User reviews

In spite of the negative review above I would say this is a good film and a story that may hang around in your mind for a long time. It isn't so much a "movie story," a la Meg Ryan romantic comedy type, as it is a slice of life. The characters in this movie are much more like the people you went to high school and college with than they are like Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan! Life is messy and confusing and people change. People are attracted to the wrong people all the time. They make bad choices. They do things they can never forget. This movie reflects these human foibles and that is why it is a great small movie that got overlooked and under-appreciated.

This is an early picture by the inimitable John Sayles -- a portrait of Trenton some time in the mid-1960s through the eyes of the Rosanna Arquette, a middle-class aspiring actress who wants to go to Sarah Lawrence and Vincent Spano, a kid from the wrong side of the tracks. It looks like it was sold to the suits at Paramount on his writing ability and the rising tide of John-Landis-style teen comedies. Looking back from a third of a century later, I can see the complexity of story-telling, in the banal "bad-boy-good-girl" love story in a world that was about to vanish, as an act of satire... rendered a bit toothless, alas by its separation from the moment and the cluelessness of the characters. It makes them more real. Sayles' targets are too numerous here for accuracy.

"Baby It's You" isn't exactly a "great film," but it sure is an accurate and believable story about young love. Arquette is the Jewish high school girl who is going places in life. She plays it safe, but she's bored with it all. Until she meets Sheik, the Italian guy from the wrong side of the tracks. He's a dreamer and his future is uncertain, but... man is he a sharp dresser and cooler than any of the lame boys in high school. This guy even makes the male teachers feel inadequate with his expensive suits and suave good looks. Sheik is played by Vincent Spano, an extremely underrated and unappreciated actor who usually appeared in movies that were unworthy of his qualities. Whenever Spano is on screen the movie really shines. The story follows Rosanna's character beyond high school and into college, and as is usually the case, she begins to outgrow her man... or so she thinks. Because the mature guys she meets are a bunch of complete bores, and they all pale in comparison to Sheik, who gives up everything to return to Jersey from Florida, in a last ditch attempt to win back the love of his life. That's basically it, but the performances and the realistic story are enough to maintain interest. Taking place in the early 60s, director John Sayles captures the period in beautiful detail, and the soundtrack is excellent, featuring some early Bruce Springsteen songs, which fit the mood perfectly. Even though the songs are patently 70s and not from the Era in which the movie takes place, they still sound right. I think "Baby It's You" is somewhat of a cult film today, and deservedly so. Fans of either Rosanna Arquette or Vincent Spano will thoroughly enjoy it, as will those who can appreciate an honest look at young love...

It's 1966 in a New Jersey high school. Sheik (Vincent Spano) is a confident new student. He struts over to Jill (Rosanna Arquette) to ask her out. She rejects him initially and immediately has second thoughts.

At first, I'm a little surprised that John Sayles is doing a high school drama. It doesn't seem like his sort of material, but it's early in his career. Everybody has to make their bones. He definitely doing his own stuff with the genre and it goes beyond high school. Sheik is not the regular teen lead. He's an adult except emotionally. He walks into the class like he's one of the teachers. There is a real dark tension in the relationship from the very beginning. There are a couple of famous names lower down on the cast list although I couldn't spot Robert Downey Jr. This starts out a little interesting and the last section gets real interesting.

'Baby, It's You' is not ideal material for anyone, let alone an actress like Roseanna Arquette, who can do good comedy (and light romantic comedy) when given the opportunity.

This is the story of a simple high school girl (Arquette) who starts dating a quasi-James Dean type (Vincent Spano as the "Shiek") during the early 60s. Neither characters are very interesting, especially the Shiek who seems all too arrogant and altogether strange, anyways to enjoy any sort of romance that forms between the two. The story takes us from high school, when the couple meet and date and have some sort of wavering relationship (made entirely difficult by a control-freak like Shiek), and then on into the post-high school years where Jill Rosen (Arquette) is either unhappy or uncomfortable at her college and the Shiek is a lip-synching performer in Miami night clubs singing to an enthused crowd of senior citizens.

The movie is hardly funny, and only moderately entertaining. There is little or no story, and with the characters being so wishy-washy (I hate that term), there's really nothing to hold your interest. Plus, the Shiek just comes off like such a jerk, it's a wonder why a girl like Jill Rosen would even waste her time with him. Even if sappy 80s romance comedies are what you might be in the mood for, this is not one that I'd recommend watching.

