You Should Be Watching: Rad
Growing up watching Rad was pretty rad. It is one of those movies I remember playing continuously on HBO back in the day. However, it got lost on VHS. We never even had a legit DVD. Thankfully, Vinegar Syndrome released a brand new 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray. I’m so glad I bought myself a copy, and here are 5 reasons why you should be watching the most raddest of rad movies ever, Rad.
#1. Cru Jones is the hero you can’t help but cheer for.
Cru is a professional paperboy. His dad is dead, and he and his kid sister are being raised by Rocky’s wife. Cru loves to ride his bike all around town. He even races the local cop. I believe this is homage to Smokey and the Bandit, since both movies share the same director, Hal Needham. Cru has his crew of friends. Cru wants to race Helltrack. You see, Helltrack is this magical race course, and the bigwigs of the town are bringing in the best of the best to race. Cru is just a local kid. Can he somehow qualify for Helltrack?
#2. The Gymnast turned actor turned professional badass.
Kurt Thomas is to Gymkata as Bart Conner is to Rad. We have gymnast using their international fame to land a major movie role. For this review, we are all about the Bart. He plays the baddest racer ever, a kid named Bart. He comes to town with 2 girlfriends who look around 30, and he has himself a posse of racers to help him win the race. He has to win Helltrack. There’s a shitload of money on the table from corporate sponsors. Bart appears like he has it all, and he probably does. 99 times out of 100 he would easily win Helltrack. What I love about Bart is he has a competitive streak loaded with honor. His character changes the most. He goes from a character you love to hate, to a kid you can’t help but love. Bart is simply a cool cat.
#3. Send me an Angel brings down the house.
Remember slow dancing to Whitesnake at your middle school dance, or going to prom drunk as skunk? Man, what if your school had bike riders slow dancing with their bikes? Yes! Send me an Angel, right now. And, make sure the Angel is Lori Loughlin. The bike slow dance scene with Cru and Lori has to be one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history. Before they show up, we also have Bart and his friends dancing like there’s no tomorrow. “Send Me An Angel” by Real Life might just be my favorite song ever to be featured in a bike slow dance montage.
#4. Ass Sliding with Aunt Becky.
What a line. Ass sliding is a real thing discussed in Rad. Cru and Lori go ass sliding. It is magical. What is ass sliding? It is like a homemade waterslide at the lake. You grab the one you love the most and slide your asses down the slide. It is a romantic and touching moment. Cru sometimes acts like he is scared of girls. But, I think he is just super focused on winning Helltrack. If I could ass slide with anyone, it might just be with Lori Laughlin circa 1986. Plus, I would tell her as we were ass sliding not to bribe college admissions people.
#5. The fact if you win Helltrack not only do you win $100,000, but you win a brand new corvette.
Man, that’s a lot of cash, but the real prize is that 1985 or 86 corvette. Give me that car, and let me go take Lori for a spin, so we play Send me an Angel on cassette tape. The real MVP’s of the movie are all the stunt guys. The professional BMX racers kick ass. Cru aka Bill Allen could ride a bike pretty decent, but all of his major stunts were done by Eddie Fiola. What makes it even radder, is Cru’s character is based on Eddie.
Rad is one of my favorite movies. Now, send me an Angel, right now!
