Film

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Name: Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Genre: Comedy, Family, Music, Romance
Released: 1985
Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Helen Hunt, Shannen Doherty, Lee Montgomery, Morgan Woodward

Musical
Light-hearted

A fizzy 1985 teen comedy about two girls determined to audition for a dance TV show despite parental disapproval. It's bubbly, energetic, and unapologetically about the joy of dancing and friendship. Made for anyone who loves the era's optimism, neon aesthetics, and the particular thrill of music video culture—or who just wants to feel that carefree again.

TMDb rating

3.1

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love mid-80s pop-soaked comedies where the dance numbers matter more than the plot and a sincere, slightly corny heart wins you over.

Skip it if your patience for sitcom-level plotting is thin, since the story leans on obvious setups and the dialogue is broad, so the charm has to carry it.

What it asks of you: Roughly an hour and a half of light stakes and bouncy pacing, with little demanded beyond letting the songs and cheerful setups wash over you.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Footloose1984

The spiritual predecessor: small-town teen rebels against authority through dance. Same era energy, same joy in movement, same soundtrack that defined a generation. You'll recognize the DNA.

But It's sincere in a way that can feel earnest now; the plot mechanics creak a bit. If you want irony or subversion, this isn't it.

Dirty Dancing1987

Released just two years later and equally iconic. Similar themes of young women finding their voice through dance, but with more romance and genuine stakes. The dancing is genuinely stunning.

But Darker and more serious than Girls Just Want to Have Fun—if you're seeking pure lightness, this has real conflict and sadness woven in.

The Breakfast Club1985

The same year, same spirit of teen friendship and solidarity against the adult world. John Hughes captured something about 1985 that feels permanent. Iconic ensemble chemistry.

But It's much heavier—real trauma, real stakes. Not a dance movie; if you want music and movement, you won't find it here.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Girls Just Want to Have Fun

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

200 Motels1971

Both films are about the joy of performance and music as a form of rebellion against authority; both are completely sincere about this despite the gap in tone and era.

Frank Zappa's psychedelic rock opera about a touring band. It's visually outrageous, genuinely strange, and built on the same premise: young people making art despite institutional disapproval. The energy is completely different but the spirit of youthful defiance and the centrality of music as liberation is identical.

But It's experimental, intentionally difficult, and sometimes deliberately unfunny. If you want plot coherence or a conventional narrative, this will frustrate you deeply.

Grease1978

The template for musical teen comedies. Hugely fun, packed with songs, overflowing with color and earnestness. If you loved the vibe of Girls, this is where that vibe was born.

But It's a proper musical with heavy plot obligations. Some find it saccharine; it demands you meet it in its own theatrical space.

Xanadu1980

Another 80s high-concept musical romance. Gloriously weird, visually stunning, unapologetically about the pure joy of music and movement. Underrated and weirdly earnest.

But The plot is genuinely nonsensical and the tone veers wildly. It's divisive; some people find it bewildering rather than fun.

Flashdance1983

The film that made dance movies a thing. Pure spectacle—the dancing is extraordinary, the montages are iconic, it moves like a music video. Hugely influential on what came after.

But The story is thin and the characters aren't as developed as you'd want. It's more about the visual and sonic experience than genuine narrative.

Sixteen Candles1984

Another Hughes teen classic from the same moment. Warm, funny, and deeply felt about adolescence. The ensemble feeling and the mix of comedy and heart parallel Girls nicely.

But The humor hasn't aged evenly; some jokes land differently now. It's slower-paced than Girls if you want constant energy.

Can't Buy Me Love1987

A teen romantic comedy about social outsiders and transformation. Fun, lightweight, energetic, and genuinely charming. Similar themes of reinvention and friendship.

But It's a bit formulaic and forgettable. Won't stick with you the way the best 80s teen films do.

Just One of the Guys1985

Same year as Girls. A teen girl goes undercover as a boy at a rival school. It's silly, energetic, and surprisingly progressive about gender. Good-natured fun with real charm.

But The premise is dated and the film treats some ideas about gender in ways that feel clunky now. Not as rewatchable as the best of its era.

Honey2003

Same core engine: a young woman finds her voice and community through dance despite obstacles, but filtered through hip-hop culture rather than 80s synth-pop, proving the premise is timeless.

A dance film that's genuinely about hip-hop culture, urban dance, and a young woman carving out her space. Modern, energetic, and sincere about the transformative power of dance and community. Updated DNA of Girls' central idea.

But It's a mid-2000s Threshold Entertainment film—the script is thin and the acting ranges from fine to strained. The dance is excellent but the drama around it is functional.