Can't Buy Me Love? Can't Buy Me a Good Score...

Alright folks, HughesReviews here. So, I re-watched "Can't Buy Me Love" the other night. Nostalgia, you know? I remember loving this movie as a kid. But let's be real, while Patrick Dempsey's transformation from lovable dweeb to popular guy is kinda fun, the music... oh boy. The actual score is practically non-existent. It's mostly just 80s pop tracks, which, don't get me wrong, are catchy. We're talking Katrina & The Waves, that Wang Chung track... but it's not really scoring the film, is it? It's just... there. Like wallpaper. I kept waiting for some kind of thematic development, you know? Like when Ronald's popularity goes to his head and he starts ditching his old friends, that's a prime opportunity for some melancholy strings or something. But nope, just another upbeat pop song playing in the background while he's doing the African Anteater dance. Which, while iconic, deserves a better musical backdrop, honestly. I feel like a decent composer could have really elevated those emotional beats, the moments where you actually feel bad for Ronald (and Cindy, too, stuck with the 'too cool' crowd). I'm not saying the songs are bad. It's a great 80s playlist. It just feels like a missed opportunity. This movie could have been elevated – or at least given more depth – with a solid score that actually underscored the emotional journey of the characters. There's a hint of an attempt at suspense during the motorcycle date, but again it is short-lived and barely noticeable. Maybe I'm asking too much from a teen comedy from the 80s. But I always hold out hope. I always want a film score to pull me in, to make me feel something beyond what the visuals already convey. 'Can't Buy Me Love' just... doesn't. It's pure 80s fluff in the score department, though I can't help but smile whenever the movie plays.