Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985):

-for once in this genre, the parents are portrayed as neither monsters nor morons, which was very refreshing at the time. yeah sjp's dad though strict is likeable, as in scene where he knocks at her door and asks for status report on homework. and I like jeff's dad a lot, like in scene where little sister mocks him, mouthing his words "you have to have a skill" (same scene where jeff says "my little sister dances with doorknobs" -"just practising for when I finally get asked to dance." shannon doherty really is fun here.

and Helen Hunt: fantastic. every line turns great as she says it. "He's a guy & he's alive, what's not to like?" Janey: he's just ugh. you know: ugh. "I like those qualities in a guy."

and now - "leave it to me" when parents know Janey was not at choir - rushes her in "okay kiddo you're home, you're alive. ..she over-did it on the uneven bars, practically spun to death. I'm not kidding, I had to rip her hands from the bar.."

early on, on the school bus - "what's wrong? ... oh I know, you're going to miss the beginning of Dance TV." it's okay I'm used to missing things.
"well get over it." Helen Hunt is so great saying that.

...

really this movie is good.
not even dumb at all, twenty-two years later. well, the mean girl is over-the-top sure. but otherwise all the characters are realistic enough.
strict dad at the studio: she is good isn't she?
little brother watching the show on tv: Janie looks fantastic! mother: she sure does.
earlier, mother to dad: this reminds me of when we used to dance.
and the best is jeff's dad at the bar - that's my kid on tv! and so proud when he wins. and his friends pour beer on him.
and cute shannon doherty all awestruck when her brother's friend - funny cutiepie Jonathan Silverman - kisses her as part of his excited reaction to janey & jeff winning

Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985) - IMDb user comments:
-Girls Just Want to Have Fun is the ultimate movie of the 80s. I was 8 years old me too when this came out and my friends and I would hold our own Dance TV, of course everyone wanted to be Janey but I wanted to be Helen Hunt's character Lynne.
Even though Sarah Jessica Parker had the title role and the hunky Lee Montgomery as her dance partner and boyfriend, this film belonged to Helen Hunt. She was absolutely wonderful as the best friend who helped Janey with her dream of being on Dance TV.
yeah the character of Lynne is a superstar.

-My favorite songs from the movie are Dancing In Heaven, Technique, and I Can Fly.

"Dancing in Heaven, I never thought - I'd ever get my feet this far" dance contest - final dance off?

"I Can Fly! now I'm stronger than ever" - montage jeff & janey practicing in the park (I think)

did-do I own this soundtrack? I sure know the songs. maybe I recorded them by holding a boombox up to the tv. I know I did that with Grease II.

- I think that this movie is great!! The first time that I saw it was in the 80's and the music was fantastic and as a girl Janie and Lynne were so easy to relate to. Every little girl in the 80's wished that she could dance like Janie Glenn!!
- It's such a feelgood movie. It makes you want to dance. Sarah and Helen are great in this movie. And I think Sarah did alot of her own stunts because she was doing gymnastics at the time. The dancing is great and the music is pure 80's fun.