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Light of Day

Play trailer Poster for Light of Day PG-13 1987 1h 47m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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53% Tomatometer 17 Reviews 54% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
A Cleveland brother (Michael J. Fox) and sister (Joan Jett) rise with a rock band while coping with personal problems.

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Light of Day

Critics Reviews

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Janet Maslin New York Times 10/31/2018
Mr. Fox is very appealing here... Miss Jett is good too, snapping her way angrily through confrontational scenes and musical ones alike, and taking a sentimental turn just when the story does. Go to Full Review
Bob Thomas Associated Press 10/31/2018
Light of Day flounders because of Schrader's simplistic symbolism: the rebellious children, the unhearing mother, the lifeless father. The story limps from one predictable scene to the next. Go to Full Review
Paul Attanasio Washington Post 01/01/2000
The movie stands as an admonition that making great movies isn't merely a matter of talent, but a matter of will. Go to Full Review
Sean Burns Crooked Marquee 06/26/2024
One of those movies with strong individual elements that never quite cohere. You can feel Schrader straining to come up with a big finish. Go to Full Review
Mitchell Beaupre Paste Magazine 06/24/2024
7/10
Light of Day does thrive in two specific areas: Schrader’s return to the working-class sensibilities of Blue Collar and capturing the daily grind that most musicians go through in pursuing their passion. Go to Full Review
Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com 10/05/2006
4/5
A pure time capsule of '80s rock 'n' roll energy. Joan Jett is perfectly cast. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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jon c 02/07/2022 Director Paul Schrader helms Joan Jett's feature film debut co-starring next to Michael J. Fox of 'Back to the Future' A brother and sister tour together as a duo band They wish for a succession of menial jobs to finance their ambitions, bickering all the while over the sister's young son and conned by unscrupulous agents Visits to their dying mother prove stressful as the old woman voices disapproval of her daughter's unmarried status Family is one thing but so is being a musical sensation Fox and Jett are top notch as siblings; they perform well musically but always butting heads with each other Jett's character has also has a confrontational relationship with her mother given she got pregnant at a young age and her own mother never supported her The songs in the movie are really cool A lot of viewers might be off put by the sudden change in tone halfway through, it becomes a tolling family drama Heavy on the emotions keep in mind Just be ready that most of this is focused on the two siblings going through personal struggles and the music is only the background template It'll be a divisive one for sure See more 06/29/2021 For being Joan's debut into film, this film is a pretty solid movie. The chemistry between Joan and Michael is great, and overall a great story. See more 12/31/2020 My absolute favorite bad movie See more steve d 07/12/2020 Really entertaining and surprisingly Jett acts circles around the rest of the cast. See more 08/25/2018 This movie is for people who like Michael J Fox in anything and also love to hear Joan Jett. It's a great memory of 1980s working-class Cleveland. See more 02/25/2018 Not one of Schrader's best films, but it has a quiet realness to it. Gena Rowlands is good in a typically dramatic role. See more Read all reviews
Light of Day

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Movie Info

Synopsis A Cleveland brother (Michael J. Fox) and sister (Joan Jett) rise with a rock band while coping with personal problems.
Director
Paul Schrader
Producer
Rob Cohen, Keith Barish
Screenwriter
Paul Schrader
Distributor
TriStar Pictures, Columbia Tristar
Production Co
TAFT Entertainment
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 6, 1987, Original
Box Office (Gross USA)
$9.1M
Runtime
1h 47m
Sound Mix
Surround
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