The Legend of Billie Jean

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RedLily08@reddit

It's a fun movie. Why are you looking for more than that?

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My highschool GF drug me to this movie and I kept waiting for something big to happen to show me what the plot was. That never happened and it was a really dumb movie but we went and had fun in tue backseat of my afterwards and that saved the evening.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

A happy ending so to speak

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Sure_Artichoke_3662@reddit

Christian Slater was hot. Full stop.

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Acrobatic-World-6563@reddit

Yes!!! It is so annoying!! Fair is fair! Haha I loved it when I was like 12.

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Imasayitnow@reddit

This and “Just One of the Guys” were my favorites back in the day. Maybe it’s the women with short hair?

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Potential-Step8479@reddit

Yeah I saw that movie a bunch when I was a kid also. I actually watched it pretty recently and it’s still pretty funny in a cheesy kind of way.

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doctor-rumack@reddit

Where do you get off on having tits?

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Twisted_lurker@reddit

Sorry, I rewatched it recently and still love it. Poor but strong female underdog rebels against abusers.

Was it cheesy? Absolutely.

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LadyNorbert@reddit

Yeah, I like the part where she rescues the abused little boy from his violent father. The way the boy's friends trusted her to save him was really sweet.

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Potential-Step8479@reddit

I use to like the chase scene in the mall near the beginning of the movie.

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PotentialLanguage685@reddit

She was our Joan X of Arc.

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Potential-Step8479@reddit

I watched that movie also probably a million times as a kid. It was always on HBO from what I remember. Helen Slater was my dream girl growing up.

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New-Introduction-981@reddit

Helen Slater is hot it's pretty much why I watched it

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

She is gorgeous in this movie, y next rewatch is The Secret of my Success

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New-Introduction-981@reddit

I don't know if I saw that. I only remember her from supergirl, another movie that aged like milk and Billie Jean.

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Beneficial-You3416@reddit

Ah! Hart Bochner!

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FancyButterscotch686@reddit

We watched because it was on REPEAT on HBO. If we were lucky enough to have cable back then, we watched what was on. Same for movies like Howard the Duck.

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spsled@reddit

I just remember it being filmed in Corpus Christi and therefore wanted to watch it. Very disposable movie.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

That’s a good description of the movie. A fun cheesy Sunday afternoon watch

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Superpeachy-1197@reddit

I always thought the fair is fair part was annoying .

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

Agreed

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SlideItIn100@reddit

It was the Pat Benatar song Invincible that made that movie rock!

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

The song is as good now as it was then

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SlideItIn100@reddit

It really is!

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Spicercakes@reddit

I think it was the whole "teenagers can save the world" thing that was a popular theme in 80s movies. I absolutely LOVED Billie Jean, Red Dawn and Iron Eagle. Now watching them back ... Yikes.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

Yeah you watch Iron Eagle now and with all of the military security you know none of that would happen. 😳

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builtinamplifier@reddit

Filmed in my home town. The mall in the movie was right near my house I used to walk to it to go to the dollar cinema as a kid

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ConsciousSteak2242@reddit

I was in high school when they filmed it. Went to all those stores.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

I loved the mall scene. I was looking at the stores in the background, not the actual chase

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No_Pineapple_3599@reddit

Corpus Christi! Sunrise mall, yeah?

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builtinamplifier@reddit

Yep. Its not there any more unfortunately

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AnnOnnamis@reddit

Except for a mildly hot Helen Slater, I didn’t find this movie all that great even back in ‘85.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

My next rewatch will be the secret of my success

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Sinistermarmalade@reddit

Love Pat Benatar’s theme song from it

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

The song slaps

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flaginorout@reddit

I haven’t seen it in 35 years, but I watched it 5-10 times as it was on HBO a lot.

I thought one of the main catalysts for the antagonism was Huey’s dad putting his hands on Billie. That kicked off the shooting and manhunt.

Seems like it was sorta a “me too” movie.

