The Boyfriend School

Watch The Boyfriend School

"A romantic comedy about true love under false pretenses."
  • PG-13
  • 1990
  • 1 hr 43 min
  • 5.7  (3,208)

The Boyfriend School is a romantic comedy film from 1990 that follows Gus Kubicek (Steve Guttenberg), a struggling writer who coaches his friend's girlfriend's sister, Emily Pear (Jami Gertz), on how to find a perfect boyfriend. Gus creates a persona for Emily to act with men, but things go awry when she goes to interview for a writing job and the editor, Enid (Shelley Long), mistakes her fabricated persona for Emily's genuine self.

The film starts with Gus narrating his struggles and cultural differences between Chicago, where he is from, and the small town in Michigan where Emily lives. Gus's friend, Joel (Kyle MacLachlan), seeks help from him to prepare his girlfriend's sister, Emily, to charm and attract a decent bachelor who could potentially be her future boyfriend.

Gus accepts the challenge, but he is skeptical about Emily's ability to succeed in her love life. However, he begins to help her by creating a persona for her that he believes will attract men. His plan is to tell Emily everything she needs to know about their interests, like fishing and sports, and changes her behavior to fit the desired mold to catch their attention.

Emily's transformation continues as she gains more confidence in her new role. Gus takes her shopping for clothes, changes her hairstyle, and teaches her how to cook. Despite his skepticism, he begins to feel an attraction towards Emily and can see the genuine person beyond the facade he has created.

When Emily finally gets a job interview that could kickstart her writing career, things take a hilarious turn. Gus's sister, Gretchen (Fiona Shaw), changes the telephone answering machine to a message describing Emily's new persona, which Enid hears. Enid, thinks she has found the perfect writer for her newspaper and hires Emily on the merit of her persona.

As time passes, the lines between Emily's personality and Gus's persona start blurring as Gus begins to show romantic interest towards her. Emily becomes confused about who she truly is and how much the persona is a part of her.

Meanwhile, Gus's sister, Gretchen, is sceptical of his methods and starts creating opinions of her. She voices her concerns at a dinner party, which leads to a humorous showdown between the two.

The Boyfriend School is a throwback romantic-comedy that captures the essence of 80s cinema. Its plotline may seem predictable, but the performances of the lead characters make it a delectable watch. Steve Guttenberg leads with impeccable timing and acting, making the character of Gus lovable and relatable. Jami Gertz shines in her role as Emily, embracing the changes in the character with much ease.

Shelley Long plays the side character who lends spark and humor to the story, adding an extra edge to the film. Kyle MacLachlan, as Joel, Gust's friend, has a brief role, but he packs a punch with his scenes.

The Boyfriend School offers a nostalgic ride, with its off-beat romantic comedy storyline that offers timesless advice on navigating courtship. It teaches how not to create and facade before the ultimate freefall where one can no longer distinguish between their genuine person and the persona they create for society.

In conclusion, The Boyfriend school is a movie that is entertaining, puts a smile on the viewer's face, and offers a sweet story of two people who fall in love amidst misunderstandings and faux appearances. It leaves the viewer satisfied with its funny and sentimental narrative, which takes them along for the ride. It's a perfect movie to watch in search of lighthearted entertainment.

The Boyfriend School is a 1990 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 43 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.7.

The Boyfriend School
Description
Where to Watch The Boyfriend School
The Boyfriend School is available to watch free on Tubi TV. It's also available to stream, download on demand at Amazon Prime. Some platforms allow you to rent The Boyfriend School for a limited time or purchase the movie and download it to your device.
  • Release Date
    1990
  • MPAA Rating
    PG-13
  • Runtime
    1 hr 43 min
  • Language
    English
  • IMDB Rating
    5.7  (3,208)