Grandview, U.S.A. Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Grandview, U.S.A. Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 16, 2016

1984’s “Grandview, U.S.A.” should’ve been a sure thing. Coming off massive teen-centric hits in “Grease” and “The Blue Lagoon,” director Randal Kleiser was ready to return to the woes of adolescents and unknown futures, inspired by classic coming-of-age formula and the video revolution of MTV, a channel in its infancy during production. But something, somewhere went wrong with the picture, which aims to be a heart-swelling study of maturity and romantic devotion, but ends up a mess of ideas in search of consistency. Kleiser is all over the place with the feature, and while he’s successful with certain ideas and performances, there isn’t an overriding feeling of leadership carrying the viewing experience along, leaving the movie episodic and periodically ridiculous.

In the town of Grandview, Illinois, Tim Pearson (C. Thomas Howell) is a smart kid facing a stifling future. Dreaming of a career in oceanography, Tim is stuck with a scholarship to a local college, pleasing his influential realtor father, Roger (Ramon Bieri). Struggling with the final month of high school, Tim’s attention is turned to Mike Cody (Jamie Lee Curtis), the co-owner of a local demolition derby track, Cody’s Speedrome. The family business has hit hard times, with Mike trying to raise enough cash to save it, helping Betty (Carole Cook) and her mentally challenged brother, Cowboy (John Philbin), hoping to preserve a local tradition. Slam Webster (Patrick Swayze) is the king of the derby, but he’s working through difficult times with adulterous wife Candy (Jennifer Jason Leigh), who’s taken a lover in Donny (Troy Donahue). Realizing his true feelings for Mike, Slam tries to make himself available to the distracted woman, who’s also responsive to Tim’s troubles, making a connection to the teenager as summer arrives and drastic changes are in store for Grandview.

The screenplay by Ken Hixon is a mix of “The Last Picture Show” and a television drama, working to depict Grandview as a town on the edge of obsolescence, with its tight-knit community vibe endangered by the changing times. Cody’s Speedrome was once the premiere weekend destination, with crowds coming from all over to watch cars crash and egos fly, finding Slam still attached to the highs of the pastime, building a brand name of domination that doesn’t translate to his home life. Mike is behind on bills and loan payments, fighting to preserve tradition and her family history, trying to keep things together as stress gobbles up her youth. Tim is trapped in a collegiate plan he doesn’t want, dreaming of open water (he hopes to be the “next Jacques Cousteau”) while Roger hopes to keep him close, creating a divide between the father and son and a need within the teen to exit Grandview as soon as possible. Hixon has the foundation for a study of eroding innocence, and he toys with literary-inspired sweep, delivering three main characters in various stages of distress and transformation, spending most of their time getting in their own way.

“Grandview, U.S.A.” is also a teensploitation film from the 1980s, leaving any lasting dramatic impact minimal at best. It’s melodramatic at times, painfully silly as well, with the opening of the feature following Tim to prom, where a chance to score with his date in the back of his father’s prized Cadillac results in the car sinking into a muddy lake, killing the mood and souring the boy’s relationship with his dad. However, Kleiser keeps matters relatively chaste, preferring to celebrate his characters instead of sending them through a cartoon obstacle course, finding Slam’s run-ins with a gun-toting Donny as extreme as the picture gets, trying to wring laughs from a depressing situation of marital ruin. Quirks are common, including Cowboy’s toy gun defense of his car wreck kingdom and his obsession with gum, but “Grandview, U.S.A.” plays it calm for the most part, which is an interesting separation from the hyperactive offerings of the era. The only real juvenile indulgence is found with Tim’s MTV-inspired daydreams, which make the academic overachiever the star of his own music videos, turning town residents (including Joan and John Cusack) into backup dancers, while Mike is transformed into a video vixen aching to be conquered.

The videos don’t jibe with the emotionality of the picture, appearing like an aborted idea that was intended to run throughout the entirety of “Grandview, U.S.A.” They’re energetically performed (making wispy Howell into a bare-chested rock god), but the musical numbers break up what little flow there is, emerging as bad ideas hastily rethought by the production. Unfortunately, “Grandview, U.S.A.” is loaded with half-realized or drastically edited subplots and characterizations, finding Mike’s sexual attraction to Tim the most bewildering development of the film, which drags poor alcoholic Slam into the confusion, watching the demolition derby monster wrestle with his own vague motivations.

Kleiser is better with smaller bites of storytelling, creating a clean sense of frustration for Mike as she does battle with city leaders over the future of Cody’s Speedrome, combating Roger over secretive plans for the property that put Tim in the middle of the issue. Curtis gives an amazingly patient performance to help the movie along, matched well with Swayze (who’s always a joy to watch, no matter the material), with the pair contributing at least to the illusion of gravitas as Kleiser favors bubblegum. “Grandview U.S.A.” doesn’t have enough weight to engage, but it shows signs of life, unsure if it wants to be a serious statement on maturity or a big electric-guitar-slinging goof.

Grandview, U.S.A. Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as a recent HD remaster, handling the picture's attention to neighborhood details quite well. Distances are preserved, allowing a survey of locations, and costume textures are appealing, also bringing life to facial reactions. Colors are correct, with agreeable primaries and bold greenery. The first music video detour is fuzzed out with blurred hues (it looks like a 3D sequence), but this appears to be a creative decision. Delineation is comfortable. Source hits a few pockets of speckling, but remains clean. Grain is filmic.

Grandview, U.S.A. Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix isn't as dynamic as hoped, showcasing more of a hollow presence than a full one. Atmospherics are loud, and while evocative, they threaten some of the dialogue encounters at the demolition derby track. The rest of the dramatic exchanges are acceptable, finding proper emphasis and mood. Soundtrack cuts deliver sharp instrumentation and some low-end snap. Scoring supports as needed. Surrounds aren't a priority to the track, barely worked out, only reserved to push out group dynamics and dream sequence visits.

Grandview, U.S.A. Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

No supplementary material is included on the disc.

Grandview, U.S.A. Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Grandview U.S.A." isn't a total wipe out, but it's a frustrating viewing experience, with half the picture aiming one way, while the rest aims the other way. It doesn't really know what it wants to be, but it's committed to certain ideas and a mood of small town quaintness. Kleiser certainly has experience with this type of conflict and wish-fulfillment, but his focus doesn't sharpen to satisfaction, keeping the feature unsatisfying and unclear, even as it sticks to formulaic developments.