Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)

I can't remember anybody who didn't like this movie when it came out just over 20 years ago. It was very popular, and justifiably so. It had a lot of charm to it and romance, comedy and time-travel seem to be a good mixture.

Also, it had an intriguing premise and made us think about it. If you could go back in time, knowing what you know now, would you do it and what would you do? I'm not talking short periods like in "Groundhog Day" (which was done seven years after this film) but if you could do it ALL over, from a certain point, like high school. Anyway, it's fun to think about.

Nicholas Cage and Kathleen Turner were fun to watch. If you view this film today, be prepared to be shocked how young Cage - and Jim Carrey - look in here. Turner isn't so shocking only because today we don't see her in films regularly as we do those two guys. In fact, Turner was a big star in the '80s and most people remember her looks from that period, beginning with "Body Heat" (1981). She is the star of this film, too.

When I last watched this, in the late 1990s, I found it wasn't as good as I remembered, but it still has a lot of charm and sentiment to it. It's nothing super, but it is more-than-decent entertainment. It helps to be fascinated by time travel, which I am.

I had forgotten this was a Francis Ford Cappola-directed film, which is a bit of a shock because most of us associate him with "The Godfather" films and "Apocalypse Now," not some fantasy-romance-comedy. However, it comes together a little more when you realize Cage was his son. Cappola also finds a small role in here for his young daughter Sophia.

If you are a film buff, you'll be shocked at all the familiar faces in this movie, from veteran actors like John Carradine to a young Helen Hunt. Check out the names in this cast! If you haven't seen this film, you owe it to yourself. I'm not saying it's terrific, but it's definitely worth your while not just for the actors but the thought-provoking subject matter.

Fmovies: This movie has a lot going for it. First, there's a superb acting by both Turner and Cage. Both embody the 60s. The cars, settings and attitudes are fully representative of the era and bring back memories of a seemingly simpler time. But, in this movie, things are complicated by the culture of a later period. I found this movie enjoyable and thought-provoking. It is fun, also, to see Jim Carrey in what must have been his first (or nearly so) role. The mannerisms and cartoonish characteristics that would make him a super-star are evident. In this movie there is character, with one theme about how people treat others, especially thoise of us with personality or other challenges. Good stuff.

Every time I see this film, it leaves me thinking about it for days. The subject of time travel is a fascinating subject and this is the only non sci-fi film that I can think of that revolves around the subject. Kathleen Turner is wonderful as the 40-something year old mother of two who is in the process of getting divorced from her husband(Nicolas Cage), but gets hurled 25 years into the past when she passes out at her high school reunion. This is a truly touching film about going back in time and being able to experience your youth and priceless times that you will never be able to experience again. One of the most touching scenes is when Peggy Sue gets a call from her long dead Grandmother and doesn't know what to do or say. Also, be sure to watch out for some very early bits from Joan Allen, Jim Carrey, and Helen Hunt. ***1/2 out of ****.

Peggy Sue Got Married fmovies. Maybe I am a bit prejudiced about the greatness of this film; I grew up in Sonoma County, and the sight of Peggy Sue Kelcher standing on the senior steps at Santa Rosa High School (where I drop off my granddaughters every morning) gives me a great thrill. When I drop them off, I often say, "If you see Peggy Sue, tell her I said hello." And they respond--"We will, grandpa." (And they no doubt think: "What an old cornball.") What a beautiful school! And it still looks just the same as it did in the 80's (or the 60's, for that matter). The place seems to be in a time warp. In a certain sense, taking this movie to heart has mythologized my world. Francis Ford Coppola's talent for finding the perfect settings for his comic philosophic masterpiece is unerring throughout--even if he had to paint the streets in Petaluma purple just to get the exact effect that he wanted.

"Peggy Sue" would be very high on my all-time top 100 film list, if I had such a list. The film is not only funny and soulful, it also directly addresses what is perhaps life's central existential question: "If you had the opportunity to relive your life, making the same mistakes and suffering the same consequences, would you do it?" Remember, in making your decision, that your children's lives, and the loves and friendships you have experienced in your lifetime, are contingent upon your answer.

When you watch "Peggy Sue," notice how the film parallels "The Wizard of Oz." Like Dorothy, Peggy Sue goes 'over the rainbow' into a magical world. It is in fact the world of her own past, but everything has been enchanted and transformed by her adult point-of-view. The Wizard himself, who must contrive to return Peggy Sue back home, is Peggy Sue's kind old grandfather, with his wonderful bogus lodge magic. Her friends at the reunion have their counterparts in the "over the rainbow" world of the past, just as Dorothy's friends on the farm have their counterparts in Oz. When Peggy Sue awakens from her trip, her old stale world and her old disappointing husband appear in a new light. Like Dorothy, Peggy Sue awakens and learns that there is no place like home, and the time-worn cliché is suddenly vital and alive. Like Dorothy, she is once again back in "Kansas," but it is a Kansas in which the characters, and she herself, have assumed new depths of meaning. She is now ready to step into her fate--her new enriched life (and there are also nuances of "It's a Wonderful Life" in the film).

One last comment: nowadays, I cannot watch this "comedy" without tears in my eyes through pretty much the whole movie, and much of this effect is due to the masterful performance of Kathleen Turner as Peggy Sue. Turner is usually on the hysterical edge of breaking down, and her proximity to the precipice is a knot in my gut through the whole movie. It is a shame that she did not win the Best Actress award for this performance.

What a great movie! Originally intended for Debra Winger, but Kathleen Turner is wonderful as the title character Peggy Sue. It's a time-travel movie about a 42 year old woman who gets transported back in time to high school (circa early 1960's). Who wouldn't love an opportunity like that, not to mention being 18 again?? My favorite scene is when she walks back into her house, & sees her mom young again, while that beautiful music plays on the soundtrack. It's so touching & heartfelt. This movie has it all. Great acting, comedy, drama, fantasy, & a good story. Nicholas Cage can get annoying at times, but he felt this was the best way to portray his character (Charlie). He gets to "sing" in this movie too ("He Don't Love You"). Look for a very early performance by Jim Carrey. The cast also includes Helen Hunt & Catherine Hicks (the mom on the TV show "7th Heaven").

This movie is definitely on my Top 20 list of all time favorite movies. Whenever I come across it while channel surfing, I end up watching it again-and I hate watching movies that are edited for TV!

As others have pointed out, it showcases so many talented actors. Joan Allen is great here, as is Catherine Hicks. And the amazing Barbara Harris, whom I adore for her work on the stage, is excellent and dead-on as Peggy's mother. Jim Carrey is here as well and surprise, he's overacting in most of his scenes! While I've never completely figured out why Nicholas Cage was encouraged to employ the weird-ass voice that he did, his performance winds up being very likeable. Barry Miller is also great as Richard.

The premise is cool. Who among us wouldn't want to have such and opportunity (OK, maybe not the passing out in public part)? As a person that grew up in the 60s, I'd love to return and see some of the sights and sounds that filled my innocent, pre-Internet world. And the scene when Peggy hears her Grandmother's voice on the phone makes me cry every time.

I likey!