This is definitely one of my favorite romantic films. It's well acted, well written and well directed. Arquette and Spano's chemistry is wonderful. With the people I've talked to who have seen this film, there seems to be something personal that they can relate to the story. It's definitely not a happy movie, but I think that's what makes it really stick with you. It's starts out somewhat like a period romance you might have seen before. About midway through it takes a turn and may seem to lose momentum. This is what sets it apart from other romances. It has this unpredictability to it that some people might find unsatisfying. I have seen it several times and each viewing is fascinating. It is very rare that such a bittersweet marvel of a film comes along and even rarer that it gets the attention it deserves. One of John Sayles' finest.

Those 80s films. The edgy without being too raunchy comedies, the romances with the great soundtracks. So many memorable ones. Baby Its You an early 80s offering that somehow eluded me, until today. The time frame was right in the wheelhouse of my fleeting youth. The stars, likable enough. So off we went...

Where to begin? Spano is an attractive guy who's serviceable as an actor. And Arquette, she is a decent actress, not great - but she, to her credit, had that "it" quality, that something extra that always elevated her to the next level. She's one of those actresses who had a presence that drew you in and held you - normally. So where did this one go so very, very wrong?

First, the soundtrack is memorable enough. The setting is 1966, and most of the music reflects this. Most, I say, because someone involved with this one was obviously a big Springsteen fan. So suddenly 2 or 3 of his songs pop up, songs that weren't released until several years after the film's '66 setting. Just a minor quibble, compared to what lies ahead.

The emphasis of "Baby" revolves so much around the two leads that everyone else seems like a thrown in prop. No other character is really developed beyond being added for a scene or two, and with zero substance. But this doesn't begin to touch on the missteps here.

If you're going to have such a heavy focus on the two leads, they better be able to carry a film. That is only going to happen with {1} likable characters, and {2} great chemistry. Its evident right from the go that this one is going for the good girl/guy from wrong side of the tracks mix we've seen so many times before. Spano's "Sheik" {yes, really} is not even good at being bad. He's just a hot mess, all over the map emotionally. Nothing about him is remotely likable. This results in Arquette's Jill being a bundle of lost confusion. Her choices, her reactions to his latest misstep, are even more befuddling than what he did to cause it. None of her decisions follow any path of sane logic. So the chemistry between the two leads is literally non-existent.

As this one rolls along, and "Sheik" starts breaking down, defying school rules and authority {apparently because he can}, pulling a gun for no apparent reason, robbing a convenience store - or something - you're soon going to be wondering where its all headed, and more likely, how much longer you'll have to endure this wreck.

Maybe "Sheik" and Jill could have made this film work, if they had something/anything to work with. The writing is awful, the dialogue is often agonizing, the pacing all wrong, the characters {all of them} as dull as baked dirt, every one as directionless as you'll at some point realize this entire flick to be.

One quick example: "Sheik" during one of his aimless rants proclaims {not verbatim, don't hold it against me}, "There are only three things - God, Sinatra, and me!" And, well, that's as much of God as you'll ever see indicated in his life, in any shape or form.

As for the ending? There's really only two possible tracks for something this unimaginative {no, not that they wind up together, or don't}. I wont give it away - not that there's much to give - but if you make it until the end, chances are you'll be left shaking your head, wondering what you just witnessed. Even more, you're going to want those two hours back.

Oh, that one purpose I mentioned at the top? "Baby" should serve as a caution to any girl out there who thinks a bad boy is the way to go, as well as to any guy who wants to take that path to have his desires fulfilled: Just -- don't. Because its never going to lead to "happily ever after" - even if these writers here were far too clueless to even figure that much out.

But if you're one of those folks who's traveled this road in life and wound up in a destructive relationship, only to see it dissolve, or worse yet, are still entrenched in it, then maybe this one's for you.

I echo the comments of the other review posted here. The movie seems very uneven, and that adds to its lure. The interaction of Spano and Arquette seems all at once real and surreal. Any movie which makes me think of it into the next day, must have significant substance. It is rare to consider "uneven" a positive quality to a movie, but somehow this one pulls it off..