Aside from the Billie scene where she was swimming, I don’t remember her being sexualized too much. If anything, she went from damsel in distress to a revolutionary. Like Joan or Arc…who inspired her to cut her hair go on the warpath.

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WGx2@reddit

Yeah, OP missed the point.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

I was so disappointed, I loved this movie as a teenager and now watching the scenes where the guys are try8ng to take a picture of her dress flying up riding the scooter and her swimming gave me the ick.

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blueblocker2000@reddit

I liked the Pat Benatar song "Invincible" from it. Classic 80s...

https://youtu.be/5A4xBp2rizQ?si=cBI8E3TQL57ycZPf

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

The song is as good now as it was then

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tossaway-florida@reddit

This started playing in my head as soon as I saw this thread.

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Guilty-Tie164@reddit

I heard when Pat Benatar used to sing that song in concerts, she would introduce it by saying something like, "this song is from one of the worst movies of all time." That made me sad when I was young.

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claradox@reddit

What a dick move on her part. I’ll bet she didn’t mind cashing the checks from it, or the boosts it gave her record sales. Geesh.

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blueblocker2000@reddit

I watched bits and pieces of the movie on HBO growing up, but never the whole thing. Always classified it as "meh" when looking for something to watch. Pat Benatar and the song slaps, however.

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luluislulu2520@reddit

Omg when I saw the title of your post, I perked up. I loved this movie so much and still like it, probably from nostalgia. Totally cheesy but I love the characters so much. I related to Helen Hunt as the big sister and totally wanted to be her haha. I could watch it today and still love it like a teenage kid.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

I was so disappointed, I was obsessed as a teenager

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Guilty-Tie164@reddit

There are a lot of movies and TV shows I loved as a kid and refuse to rewatch because I know I will not have that same feeling for them and it will ruin the memories I have of watching and loving them at a simpler time in my life.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

Yeah I was so disappointed.

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conselyea@reddit

Saw it with my best friend as a teenager and we made a vow never to tell anyone we'd ever seen it because it was so terrible.

But I've watched it as an adult and found it charming and hilarious.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

I was disappointed because I loved it so much back then. Now I’m like wtf was I thinking?

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MachineProof5438@reddit

I didn't like it then either, still dont.

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iCanD0thisAllDay@reddit

When I first watched this movie, I must’ve been around seven or eight years old. I didn’t understand what was going on with Putter (Yeardley Smith akaLisa Simpson) . I was like what’s a period?

Years later, as I watched a brand new show on Fox called The Simpsons I wondered why the daughter‘s voice was so familiar. Since this was before the advent of the Internet, I couldn’t simply look it up. It must’ve been several more years until I was able to cross reference that it was also the same actor behind the voice.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

When can I get a diaphragm 😂😂😂

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248Spacebucks@reddit

I watched this movie and promptly took scissors to all of my Barbies. I can still here the screech from my mother when she discovered the mess. She never bought me another Barbie, ever 😂

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

You made weird Barbie 🥳

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DaddieTang@reddit

I thought it was friggin goofy then and now.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

True, goofy. I was disappointed because in my mind the movie was fantastic, I might be old 😏

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crone_Andre3000@reddit

I think I watched that movie 2000 times and all I remember is the cool haircut

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

Gorgeous women like her can pull off that haircut. I’d be confused for an ugly middle school boy

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Wild_Read9062@reddit

If it makes you feel better, Tom Cruise’s movie ‘Cocktail’ is a guilty pleasure of mine. I KNOW it’s a bad move in absolutely every aspect- I even make fun of it with my gf when I watch it. But for some reason I can’t define, it’s like a cozy warm blanket every time I turn it on.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

Yeah, I couldn’t understand why she went back with him, just because she was pregnant didn’t mean she had to be with him. Side note, Tom Cruises does not age

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NapoleonBlownapart9@reddit

Coughlin's law: never show surprise, never lose your cool.

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Wild_Read9062@reddit

As for the rest of Coughlin’s laws… ignore them. The guy was always full of shit.

