Film
Hiding Out
A slick 1980s comedy about a stock broker forced into witness protection and disguised as a high school student. It's a fish-out-of-water farce that wants to be charming and thrilling in equal measure, landing somewhere pleasantly undemanding. Ideal for anyone nostalgic for 80s teen comedies with a slightly weird premise and zero pretensions.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you enjoy 1980s teen comedies that play a fish-out-of-water premise for warm laughs, with a slightly sour streak of city cynicism and a romance that takes its time.
Skip it if the mob threat is more backdrop than danger, so if you need real tension driving every scene, this will feel too light and too eager to please.
What it asks of you: Settle in for a brisk ninety-eight minutes with a light touch; it moves quickly between set-ups and gags, and asks little more than patience with its 1980s sheen.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Back to School1986
Rodney Dangerfield as an older man crashing college culture. Similar structure, similar tone: irreverent comedy built on the premise of an adult awkwardly navigating the youth scene with charm and humor.
But Dangerfield's comedy style feels dated now, and the film leans heavily on his abrasive persona, which won't work if you don't find him funny.
Coming Soon1999
A screwball 90s teen comedy about high schoolers trying to make a film, with similar energy and romantic subplot weaving through it. Light, bouncy, and unambitious in the best way.
But It's very much a time capsule of late-90s attitudes and humor. The cultural references may feel impenetrable or simply dated.
Sixteen Candles1984
Brat Pack era teen comedy perfected. Warm, funny, and utterly in love with its high school setting. A genuine classic that influenced the entire 80s teen comedy landscape.
But Some of the humor—particularly around Asian characters and consent—has not aged well. It's a time capsule with some genuinely uncomfortable moments.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Hiding Out
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Trading Places1983
Both hinge on financial crime forcing protagonists into radical life reinventions, using humor to survive moral compromise.
Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd as white-collar workers caught in financial intrigue. Both films pivot on a protagonist tangled in money-world crime and having to survive by wit and reinvention. Same DNA, higher stakes and much sharper wit.
But It's a John Landis film from 1983 with some racial humor that hasn't aged well. Also, it's genuinely a thriller layered under comedy, so the tone balance is different.
More like this (6)
The Secret of My Success1987
Released the same year, another comedy about reinvention and navigating a world that doesn't quite fit. Michael J. Fox brings energy and charm to a similar premise of deception and finding your footing.
But It's very 80s corporate comedy, which means a lot of broad business-world satire that feels thin. The romance subplot is undercooked.
Adventures in Babysitting1987
Another 1987 comedy built on absurd chaos and charm. Elizabeth Shue navigates an insane night in the city; similar energy of 'normal person in ridiculous situation tries to survive and be likeable.'
But The script relies heavily on set pieces rather than character development. If you want emotional depth alongside your comedy, you won't find it here.
Lucas1986
A sincere teen comedy-drama about an outsider navigating high school romance and friendship. Less cartoonish than Hiding Out but from the same era and with real emotional stakes.
But It pivots unexpectedly into something more serious and tragic. If you're looking for consistent tone and pure entertainment, the tonal shift will throw you.
Can't Buy Me Love1987
Another 1987 gem: a teen reinvents himself through social engineering. Patrick Dempsey is charming, the high school politics ring true, and there's genuine sweetness under the surface comedy.
But The fundamental premise—that money can buy acceptance—is pretty hollow. The romance feels perfunctory and the resolution doesn't quite earn its sentiment.
Zapped!1982
Both use genre premise (witness protection / telekinesis) as a vehicle for uncovering what the protagonist actually wants beneath the gimmick.
A teen comedy where a high schooler gains telekinetic powers and has to navigate attraction, friendship and school social politics. Same silly 80s energy and similar romantic entanglement, but magical rather than criminal.
But It's a straight teen sex comedy from 1982 with all the attendant creepiness. The humor is juvenile and some scenes land wrong now.
Midnight Run1988
Both are 80s comedies about people trapped in situations they didn't choose, where humor emerges from watching competent people adapt to incomprehensible circumstances.
De Niro and Grodin as a bounty hunter and his mark forced into prolonged close quarters. Similar rhythm: two people who don't belong together having to survive together, comedy blooming from tension and forced intimacy over 98 minutes.
But It's a road movie and a buddy comedy first, not a high school farce. If you want the teen comedy specifically, this replaces that with something more adult.
People
Cast
Jon CryerAndrew Morenski / Max Hauser
Keith CooganPatrick Morenski
Annabeth GishRyan Campbell
Tim QuillKevin O'Roarke
Oliver CottonHit-Man
John SpencerBakey- Gretchen CryerLucy Morenski
Anne PitoniakGrandma Jennie Morenski
Jack GilpinDr. Gusick
Lou WalkerEzzard Williams
Joy BeharGertrude
Nancy FishMrs. Billings
Directing
- Bob GiraldiDirector
Writing
- Jeff RothbergWriter
- Joe MenoskyWriter
Production
- Marty TudorExecutive Producer
- Jeff RothbergProducer