Most of us that grew up in the 70s and 80s are the familiar with the song, You Light Up My Life. But was anyone familiar with the movie of the same name? Most people probably weren't, but I remember seeing it advertised in TV Guides and being kind of curious but never getting around to it. I recently found it in YouTube and checked it out.
I do remember hearing about Joseph Brooks (via 48 Hours), who committed suicide after several women accused him of casting couch rapes. Judging from the opening credits he was clearly ambitious. He was the writer, producer, director, songwriter, maybe even catering, I don't know. What I do know is that the movie is one big meh.
Laurie is a struggling actress, singer, and songwriter juggling numerous gigs. She's engaged to Ken, who just looks disinterested in the whole wedding process (can you blame him after seeing the bridesmaids and ushers dragging a giant clamshell down the aisle with Laurie and Ken in it during rehearsal?). Her father Si pushes her to be a comedian like him, but it's not her timing that's the problem (as Si insists), but that her heart just isn't in it.
She meets Cris at a restaurant when she's trying to make a phone call. He wants to spend time with Laurie, but she keeps saying no until she gives in. He still wants to see her, but she says it's just a one night stand. But they do run into each other later in the film when he's the director of a film and she's auditioning to dub the voice. In short, she dumps Ken (finally), she tells Si no more stand up comedy with a dummy and outdated jokes (finally), and gets her heart broken when Cris hires another woman for the movie (and is clearly sleeping with said woman). In the end, she hightails it to New York for a record contract, her future uncertain but a whole lot happier.
It's not a terrible film, but it's not high art either. The movie feels like a 70s time capsule, right down to the fashions. It's more like a Lifetime TV movie, not a theatrical release. The acting is passable (loved Didi Conn since Grease). It's nice that they cast actors that look like everyday people instead of people that look like they're posing for a magazine. The interactions between Laurie and the men in her life feels really dated, especially her interactions with Cris. Cris can't seem to take "NO" for an answer, and in the end treats Laurie like a discarded tissue after she doesn't get hired for the movie.
And the dubbing of Conn's voice is soooooo obvious. Conn has a cutsie speaking voice, but the singing voice (not by Debby Boone) sounds too professional. When Natalie Wood's singing voice was dubbed in West Side Story, it was seamless. Not so much here. If you want to hear Ms. Conn's actual singing voice, look up the animated movie Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure from 1977 (she's the voice of Ann) and you'll hear what I mean.
I'm glad I finally got to see the film after all these years. Just don't expect Oscar-caliber quality (despite the song winning the Oscar). It's just a nice little film to pass the time with.
I do remember hearing about Joseph Brooks (via 48 Hours), who committed suicide after several women accused him of casting couch rapes. Judging from the opening credits he was clearly ambitious. He was the writer, producer, director, songwriter, maybe even catering, I don't know. What I do know is that the movie is one big meh.
Laurie is a struggling actress, singer, and songwriter juggling numerous gigs. She's engaged to Ken, who just looks disinterested in the whole wedding process (can you blame him after seeing the bridesmaids and ushers dragging a giant clamshell down the aisle with Laurie and Ken in it during rehearsal?). Her father Si pushes her to be a comedian like him, but it's not her timing that's the problem (as Si insists), but that her heart just isn't in it.
She meets Cris at a restaurant when she's trying to make a phone call. He wants to spend time with Laurie, but she keeps saying no until she gives in. He still wants to see her, but she says it's just a one night stand. But they do run into each other later in the film when he's the director of a film and she's auditioning to dub the voice. In short, she dumps Ken (finally), she tells Si no more stand up comedy with a dummy and outdated jokes (finally), and gets her heart broken when Cris hires another woman for the movie (and is clearly sleeping with said woman). In the end, she hightails it to New York for a record contract, her future uncertain but a whole lot happier.
It's not a terrible film, but it's not high art either. The movie feels like a 70s time capsule, right down to the fashions. It's more like a Lifetime TV movie, not a theatrical release. The acting is passable (loved Didi Conn since Grease). It's nice that they cast actors that look like everyday people instead of people that look like they're posing for a magazine. The interactions between Laurie and the men in her life feels really dated, especially her interactions with Cris. Cris can't seem to take "NO" for an answer, and in the end treats Laurie like a discarded tissue after she doesn't get hired for the movie.
And the dubbing of Conn's voice is soooooo obvious. Conn has a cutsie speaking voice, but the singing voice (not by Debby Boone) sounds too professional. When Natalie Wood's singing voice was dubbed in West Side Story, it was seamless. Not so much here. If you want to hear Ms. Conn's actual singing voice, look up the animated movie Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure from 1977 (she's the voice of Ann) and you'll hear what I mean.
I'm glad I finally got to see the film after all these years. Just don't expect Oscar-caliber quality (despite the song winning the Oscar). It's just a nice little film to pass the time with.