Director John Sayles also adapted this script (from Amy Robinson's story) about a youthful romance in the 1960s that takes several wrong turns. Vincent Spano's "Sheik" might have been a fun addition to any other nostalgic comedy-drama...strictly as a supporting character; forced into carrying most of the picture here, he overwhelms the proceedings, and Sayles is no help saturating the film with Spano's dumb-stud posturing and rude mouth. This not only pushes Rosanna Arquette away, but viewers as well. The period atmosphere is captured rather nicely, and Sayles is nimble in his dealings with the grown-ups of the piece (who are not painted in the usual broad strokes). However, "Baby It's You" is eventually too heavy as a comedy, with repetitive scenes and character-clashes awash in a kind of post-teenage sturm and drang that wears everybody down by the finish. *1/2 from ****

After finally getting a VHS copy of this film, I find it is ranked right up there with my all-time favorites. Perhaps you had to have lived in that time, or attended a big-city high school or just be an incurable romantic to relate.

Even though this film is 23 years old, the emotions, settings and tragedies of young, rudder-less love are universal and timeless. Is there any among we female viewers who has not either had or wanted to have a "Sheik" type pursue you? Dangerous, enigmatic and probably a big no-no, but extremely intriguing.

The film has many subtle nuances that younger audiences my not recognize since the scenes are not thrown at the viewer in quick-time, but the gentle, heart-wrenching moments with the main characters tend to stick in your mind. I will never listen to "Strangers in the Night" again without thinking of the two dance scenes and the emotions they evoke.

Spano and Arquette are outstanding as the two star-crossed leads and the acting is both understated and powerful in the same moment. When Jill tells Shiek she just doesn't love him in the dorm scene and he backs up and with a whipped look on his face asks, "why not?", his character is stripped of all pretenses.

Shop around for this video, as it is film making with heart like you don't find very often in the current film catalogs. Watch and remember and weep a little for what was and never could be.

Quite a few careers got started in this 1982 Paramount release. Rosanna Arquette and Vincent Spano made their starring debuts, John Sayles landed his first major directing job and the film also features small parts by future stars Robert Downey Jr., Tracy Pollan and Matthew Modine. Set in 1965, a fine period soundtrack helps to propel this story of two mismatched teenagers (Arquette, Spano) whose love affair stems a lot of controversy within their community. The film is OK but time has not served it entirely well as sometimes it seems dated and it still suffers from being as obscure as it was when it was originally released.

I grew up in Central Jersey/North Jersey Shore right around that time (graduated Red Bank H.S. 1965) . . . my high school experience just wasn't that gloomy. (Of course, they were in Trenton which could explain a lot.)

They played fast and loose with the soundtrack (which should have been key to the overall feel of the film) but the Springsteen cuts (from ten years in the future) really disrupted what mood there might have been in a scene. Yes, Bruce was around then but he was in a band called Steel Mill which played in and around the North Jersey Shore/Monmouth County (not really germane to the Trenton area). Years to go before stardom.

But the capper is the title song: "Baby It's You" by the Shirelles. That was a hit in 1961 before any of these kids had even started high school . . . which would have made it a long-gone oldie at that point.

And the leading characters (our loving couple) weren't very convincing. It's as if they were contrived just for the purpose of making this film.

Sorry, no Jersey jump here for me.

I always dreamed and fantasized about falling for a hood like Sheik. "Nice" girls who grew up in the 1960's and were in the honor society were supposed to achieve the questionable goal of marrying a nice boy who would earn well and buy us a nice house in the suburbs, where we would presumably have some nice children...

And this, in a word, is what lends "Baby, It's You" its poignancy. High school is the one place, the last place, in which the unlikely and all-too-temporary coupling of a female "achiever" bound for suburban "niceness" and the magnetic male "underachiever" bound for urban "unniceness" can occur. Sheik/Albert Capadilupo ("Is he an Arab?" "No, Italian.") embodies all the qualities that leader-type Jill Rosen has been told time and time again do not make a good, suitable husband or match or date: he disdains academic achievement, he is "good" with his hands, he drives fast, he has underworld connections, he knows how to kiss..and possibly how to do other things. Jill Rosen, in turn, has dreamy eyes, answers questions in class, gets good grades, and has ambitions of being something very much more than a "wife," qualities which fascinate and often infuriate Sheikh.

In the course of the movie, the on-again, off-again romance between them -which features all the quirkiness and unpredictability of most high-school romances, and then some- lights up, then sputters, then heats up again. My favorite movie scene of all time takes place when a sleepless maniacal Sheik barrels up US Route 1 from Miami in a series of stolen cars, then collars numerous shocked and amazed debutante types in the Student Center in order to locate Jill.

