Earth Girls Are Easy

Crass, silly, tacky: it's not easy to depict the complexities of being a Valley Girl, but in this zany musical, director Temple and co-writer/star Julie Brown have a go. The plot is about a day in the lives of three aliens (led by Goldblum) who, after crash-landing in LA, set off to explore the hot-spots in the company of a lovelorn manicurist (Davis). But first they're introduced to beauty salon owner Candy (Brown), who transforms the furry freaks into human-looking specimens capable of partying and falling in love. The plot ain't much, nor is it supposed to be. This is deliberately, gleefully vacuous entertainment, and any satirical edge is blunted by the film's obvious affection for its subject. But there are excesses, as when Brown, in a beach-movie parody, kicks up sand and warbles about the virtues of being blonde. It's one of several redundant moments, aimed at patently dated, soft targets. But by the time the aliens are shaved and shimmying in the beauty parlour, you'll either be shamelessly hooked or hopelessly bored.