Nerdy high schooler Ronald Miller rescues cheerleader Cindy Mancini from parental punishment after she accidentally destroys her mother's designer clothes. Ronald agrees to pay for the $1,000 outfit on one condition: that she will act as though they're a couple for an entire month. As the days pass, however, Cindy grows fond of Ronald, making him popular. But when Ronald's former best friend gets left behind, he realizes that social success isn't everything.
Directed by Steve Rash
new year's eve
high school
cheerleader
nerd
coming of age
dress
break-up
teen comedy
teen drama
evening gown
Rank
#47 in 1987·#4611 overall
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Letterboxd
3.3 / 5
Where to Watch
Cast
Patrick Dempsey
Ronald Miller
Amanda Peterson
Cindy Mancini
Courtney Gains
Kenneth Wurman
Tina Caspary
Barbara
Seth Green
Chuckie Miller
Sharon Farrell
Mrs. Mancini
Dennis Dugan
David Miller
Darcy DeMoss
Patty
Devin DeVasquez
Iris
Eric Bruskotter
Big John
Gerardo Mejía
Ricky
Cort McCown
Quint
Crew
Steve Rash
Director
Robert Folk
Original Music Composer
Peter Lyons Collister
Director of Photography
Mark Burg
Co-Producer
Thom Mount
Producer
Alicia Stevenson
Foley
Gary A. Hecker
Foley
Paula Abdul
Choreographer
Popular Reviews
824 reviews
Andrew Warren
7.0★ · 03/27/26
It’s rare to find a film that my mom has seen and I haven’t. But she’s got many 80’s romance films under her belt, and Can’t Buy Me Love was one we landed on! This was a fun 80’s high school romance film between the geek and the popular girl. A plot that seems rather repetitive in many 80’s classics, like Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles (kinda ironic both films starred Molly Ringwold lol). But this film is fun, a worthwhile story about the worthlessness of high school popularity in the grand scheme of things. There is one scene near the end that’s supposed to be profound but ends up being pretty cringy. Still, I had a good time and my mom still seems to enjoy it after many rewatches.
It’s rare to find a film that my mom has seen and I haven’t. But she’s got many 80’s romance films under her belt, and Can’t Buy Me Love was one we landed on! This was a fun 80’s high school romance film between the geek and the popular girl. A plot that seems rather repetitive in many 80’s classics, like Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles (kinda ironic both films starred Molly Ringwold lol). But this film is fun, a worthwhile story about the worthlessness of high school popularity in the grand scheme of things. There is one scene near the end that’s supposed to be profound but ends up being pretty cringy. Still, I had a good time and my mom still seems to enjoy it after many rewatches.
