Can't Buy Me Love

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Can't Buy Me Love is available in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the UK on Disney Plus right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. Its 7/10 TMDB score, built from 718 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Patrick Dempsey is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Disney Plus.

Can't Buy Me Love is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Can't Buy Me Love does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. Nerdy high schooler Ronald Miller rescues cheerleader Cindy Mancini from parental punishment after she accidentally destroys her mother's designer clothes. Ronald agrees to pay for the $1,000 outfit on one condition: that she will act as though they're a couple for an entire month. As the days pass, however, Cindy grows fond of Ronald, making him popular. Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1987. Can't Buy Me Love earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, Can't Buy Me Love is a strong candidate. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Patrick Dempsey sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.