Free of sci-fi special effects or surrealistic flashbacks, this is a movie for people who love and believe in "romance" in the truest sense of the word - that one brief "Camelot"-like time when two people from different backgrounds and even worlds light up the world for each other, even though they sense it will end all too soon.

As the title says, this film is very moving, emotionally. So moving in fact, that it stayed with me for days after I saw it for the first time. Personally, I was initially sucked into this movie by the soundtrack. Some of the best songs from the mid-1960's are included in this picture. However, the soundtrack was not the only compelling aspect. This movie tended to be a lot more realistic than your average romantic film.

This movie really allows the audience to ride the emotional roller-coaster right along with Jill (Rosanna Arquette) and Sheik (Vincent Spano), as they experience the peaks and valleys of first love. On top of that, the characters are very easy to relate to because we've all been there at one time or another with our own relationships. Although the movie is set in 1966-67, the underlying theme of the trials and tribulations of first love is something every generation can identify with.

Although the storyline tends to slightly lose some steam after graduation, it gives the audience a chance to see life after high school for both Jill and Sheik, and how both of them deal with post-graduation life both together and separately. Even this part of movie (which I refer to as the second half) had some unexpected twists in store for the audience.

Rosanna Arquette and Vincent Spano both turn in wonderful performances as the two lead characters. I honestly couldn't imagine the film with different actors playing those roles. The only thing I never understood was why the movie itself didn't get the push it so richly deserved, when it was initially released. It could have been a real sleeper hit, had it been promoted properly. However, that shouldn't take away from the overall quality of this film.

This wonderful movie, saddled by an awful title and a really bad first two minutes, played only one screen in Washington DC --- but my attention was called to it by critic Arch Campbell. Thank you, Arch.

Within five minutes the audience will be taken in to a love story, intensely heartfelt, between a Jewish A+ student and a smooth Italian greaser. This is the kind of love story which has slim chance of a happy outcome but slimmer chance that anything can dowse either the flame or the memory. Although technically a comedy, the serious under-theme is worthy of the great classics of European cinema; enhanced by true skill in framing the right scenes.

Many films are aimed at persons who view LOVE as pretty similar to attraction to a rented car; i.e. love what you've got, forget about what you ain't. This film isn't for them. If you've felt love's pain, see this one.

One of John Sayles's movies without a political theme -- and one of his only films made for a Hollywood studio -- focuses on the relationship between an honor student and a hoodlum in 1960s New Jersey. Jill Rosen (Rosanna Arquette) is getting primed to attend Sarah Lawrence College, while Albert "Sheik" Capadilupo (Vincent Spano) spends most of his time making trouble. At once a look at this romance and simultaneously a look at the changes in the United States in the late 1960s -- Jill is a totally changed person by the end of the movie -- "Baby It's You" is an almost mystifying movie. Jill and Sheik are opposites in practically every way: she is evolving with the changing times, while he can't stop thinking about Frank Sinatra. But either way, their relationship seems to be the only possible rite of passage for the two of them.

I've never seen a John Sayles movie that I didn't like, and this is certainly a good one. More than just a nostalgia piece, it shows the effect that Sheik has on Jill, and what the two of them are forced to realize about their romance by the end of the movie. Definitely one that I recommend. Also starring Tracy Pollan (Michael J. Fox's wife) and Robert Downey Jr.

A big thanks to Mr Sayles for not letting the studio ruin this movie and shame on me for taking 25 years to see it. This is a wonderful and unique look at growing up, particularly that two year period where one is a senior in high school and then the year after they graduate. For many it is probably the most important two year period of their life. Sayles takes his time examining both the before and after periods with new friends, experiences, college, first jobs, first love, sex, etc. It is all here and unless things have changed more than I know, these are all universal issues that are still relevant. The fact that the story takes place in a very specific time and place doesn't matter much although the music, cars and other props are as carefully chosen as any movie I've seen.

It's sad that Hollywood rarely examines this most defining period in our lives. I was stumped trying to think of other movies that showed this transition. The closest I thought of was Bagdonovich's 'The Last Picture Show' and perhaps Crowe's 'Say Anything' but in both cases it was over a shorter period(just a summer in the latter). I finally hit upon the reason for this; and that is although it is a great game-plan for making a quality movie it is a poor one for making a popular movie. Unfortunately the studios have learned this lesson all too well.