Main Cast: Neil Barry, James Quinn, Elisa Heinsohn, Linda Thorson, Ellen Hammill
Release Year: 1985
Country: US
Run Time: 90 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
This is an enjoyable teen comedy-musical that entertains without being saccharine or sarcastic and bridges the gap between the generations -- at least, the generations that like rock music. Joey (Neill Barry) is an aspiring guitarist who takes his father (James Quinn) as a role model -- or to be more accurate, the way his father used to be. In the good old days, Joe Sr. supplied the vocals for a successful rock group, until his love of a nip now and then ended that career. Following in his father's early footsteps, Joey has a rock band that just won an audition to open for a New York Doo-Wopp show of music and musicians from the heyday of Joe Sr. On the way to the rockin' concert finale, Joey and his girlfriend Janie (Elisa Heinsohn) share some light moments in tight situations, and various interpersonal knots get untied. Cameo appearances by The Limelights, the Silhouettes, the Adlibs, the Elegants, Scream-in' Jay Hawkins, and the surviving members of the Teenagers grace the film. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
Joey King Sr. (James Quinn) was part of a successful singing group in the 1950's and now works at a gas station and is a borderline alcoholic. His son, Joey Jr. (Neill Barry) has started a rock band with his teenage friends which triggers anger in his father and he takes away his son's guitar.
The father is jealous of the son's talent until the father starts his old band back up and both Kings separately participate in the Royal New York Doo-Wopp Show at Radio City Music Hall and accept one another.
Mr. Ellison, best known for directing the horror film Don't Go in the House, has made a different sort of B-movie this time, but the effect is not exactly one of versatility. His style here is plain and perfunctory, so much so that the parts of the plot involving the father seem entirely unrelated to those about the son.[3]
