NMR: Take Me Home Tonight

This movie feels very dated and it has nothing to do with the fact that it's set in the 1980s (although the fact that it sat on the shelf for quite a while before actually getting released into theaters last spring may have something to do with it). The story centers around a Labor Day party set during the 80s. The focal point is on Matt Franklin (Topher Grace), an MIT grad who is now wasting his life as a clerk at Suncoast Video. He's hoping this party gives him the opportunity to meet up with the girl he had a huge crush on in high school, Tori Frederking (played by Theresa Palmer). A lot of the story and jokes feel as if this was a poor Superbad sequel. You've got sexual frustration, a big party, and a fat, loudmouth sidekick who thinks he's funnier than he really is (the unfunny Dan Fogler). There are some nice momemts sprinkled in like the scenes involving real life couple Anna Faris and Chris Pratt (Andy from Parks and Recreation). I also liked the chemistry between Grace and Palmer, even if their storyline is overly cliched. Overall though, it just felt like this film had borrowed ideas and themes from other better films and did nothing but poorly emulate them. Everyone in the cast (with the exception of Fogler) deserves better than what they got in this film. Rating: ** 1/2