Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- irreverent
- sincere
- nostalgic movie night
- teen romance night
What critics said
Critics generally find the film goofy and amiable, with engaging lead performances that both subvert and celebrate teen-comedy superficiality.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Julie’s valley social circle and Randy’s punk identity create the central romantic and social opposition.
Randy’s city punk persona and the film’s punk rock context place subcultural music at the center of the teen world.
Julie’s trendy friends pressure her to preserve the expected relationship and social image.
The film’s goofy, amiable treatment celebrates and subverts the superficiality of teen-comedy conventions.
Films like Valley Girl, and why
Some Kind of Wonderful
teen romantic comedy centered on social-class or subcultural differences, youthful rebellion, and an energetic 1980s atmosphere
Pretty in Pink
teen romance balancing sincere young love against peer pressure, status anxiety, and familiar genre conventions
Sixteen Candles
witty coming-of-age romance about outsiders challenging cliques and shallow social expectations
Movie Details
- Director
- Martha Coolidge
- Release Date
- 1983-04-08
- Runtime
- 99 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (283)
Cast
- Nicolas Cage
- Deborah Foreman
- E. G. Daily
- Michael Bowen
- Cameron Dye
- Heidi Holicker
- Michelle Meyrink
- Tina Theberge
- Lee Purcell
- Richard Sanders
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Valley Girl about?
- A valley teenager risks her status-conscious social world for a punk outsider in this buoyant, music-infused 1980s romance.
- What is Valley Girl like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Valley Girl as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Valley Girl violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Valley Girl as mild.
- What did critics think of Valley Girl?
- Critics generally find the film goofy and amiable, with engaging lead performances that both subvert and celebrate teen-comedy superficiality.
- Which films are like Valley Girl?
- Films with a similar feel include Some Kind of Wonderful, Pretty in Pink, and Sixteen Candles.
- How long is Valley Girl?
- Valley Girl runs 99 minutes.
- Where can I watch Valley Girl?
- In United States, Valley Girl streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