😢

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nellis003@reddit

When Cocktail came out of video, my buddy and I were in Blockbuster and he picked up the VHS, held it up, and said in the most dramatic voice: “Because, damn it, the story needed to be told.”

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Wild_Read9062@reddit

🤣

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devildoc8804hmcs@reddit

I didn't watch for the stellar plot, great writing, or superb acting...none of which this movie has. It was all Helen Slater.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

She s gorgeous in this movie. Her acting was great too

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Russian_Doll_888@reddit

I liked the movie, but my younger guy cousin was obsessed. Couldn't quite figure it out until he married a bleached blonde with heavy black eyeliner.

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KurtStation68@reddit

I don't recall which came first, but I remember she was Supergirl

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Imasayitnow@reddit

The Pat Benetar theme song is killer though!

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

It still slaps

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DeathSheep666@reddit

I was DJ'ing the other day and played Invincible. Then commented that was the best part of the movie.

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NedRyerson92@reddit

“Pay as you go, earn as you learn”. I’ll never forget when she said that to Mr. Pyat

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

It was definitely Me Too

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IntelligentSun6300@reddit

I was an extra in a couple of scenes in this movie. Everyone around took the plot so seriously. Looking back I'm like yeah, the music was good.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

Invincible is as good now as it was then

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CityCabCat@reddit

Lol, same! I loved this movie too but I doubt I would feel the same if I watched it now.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

I was disappointed, I guess I’m in a different headspace now

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PotentialLanguage685@reddit

It was fuckin awesome. In its exaggerated, cinematic context, it highlighted that level at which teens can't trust an adult. As a bored and angry teen I would've followed Billie Jean to the gates of hell.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

I was low key disappointed, it was still entertaining, but I’m in a different headspace now

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Mobile_Aioli_6252@reddit

All over a moped!

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

Poor Binks, I would have bought him a new one

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Bubbly_Following7930@reddit

I was thinking about it the other day when I heard one of the songs from it.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

That’s kinda why I looked it up streaming. I loved this movie and I guess I was disappointed

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Tinytiger1973@reddit

FAIR IS FAIR!

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

❤️

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Twhyla@reddit

She’s nervous so she has to pee

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

That line was hysterical

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Practical-Owl-9358@reddit

And that’s Lisa Simpson btw - Yeardley Smith

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Specialist_Stop8572@reddit

One of my fave movies ever

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

I guess I was low key disappointed, I was obsessed as a teenager

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Gloomy-Athlete701@reddit

The Pat Benatar song “”Invisible” is what I still love about it 😀

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

The song is as good now as it was then

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MilzLives@reddit

Invincible! Still a great tune

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b-lincoln@reddit

This is what I thought of as well.

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BloodyBarbieBrains@reddit

I loved it. Then again, I haven’t seen it since the ‘80s.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

I think I was disappointed that I remembered loving this movie and now questioning all my life choices 😏

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b-lincoln@reddit

Fair is Fair. Loved this movie.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

🙂

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imagine966@reddit

Just watched it a couple weeks ago. I did t think it was that bad, but not as good as I recalled

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

In my mind it was awesome as a teenager, so I probably felt the same way. I was low key disappointed

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bradyblack@reddit

It’s still a great movie. Stfu

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

I will stfu. Fair is fair

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BonoboBuddy@reddit

I still sometimes appropriate the line (and delivery of) "Ahm amAYzing" when I ace a particularly difficult parking job.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

Haha. That’s awesome

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bendingoutward@reddit

I give it at least an annual rewatch. Mostly because Pat Benatar, but also because fair is fair.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

Fair is fair for sure

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keirmeister@reddit

It was an 80’s movie. Many films during that time were…special.

But Pat Benatar’s song for that movie is still core: https://youtu.be/5A4xBp2rizQ?si=vQyentHvlQBrhh-5

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

The song slaps. Yeah they were special for sure

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DocCEN007@reddit

Pat Benatar!

