The Allnighter (1987) * out of *****
Cast: Susanna Hoffs, Dedee Pfeiffer, Joan Cusack, John Terlesky, James Shanta, Michael Ontkean, Pam Grier, Meshach Taylor, Max Perlich Written by: M.L. Kessler and Tamar Simon Hoffs Directed by: Tamar Simon Hoffs Running Time: 95 minutes
It's the last weekend of school at Pacifica University and three beach house mates: Gina (Joan Cusack), Val (Dedee Pfeiffer) and the Molly (Susanna Hoffs, lead singer for The Bangles) have big plans. Val and Gina hope to attend a wild beach party to end all beach parties, and Molly is looking for either true love (she's looking for someone smart and cool like playwright Sam Shepard!) or a one night stand.
These plans never materialize thanks to supposed "comedic" antics that try to ruin their final big night together. For example, the guy that Molly wants her one night stand with (Sheriff Harry S. Truman from "Twin Peaks" himself, Michael Ontkean, playing an ex-rock star that Molly confuses with George Harrison!) flat out rejects her. And Gina and Val? Well they get arrested for prostitution in a wacky whimsical sub-plot!
Directed by Susanna Hoffs' mother Tamar Simon Hoffs, everything about The Allnighter is quite frankly a waste of time. Even the title is misleading, since that at least 45 minutes of this movie takes place the day after the uneventful "all nighter". The long, pointless surfing montages, the chicks in prison sub-plot (with Pam Grier to boot), and the extended sequence when Hoffs strips down to her skimpy underwear and dances around to Aretha Franklin's "Respect" are all utterly worthless (well ok, Hoffs in her underwear is fine by me, but you get the idea).
Although initially a Universal release, The Allnighter is presented on DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment. It has the film in standard (pan and scan) form, as well as it's original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Also included on the DVD: an audio commentary by director Tamar Simon Hoffs and star Susanna Hoffs, a music video for the film directed by Tamar Simon Hoffs (the song for which is slightly catchy, but the video itself is unintentionally hilarious), the original theatrical trailer, and biographies for both mother and daughter Hoffs.
The commentary track is fairly entertaining as far as commentary tracks go, but rarely do mother and daughter Hoffs seem to be on the same train of thought. They'll talk over each other and interrupt one another, then neglect to go back and finish the previous anecdote that was being told. Also at the start of the commentary, Susanna Hoffs informs us that she has laryngitis, which doesn't exactly make for an interesting listening experience.
Another bonus on the DVD is a short film circa 1982 written, produced, and directed by Tamar Simon Hoffs called The Haircut. It stars John Cassavetes as a businessman who enters a barber shop for a quick trim only to come away amazed at the deluxe full-service treatment given inside. This short film runs roughly 20 minutes long, and is infinitely more entertaining than anything in The Allnighter. Running commentary is also given for this short film by both mother and daughter (the latter appears in the film as part of "The Bangs"... an early formation of The Bangles).
Overall, Anchor Bay gives us a fairly solid DVD for a film that barely seems worth all the effort. I mean sure it might be "the first major studio film written, produced, and directed by a woman"... but does that make it any good? No. [PG-13]
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