Girls Just Want to Have Fun

An affable ’80s comedy, Girls Just Want to Have Fun follows Sarah Jessica Parker’s Janey as she and a new friend (Helen Hunt’s Lynne) enter a local dance contest – with the movie detailing Janey’s efforts at preparing for the final round alongside a hunky partner named Jeff (Lee Montgomery). Filmmaker Alan Metter has infused Girls Just Want to Have Fun with a briskly-paced and irresistibly bubbly vibe that’s reflected most keenly in its performances, as both Parker and Hunt deliver completely charming work that’s heightened by the efforts of an eclectic supporting cast (including Jonathan Silverman and Shannen Doherty). The familiar yet appealing storyline doesn’t hold much in the way of surprises, certainly, although Metter generally does a nice job of allaying the more hackneyed elements within Amy Spies’ screenplay by emphasizing fun and bubbly set-pieces. And although the film’s third act drags somewhat and feels a little anticlimactic, Girls Just Want to Have Fun is nevertheless a decent-enough endeavor that remains perfectly watchable for much of its appropriately brief running time.

**1/2 out of ****