Light of Day

Play trailer

Light of Day

PG-13

Released Feb 6, 1987

1h 47m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

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.

Janet Maslin

New York Times

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.

Oct 31, 2018

Full Review

Bob Thomas

Associated Press

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.

Oct 31, 2018

Full Review

Paul Attanasio

Washington Post

The movie stands as an admonition that making great movies isn't merely a matter of talent, but a matter of will.

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Sean Burns

Crooked Marquee

One of those movies with strong individual elements that never quite cohere. You can feel Schrader straining to come up with a big finish.

Jun 26, 2024

Full Review

Mitchell Beaupre

Paste Magazine

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.

Rated: 7/10

Jun 24, 2024

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

A pure time capsule of '80s rock 'n' roll energy. Joan Jett is perfectly cast.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 5, 2006

Full Review

Read all reviews

jon c

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

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

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.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

My absolute favorite bad movie

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

steve d

Really entertaining and surprisingly Jett acts circles around the rest of the cast.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

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.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Not one of Schrader's best films, but it has a quiet realness to it. Gena Rowlands is good in a typically dramatic role.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Paul Schrader

Director

Michael J. Fox

Joe Rasnick

Joan Jett

Patti Rasnick

Gena Rowlands

Jeanette Rasnick

Michael McKean

Bu Montgomery

Thomas G. Waites

Smittie

Love Streams

100%

88%

Love Streams

Watchlist

Mr. & Mrs. Bridge

82%

44%

Mr. & Mrs. Bridge

Watchlist

Winter People

20%

52%

Winter People

Watchlist

Telling Lies in America

67%

45%

Telling Lies in America

Watchlist

Firstborn

36%

54%

Firstborn

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

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

Most Popular at Home Now