedies from the genre's golden age, but stars Patrick Dempsey and Peterson are quite good, and the film features an early appearance from Seth Green, who steals every scene he's in as Dempsey's little brother.
Patrick Dempsey hams it up portraying an unpopular high schooler who figures that buying dates and being used will help him make friends and be a good influence on the teenaged society.
It's a shame that I have not seen nearly as much, of her, as I have of Patrick, over the last 14 years.This was a real "feel-good", "pick-me-up" movie, as far as I was concerned.
How I was "cheering Ronald Miller's character on", when "dating" Cindy Mancini, cheerleader queen, actually DID make him popular.......after all those years of being the GEEK and the LAWN BOY........in his senior year, no less........What a way to go out!!
(then he actually HILARIOUSLY did the math, WITHOUT A CALCULATOR, NO LESS, to figure out how many days, he had lived, without that experience!.......17-odd years X 365)!!Well, whoever she was, let me say, facetiously (and also seriously), she was HOT, truly beautiful and cute!!!.......even cuter than Amanda Peterson's Cindy Mancini.......and I wish that she had been the female star of that movie!!.
Wow, it was amazing to see the effects this had on the school and in particular that class, it turned the whole 'popular' thing on it's head.One other reason this movie works is that the chemistry between Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson is obvious.
Patrick Dempsey caught my eye in this adorable little movie about a boy who falls in love with the girl next door and sets out to win both her and popularity.Possible spoilers: As Ronald Miller (or as the object of his affection calls him Donald), Dempsey is transformed before our eyes from an offbeat, lovable geek to a smokin' hot studmuffin whom all the girls lust after.
After she ruins one of her mother's favorite outfits, Cindy Mancini (played by the perky and beautiful Amanda Peterson)finds herself in need of Ronald's help.
One of my all time favorite story lines is when two people don't like each other and then fall in love.
The remains of their relationship seemed to be a joke to me and deep down, I think Cindy knew that and that was why she was dating other guys.Lots of laughs and tears throughout the movie with great acting by the main cast.
This gets played up to the extreme as Ronald Miller goes from being "totally geek, to totally chic" only to lose it all again in heartbreaking fashion.The fine acting of a young Patrick Dempsey, and the gone too soon Amanda Petterson really make the movie for me as the chemistry is real and the awesome scenes together make me smile everytime I watch (which is nearing 20 viewings now)Courtney Gains does an excellent job of being the neglected best friend who sees his friend descend into an unrecognizable jerk and the scenes involving their eventual loss of friendship are tough to watch.It is not perfect, it shows it age a bit but having just watched it recently...I still love it..
I thought the rest was alright but there weren't that great enough scene's.I think there was a lot of whining going on too that would definitely put you off regarding girls grouping over Ronald and the fact, Cindy had kept pressuring him on pointless things like breaking up in public which was fake.
"Cindy Mancini" (Amanda Peterson) is the head of the cheerleading squad and the most popular person in high school.
Now, as far as this movie is concerned I will just say that that this is one of the better 80's teen comedies produced with both Amanda Peterson and Patrick Dempsey performing in an exceptional manner.
Ronald Miller pines for Cindy the most popular girl in school who doesn't know he's alive.
He ditches his old friends for the highlight.The movie not only explores themes like popularity and love in simple terms like other teen flicks.
The movie has a typical romantic plot within an American high-school setting, with lead characters being a nerd (Ronald) and the head cheerleader (Cindy).
I love how (spoilers) Ronald and Cindy act with each other because they are the EPITOME of high school teen relationships.