Eddie and the Cruisers

In 1962, Eddie and the Cruisers were the hottest local band to hit the New Jersey music scene. They were known for playing songs such as “Betty Lou’s Got A New Pair of Shoes.” But that’s not enough for the bands lead singer, Eddie Wilson (Michael Pare). He wants his own songs that people will remember. He soon hires Frank Ridgeway (Tom Berenger) as both their song writer and piano player, and he even gives him the nickname “Word Man” because he has a flair for words. Soon, the band finds themselves recording their first album and their song, “On the Dark Side,” becomes a number one smash hit. Eddie soon finds himself becoming a rock star.

A year later, the band records a second album, but when they eventually finish it, the record company refuses to release it, saying that it’s garbage. Eddie doesn’t take the rejection very well. He storms out of the recording studio and that night, his car takes a dive off of a Jersey bridge. His body is never found. The band breaks up and goes their separate ways.

Twenty years later, the band’s first album, “Tender Years” has made a comeback and is bigger then ever, with Eddie Wilson once again becoming a rock star. Reporter Maggie Foley (Ellen Barkin) wants to do a TV documentary on the Cruisers and one by one is searching out the surviving band members for information. She soon comes up with a theory… what if Eddie is still alive? After all, his body was never found. And when Ms. Foley goes to the studio to get her hands on the never-released album, she finds the tapes are missing. Someone checked them out the day after Eddie supposedly died. Somebody has also been ransacking the homes of the surviving band members. Is it Eddie? Or is it someone playing a cruel joke? Or maybe it’s some music fans so obsessed with the Cruisers that they want those tapes? As the pieces are fit together, the truth is eventually revealed.

This movie features only a couple of bad words. No “F” word is used and God’s name is never used in vain. Plus, there is absolutely no nudity or sexual innuendos. I loved this movie as a young child and it still remains a favorite of mine. This movie is perfect for Christians because you don’t have to keep your finger on the fast forward button and I find it to be suitable for both young children and teenagers, as well as adults. In an age where even PG rated movies can be offensive, this film shows us what the PG rating should stand for.