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Can't Buy Me Love

Play trailer Poster for Can't Buy Me Love PG-13,  1987,  1h 34m,  Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Stream Now Watchlist 48% 25 Reviews Tomatometer 74% 25,000+ Ratings Popcornmeter
48% Tomatometer 25 Reviews 74% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Nerdy high schooler Ronald Miller (Patrick Dempsey) rescues cheerleader Cindy Mancini (Amanda Peterson) 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. But when Ronald's former best friend gets left behind, he realizes that social success isn't everything.
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Can't Buy Me Love

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Can't Buy Me Love

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Critics Consensus

While Can't Buy Me Love gets some value out of its plucky leads, this romantic comedy struggles to find grace in a cynical conceit that belongs in the bargain bin.

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Critics Reviews

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Time Out Jun 24, 2006
A slight but not unenjoyable movie. Go to Full Review
Caryn James New York Times May 20, 2003
2.5/5
The film thinks it wants to be sincere, when all it truly wants is to be popular, just like the other kids' movies, so it sells off its originality. Go to Full Review
Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Jan 1, 2000
0.5/4
It doesn't have a thought in its head and probably no notion of the corruption at its core. Go to Full Review
Rachel Wagner Rachel's Reviews (YouTube) Jun 22, 2025
Too unlikable of characters to work Go to Full Review
David Nusair Reel Film Reviews Mar 6, 2021
2.5/4
...a mostly watchable comedy that benefits substantially from the affable work of its two stars... Go to Full Review
Ángel Fernández-Santos El Pais (Spain) Apr 1, 2020
Its conformist happy ending negates the initial nonconformist feeling of the original premise. [Full Review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Draco S Mar 24, 2019 Perfect Movie! Gorgeous all Around!
Hagrid P Aug 26, 2018 Its good because it teaches you money can't buy you happiness
Jun 30, 2018 My favorite movie as a teenager. They just don't make movies like this anymore.
Luke P May 6, 2018 Come for the '80s nostalgia, not the stupid story.
Hagrid S Dec 14, 2017 Typical 80's teen comedy that falls short for me. Not completely awful but not as good as John Hughes movies. The cast overacts terribly. Much of the story is not believable. I don't hate it though. See more
Nov 13, 2017 Solid, cute '80s flick.
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Can't Buy Me Love

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Steve Rash

Director

Patrick Dempsey

Ronald Miller

Amanda Peterson

Cindy Mancini

Courtney Gains

Kenneth Wurman

Tina Caspary

Barbara

Seth Green

Chuckie Miller

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Can't Buy Me Love

Can't Buy Me Love (1987) Can't Buy Me Love (1987) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Nerdy high schooler Ronald Miller (Patrick Dempsey) rescues cheerleader Cindy Mancini (Amanda Peterson) 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. But when Ronald's former best friend gets left behind, he realizes that social success isn't everything.
Director
Steve Rash
Producer
Thom Mount
Screenwriter
Michael Swerdlick
Production Co
Touchstone Pictures
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 28, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$31.6M
Runtime
1h 34m
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