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

The song slaps

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Sensitive_Pilot_77@reddit

I loved this movie and Christian Slater became my poster boy obsession. I probably watched this movie and Gleaming the Cube over 100 times one summer.

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One-Cardiologist7657@reddit

Have you seen him in Mr Robot?

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mandoaz1971@reddit

Why, because Helen Slater, that’s why👍😉

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MilzLives@reddit

Unfortunately her hotness was offset by the dork she was hanging out with, cant recall his name. Played Rodneys kid in back to school

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sleepypossumster@reddit

He had a pretty cool car, though, a classic Plymouth Fury!

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froction@reddit

He also owned Christine!

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afternever@reddit

"Fair is Fair" is two steps away from the "two dollars" kid in Better Off Dead

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whatsupgrizzlyadams@reddit

See... the problem here is that... my little brother, this morning, got his arm caught in the microwave, and uh... my grandmother dropped acid and she freaked out, and hijacked a school bus full of... penguins, so it's kind of a family crisis... so come back later? Grea

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Mobile_Aioli_6252@reddit

I didn't ask for a dime.......(flicks the switchblade comb)

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Zealousideal_Draw_94@reddit

The biggest reason I remember this movie is because Christian said in an interview years later, that he had a childhood crush on Helen, and thought it was meant to be, they even had same last name. Or something like that. He then went onto say how naive he was, she was 19/20 and he was around 14 at the time.

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LadyNorbert@reddit

The actress who voices Lisa Simpson plays the friend who inexplicably brings along her entire aquarium full of marbles. Never did understand that.

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funktopus@reddit

Cause she wrecked with those marbles later!

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PinkyLeopard2922@reddit

I will still occasionally shake my fist and shout, "Fair is Fair!"

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-LeoKnowz-@reddit

Over here with ya!

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OreoSpeedwaggon@reddit

I found it interesting that you would criticize the sexualization of Billie Jean, and in the same post, talk about how Christian Slater was hot then when he was 15-years-old during filming.

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Few-Honeydew2676@reddit

Til that Christian Slater is 5 years younger than I am.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

1 year younger than me 😂😂😂

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

True, but no one in the film was actively snapping photos of him. The dudes were trying to get a picture of her while her dress was flying up while on the scooter and swimming. I guess that was my point. Helen Slater was a beautiful woman as well. Then and now. Fair is fair

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Flaky-Debate-833@reddit

FFS

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braineatingalien@reddit

Oh it was a B movie for sure. Poorly acted and a really stupid plot. Didn’t stop me from watching it multiple times or loving it, lol.

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luluislulu2520@reddit

Actually, I would argue the acting wasn’t even bad! The girls from the trailer park were my favorite. They were all good actors in a cheesy teenage movie.

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XulManjy@reddit

gif

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LimaAndTheSeraphim@reddit

FAIR is FAIR !

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Downtown_Anteater_38@reddit

Love this movie!

She’s everywhur!

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M52_MA@reddit

For better or worse, Gen-X was the last non-woke generation. We had better comedy then, but the flipside was some arguably inappropriate sexualization.

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aran_maybe@reddit

Or we were the first woke one. Remember, we didn’t make that movie. We were just kids.

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cleveland_leftovers@reddit

Some very confusing themes in movies as a little girl growing up in the 80’s.

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SusanSickles@reddit (OP)

Totally agree

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justmarkdying@reddit

Fair is FAIR!

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Jumbly_Girl@reddit

Pretty sure that needs significantly more exclamation marks.

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Redsmoker37@reddit

Filmed around Corpus Christi and Kingsville.

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Junebugvandamme@reddit

"It doesn't taste like chicken.."

"When you rich, food ain't supposed to taste like what it is!"

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acecoffeeco@reddit

My mind was blown when I found out Christian and Helen slater weren’t related.

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JJQuantum@reddit

Isn’t the whole purpose of the movie that the sexualization of her was bad? That means it’s still in line with the bullshit that goes in today. I’m not saying it’ll ever be on the list of AFI’s top 100 movies but it was entertaining and the theme is still relevant.

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