Bright Lights, Big City (1988)

Cast

Michael J. Fox
as Jamie
Phoebe Cates
as Amanda
Kelly Lynch
as Elaine
Kiefer Sutherland
as Tad

Get more information about Bright Lights, Big City (1988) on IMDb

Genres & Description

Drama

5.7 / 10

Jamie Conway (Michael J. Fox) is an aspiring writer and yuppie living in New York City who seeks oblivion in cocaine and the glittery nightclub scene as his life falls apart (his wife leaves him, his mother dies, etc.). With his hard-partying friend Tad Allagash (Kiefer Sutherland) tagging along with him during their nights out, Jamie finds it increasingly difficult to show up every day at his unfulfilling job as a fast checker for a literary Manhattan magazine.

Similar Movies

Fanny and Alexander

8.1

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8.5

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Far from Heaven

7.4

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Apostasy

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Comments on this trailer
Comments may include spoiler!

Lisa O'Toole

30th Anniversary in 2018 WOW! Michael J. Fox still rox 👍 - @Thursday, November 15, 2018 6:37 PM

Pipsta & Enigma Productions

Everyone's voice sounds really nigh pitched. - @Saturday, September 29, 2018 6:25 PM

gjmaztr7

"Less than Zero" a Andrew McCarthey / Robert Downey Jr. starring film would have been the 'Competition' that dealt with roughly similar issue, young collegian age adult burnout issues. Hopefully, this film 'brght lights big city' had a Great Techno Soundtrack...since soundtracks 'John Hughes film soundtracks' were all the Rage back then. - @Wednesday, August 15, 2018 4:55 PM

Pipsta & Enigma Productions

Song? - @Tuesday, July 24, 2018 6:39 PM

Herman Booger

This movie reminds me of me and brother seriously 😕 - @Sunday, April 22, 2018 2:35 AM

ML DAVE

"You're Mama said that you only fall in love once." ..Pete Yorn - @Thursday, April 5, 2018 4:16 PM

F L

From what I remember at the time, this movie was kinda sort of a flop. MJ Fox was being cast in many movies at that time because he was the it-boy, coming off of Back to the Future and still remembered as Alex P Keaton from Family Ties. This wasn't one of his more memorable movies. He was better in comedies, like The Secret of My Success. - @Saturday, March 24, 2018 12:14 PM

D Z

I fucking love this hidden gem movie. I find myself watching it over and over through the years - @Monday, February 5, 2018 2:12 AM

eternalhalloween1

I always thought the Kiefer Sutherland character was interesting. On one hand, he looks uncaring, and that he's treating Jamie's situation like it's a joke. But on the other hand, he isn't emotionally involved. So he can clearly see that Amanda was just using Jamie until she found a better offer. And he's basically trying to tell Jamie to go on with his life. It's as if Kiefer is the voice of reason under all his cynicism. - @Thursday, July 6, 2017 10:27 PM

Dojocho

I lived in Manhattan during this period....It was very accurate to the scene and vibe of that time...It was crazy...... - @Wednesday, September 14, 2016 12:40 AM

roquefortfiles

Michael J Fox was totally miscast in this. - @Saturday, August 27, 2016 6:02 AM

Maximum Tyranny

It was an entertaining movie, but it had the best music soundtrack ever! - @Wednesday, April 27, 2016 9:12 AM

John Ochiltree

Has the vibe that the less than zero movie should've had. But if less than zero was like this we probably wouldn't have imperial bedrooms. - @Friday, April 22, 2016 5:53 PM

islandbee

I was very excited for this movie back then that I went ahead and checked this out of the public library when I was in the 8th grade before it came out in the theaters. I actually did a book report on this, too. lol My teacher was probably thinking what is an 8th grader reading about the NYC nightclub and drug scene for. I'm glad I actually read the book first before watching the movie. The movie really turned the story into life because the book was kind of depressing. Back then, I kind of had an allure to NYC and the whole big city living lifestyle. Now that I'm older, big city life seems so stressful to me especially when I've been to Tokyo, Manila, and London. I still haven't stepped foot in NYC, but I know it's not the same from all the movies, shows, and music videos from the 80s. After being in those huge chaotic cities, I've never appreciated fresh clean air than ever before. - @Wednesday, April 6, 2016 12:10 PM

Slo Rowe Entertainment

If you liked Bright Lights Big City please check out our film "Decisions". You can find it here on youtube for free. We are just little guys making indie films trying to find our way. Would love to hear thoughts and feedback on our film. It is a recovery drama with Sex,Drugs and full of people making Bad "Decisions". - @Tuesday, October 13, 2015 3:43 PM

romeo garcia

This is one of the best movies i ever see of MJF and one of the best of the 80's of drugs...beside LESS THAN ZERO. - @Tuesday, May 19, 2015 6:04 AM

Nick Love

The second-person narration in the novel made the main character easier to relate to due to the reader's enhanced sense of agency. All things considered, Michael J. Fox portrayed him very well in this movie. - @Friday, August 15, 2014 7:13 AM

tubekxb

I watched this film a couple of hundred times as a kid in the 80s. While I never went into the club/drug scene, I can relate to a character like Fox's - failed to achieve professional goals and left by a woman who saw a better opportunity. - @Tuesday, May 6, 2014 8:51 PM

Bradaighbunch

why do all the men in this movie sounds like dwarves on helium? anyway, i love yuppie, 80's flicks. - @Tuesday, January 14, 2014 6:20 PM

theivory1

This kids got the eye, call it pirate radar. Scoping out the room for some trend, but there's nobody knew, so she zeros in on you, young love, in the city at Century's End. - @Thursday, October 24, 2013 6:46 PM

Tavga Hawrame

i like actors play in this movie. talented Michael J did his top performance - @Saturday, September 7, 2013 7:50 PM