The movie’s two main characters are Adam Lawrence (John Travolta), a writer for Rolling Stone, and Jessie (Jamie Lee Curtis), a fitness instructor for The Sports Connection. The movie begins with Adam trying to persuade his boss Mark (Jann Wenner, real-life founder and editor of Rolling Stone) to send him to Los Angeles to get an interview with a notorious mobster. Mark agrees to send Adam to California with the stipulation that Adam will simultaneously write a story about fitness clubs becoming the new “singles’ bars” in California.
In the ’80s, the health and fitness craze was in full swing. Bally’s Total Fitness, Richard Simmons, Olivia Newton John’s Let’s Get Physical, and Nike’s Just Do It campaign were all introduced. The Sports Connection was a legendary institution, considered a main hub of America’s newfound obsession with StairMasters, dance aerobics, and sweatbands. It was the first club to give its members the total package, offering healthy foods, juice bars, instructor-led training sessions, and a place where singles could meet other singles. Although the film is not historical in the traditional sense, it captures the essence of the sun-soaked, sweat-drenched California of the eighties. The beaches, palm trees, roller skating, and overall California vibe are a constant backdrop, not to mention the blatant sexuality of living in California during the height of the fitness craze. Jessie also represents the archetypical fitness instructor, wearing leg warmers, headbands, tights, and leotards throughout the film. When a movie is able to weave non-fictional events into a fictional framework, there is much more substance.
The Perfect soundtrack includes Whitney Houston, Jermaine Jackson, The Pointer Sisters, and Wham!. The music was perfect for the time period and is incorporated into many of the film’s steamy dance aerobics scenes. And like the soundtrack, Travolta, Curtis, and the supporting cast are all superb. Travolta, in particular, displays his dramatic acting skills when conflict arises with his boss Mark. Mark is buggin’ out and wants Adam’s original idea published, but Adam is torn by his new respect and friendship of the people he originally thought were airheads.
Perfect is a decade-capturing movie. Less Than Zero captured the struggle of cocaine addictions in the ’80s. School Daze captured the struggle of African Americans’ internal conflict and political consciousness at an all-black college in the ’80s. Perfect will forever be endeared by those who lived the ’80s, especially those who grew up in sunny California. All of these films have the same goal. They show a period of time through real-life historical events, dance, music, and seduction. Perfect is a historical film, but not because you’ll read about it in the encyclopedia. It’s historical because it’s a time capsule of a very special time and place. The sun, the hair, the spandex, the men in short shorts… I want to watch Perfect over and over again. If someone said, “What were the eighties like?” I would say, “The eighties were perfect!”
Challenge: I dare you to stand in front of someone and reenact that scene. You know the one. Put on Shock Me With Your Love, stand 3 ft. apart, look into each other’s eyes, and go. Start your pelvic dance. No touching, just enjoy someone who is enjoying you! If you don’t get to 3rd base after watching this with your special one, you’re TOTALLY LAME!
Tomorrow we move on from pelvic gyrations to intensely sexual live performance with Prince’s Purple Rain! Don’t miss it!