Quicksilver

I love the films of the 80's. It was a decade where you could have the most outlandish plot, and yet you wouldn't question it. You would just go along for the ride. Case in point, 1986's Quicksilver.

Kevin Bacon stars as Jack Casey, a hot shot Wall Street broker, who after one bad trade decides to give it up and pursue his lifelong dream of being a bicycle messenger. Uh...ok. He is instantly attracted to a fellow messenger named Terri, Jami Gertz, even though he already has a girlfriend that seems to disappear from the film once Terri enters. Terri runs with a bad crowd and Jack takes it upon himself to save her. He also makes friends with Hector, Paul Rodriguez, who dreams of owning a hot dog stand. The 80's...where dreams don't necessarily mean you have to reach for the stars. I didn't even mention that Louis Anderson also plays a messenger. Totally believable, right?

This was Bacon's big follow up to Footloose. I remember when this came out Bacon had said he took this role in hopes of being taken more seriously. More recently however, Bacon has stated that this was the lowest point of his career. He's actually pretty good in it, even when he is sporting a cheesy mustache in the early scenes. Gertz, who must have had a contract to appear in every other 80's movie, isn't believable as the tough Terri. Rodriguez is always fun. And Lawrence Fishburne pops up as Bacon's work rival.

The end result is pretty silly, but it's also kind of fun film if you just turn your mind off.

Quicksilver is available on dvd and blu ray.