Reviewed By: Jimmy D.
The Legend of Billie Jean holds a special place in my heart. I am proud to admit I was at the theater when this Tri-Star film opened in 85. Matthew Robbins, many will say killed Mark Hamill’s career with Corvette Summer or tried to cash in on the Cocoon craze with Batteries not Included. Many will forget the little gem that is this film. Starring Supergirl herself Helen Slater, Pump up the Volume’s Christian Slater and one of my favorite directors ever Keith Gordon. This film centers on this nobody who just one day gets to be a huge somebody.
People will compare this film to Turk 182 which came out around the same time with another rebel played by Timothy Hutton who really does not have to do that much to win over the people’s love and adulation. The film tells the story of Billy Jean Davy who looks like she was auditioning for either Square Pegs or Flashdance, who lives in a trailer in Texas. She is an innocent beautiful blonde who seems to attract the wrong kind of attention. She gets bullies to chase her and her younger brother played by Christian Slater. When the bullies cause around 600.00 dollars to damage to Binx’s motorcycle, she goes to the father of the kid who started it and demands the money. Well the father tries to get a little too fresh and Billie Jean knees him till Binx stumbles onto a gun he fires it and turning him and his sister Billie Jean into outlaws.
This film is that kind of cheesy, where the girl does not even try to hide or keep a low-profile. Soon enough she becomes a hero and people want her autograph. After watching a television movie about Joan of Arc she decides to chop off her hair and develop this persona. Soon enough even that haircut is emulated more than a Madonna look in that era. This film to me is just the perfect throwback to 80’s film, this and the John Hughes stuff shows you just where we came from to today’s vision.
Helen Slater and the cast all did a fine job with what they had and most of all; this film just does not have one moment of dull. It is just a fun little nostalgia trip that if you seen it back then, you should see it now. If you never witnessed it, you should seek it out.
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