84 From ’84: Grandview, U.S.A.

With only a week left before graduation, a young dreamer itches to renounce an uninspiring scholarship, stand up to his despotic father and pursue a career in oceanography. But, has anyone ever spread his wings away from Grandview, U.S.A.?

Cast:

• Jamie Lee Curtis as Michelle ‘Mike’ Cody
• C. Thomas Howell as Tim Pearson
• Patrick Swayze as Ernie ‘Slam’ Webster
• Jennifer Jason Leigh as Candy Webster
• Carole Cook as Betty Welles
• John Philbin as Cowboy
• Ramon Bieri as Roger Pearson
• Elizabeth Gorcey as Bonnie Clark
• M. Emmet Walsh as Mr. Clark

1984 memories

Grandview, U.S.A. was another rental for me. Actually I had my sister rent it while we were at the video store. Being rated ‘R’ I didn’t think I’d be able to rent it. I’d find out later the clerk didn’t really care.

I enjoyed this movie in 1984. Growing up in a small town I could identify with Tim’s desire to move out to the bigger world. It had some good action and a cool music video sequence.

I hope it holds up after forty years.

40th Anniversary Re-watch

I still enjoy this movie. What’s not to love? It has Jamie Lee Curtis, C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze, demolition derby and did I mention, Jamie Lee Curtis…

Young Tim (C. Thomas Howell), but not too young, they make sure to point out he is 18, this will be important later in the movie. Tim is about to graduate High School and wants to go to school in Florida to study Oceanography while Tim’s dad wants him to accept the scholarship to Illinois State and take over the family car dealership.

After prom, Tim and his girlfriends Bonnie are parked by the river in his dad’s new Cadillac. As they are fooling around the car starts rolling backward and into the river. The two walk, wet and muddy, to Cody’s Speedway to get a tow. There Tim meets Michelle “Mike’ Cosy (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Slam (Patrick Swayze).

Slam tows Tim’s car home and the next morning is a funny bit when Tim’s dad sees the car. It’s covered in mud and when he opens the door a slurry of muddy river water pours out.

Mike has her own issues, she’s trying to save the Speedway her dad left her which is in financial trouble. Slam is a tow truck driver and part time demolition derby racer who is dealing with a cheating wife at home.

Slams story, while unfortunate, is also funny. When Slam catches his wife, Candy, with her boyfriend, Donny, he jumps and kicks the boyfriends sweet Trans-Am. Then the boyfriend pulls a gun and ends up shooting his own foot. The story line culminates when Slam drives a front-end loader into the house, while Candy and Donny are inside. It’s a funny scene as Slam smashes the house with Donny tied to the bed in his underwear.

The house is completely destroyed and Slam is arrested.

Back to Mike and the Speedway… Tim finds out his dad is part of a deal to close the speedway and build a country club in its place. Tim reveals the plan at a Town Hall meeting and Mike is able to get more time to save the speedway.

Mike and Tim start a innocent relationship that quickly turns into a physical relationship. Hey, it’s Jamie Lee Curtis, who can blame the kid, uh, young man, he is 18 after all. But it doesn’t last and Tim decides to decline the scholarship and move to Chicago to work with a friend until he has enough money to get to Florida.

Favorite Line:

Boy, you just discover the oldest sexual position in the book…The foolish position.

In the end Mike and Slam end up together, as they should, and the two give Tim an old car and money to get to Florida.

Grandview, U.S.A. is still a good movie to watch in 2024. The acting is good, the story is good, the action is good and it has a great music video dream sequence. Jamie Lee Curits is great in her role, Patrick Swayze is fantastic and C. Thomas Howell is great in his second movie of 1984. The other movie was Tank, which I covered earlier.

Quick side note, this is the third movie Swayze and Howell worked together in a one year period. They were in The Outsiders in 1983, this movie and Red Dawn, released one week after Grandview, U.S.A.

If you haven’t seen Grandview, U.S.A. it’s worth your time. Add it to your summer (or fall) watch list.
Grandview, U.S.A. smashed into theaters on 03 Aug 1984. Unfortunately, it was a bust at the box office, making just over $4.7 million on a $5 million budget.

Did you watch Grandview, U.S.A.? If so let me know your thoughts in the comments below or on X(Twitter). The main Geekster channel is @GeeksterMedia and I’m @MileHighSamurai You can also find me on Bluesky @MileHighSamurai

6/10 stars

Check out the entire 84 From ’84 movie series