1980s Screwball Comedy With Star Wars Icon At Risk Of Being Forgotten Forever

Loverboy is about college freshman Randy Bodek (Patrick Dempsey), a teen that blew off most of his first year at school and comes home for the summer with the grades that match his attitude. To his father, this is the last straw. The old man refuses to pay for another semester of school, putting Randy in a position that forces him to work as a pizza delivery driver to make money to pay for tuition on his own.

Complicating matters for Randy in Loverboy is how he left things with his college girlfriend, Jenny (Nancy Vallen). They were living together the last semester, but his constant partying and his uncertain return to college leaves their relationship in limbo. But just as the money for school seems to be hopeless, Randy is lured to a delivery in a mansion in Beverly Hills that changes everything about his summer.

The woman he delivers the pizza to (ordered with “extra anchovies”) had spotted Randy the day before at a clothing store and was taken by him. She ordered the pizza as a ruse to get him to her house for a tryst, then tips him $200 for his Loverboy delivery services.

The mysterious woman is named Alex (Barbara Carrera), and she tells Randy to be on the lookout for orders with extra anchovies. Soon, calls from wealthy and lonely Beverly Hills housewives begin to pour into the pizza place, making Randy become an overnight male gigolo that earns $200 a pop delivering his goods.

All seems like smooth sailing in Loverboy until the husbands of some of Randy’s regular lady clients become suspicious. His future that once seemed certain is now put in jeopardy by the irate spouses of Monica (Carrie Fisher), Joyce (Kirstie Alley), and Kyoko (Kim Miyori). As the movie unfolds, it’s apparent that Randy won’t be able to keep up these shenanigans forever without something coming to a head.

Loverboy barely earned half of its $8 million budget back at the box office and was met with mostly negative reviews by critics at the time of its release. But its quirky storyline and great lineup of stars should have rightfully paved its way for success. The film had a great soundtrack to boot, with Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians and The Escape Club as featured artists, which worked to capture the mood and pulse of the late 1980s.

The acting was great, with Dempsey really coming into his element as a comedic performer. His scenes with his clients showed Randy evolving from a bumbling teen into a pretty suave and sophisticated young man, turning heads as he turns on the charm. Loverboy certainly had the ensemble cast going for it, too, with Robert Picardo (The ‘Burbs, with co-star Tom Hanks), Vic Tayback (Alice), and Kate Jackson (Charlie’s Angels) all making memorable contributions to this much-overlooked film.

GFR SCORE

Loverboy packs a funny story with plenty of mildly cringe moments and hilarious one-liners into a 98-minute film that is worthy of 3.5/5.0-stars. Dempsey and the rest of the cast are near flawless in their respective roles, each one adding unforgettable moments with their unique delivery styles.

Sadly, Loverboy isn’t available On Demand or on any free streaming service. It’s available on DVD and is certainly a comedy worth buying on physical media.