Hard to Hold DVD with Rick Springfield, Janet Eilber, Patti Hansen (PG) +Movie Reviews

This is a great film if you love Rick Springfield' s music.

09/01/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I really enjoyed "Hard to Hold" even though the critics trashed it, but then they've trashed everything Rick Springfield has ever done. I guess he's just too handsome, charming, and nice to be taken seriously as a musician or as an actor. Rick puts more of himself into his live concerts than any performer I've ever seen on stage and yes, I have seen Bruce Springsteen and Pink Floyd. Yes, I confess the dirty little secret: I'm a devoted fan of Rick's, and frankly "Hard to Hold" was exactly the movie I wanted to see as a fan. Great music and a romantic rock star falls in love with an ordinary girl story line. It's not exactly Wuthering Heights--although I'd bet Rick could do a great Heathcliff--but it features some of my favorite Springfield songs and a great message: You'd better love somebody because at the end of your time on this earth the love is all that really counts. This movie is a must for all Springfield fan and romantics! Do you believe in love and happy endings? Get yourself a big bowl of buttered popcorn and curl up with "Hard to Hold." You won't be disappointed."

Great for Rick Springfield fans & anyone who loves the 80s

cait | Las Vegas, NV United States | 09/10/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I love this movie. I gave it four stars instead of five because the script is admittedly weak in places and the directing makes it look like a TV movie rather than a feature film. But none of that obscures the positive points of the movie.It should be obvious that this film will hold the most appeal for fans of Rick Springfield. He is a much better actor than one might assume and plays some of the awkwardly-written swings of his character well. Janet Eilber does a good job as the conservative "ordinary" woman his character falls in love with. The weakest performance in the film is Patti Hansen's, as the rocker's songwriting partner and former girlfriend. She works hard but can't overcome the stilted dialogue she's given in most of her scenes.The best part of the movie may be the music. The majority of the songs in the film are written and performed by Springfield and will be familiar to fans. Not a great film, but one I enjoy a great deal. If you're a fan you will feel the same way."

Hard To Hold

Jan Arnold | Chickamauga, GA United States | 04/08/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In "Hard to Hold", Rick Springfield was able to show the humble, compassionate and faithful side of a rock star falling in love. Working many concerts over the years, I have seen the different personalities of rock stars.(I have even met Rick!) I am very appreciative that he was able to portray a successful musician and show a more personal side. I especially can relate to the role of the teacher...since I am one! "Hard to Hold" is a Cinderella story...dreamable and believeable. I could care less if it won awards or not....I truly enjoyed watching it."

The plot gets no stars; Rick gets one.

Jan Arnold | 02/24/1999

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Hard to Hold was hard to swallow and hard to watch. It featured 80s pop star Rick Springfield as a teen idol who falls in love with a prissy psychologist. It's your typical opposites attract love story with only the flavor of Springfield's music to get you through the minutes. It was a completely embarrising first feature film for Springfield (which he admitted in later years), and it failed to let critics see past the lame storyline to Springfield's true acting ability. Springfield is a pretty good actor, but unfortunately Hard to Hold was a hard vehicle to display such talent."

Pure nostalgia

D. Leon | United States | 01/02/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The main value this movie has for me is the nostalgia. It sort of got lost in the shuffle, seeing as Prince came out with a similar rock-star-struggling-to-find-himself think a few months later, and he did it much better (remember a littel film called Purple Rain?). I remember staying up all night long calling into the local radio station to win tickets to the premier showing in our town. It was a fun event, and Rick and his music generally are just a huge part of my teen years. Yes, the script is very weak (Diane:"You know, I really, really, really, really...care about you." to drive the point home that she couldn't bring herself to say "I love you." C'mon, two reallys would have done it)and the director should have had his guild card revoked and had cut up pieces of celuloid shoved up his fingernails. I mean, yes Rick has a very cute tushy and I got a kick out of seeing it as much as the next person, but around the third time, I was like "c'mon, he's more than a cute butt!"

BUT... that having been said, this character was a nice departure from Dr. Noah Drake, his General Hospital alter ego. He CAN act, but this film just didn't give him much to work with unfortunately. If you want to see Rick flex his thesbian muscles, check out Silent Motive. He co-stars as a not-so-recovered cocaine addict, and is so convincing it's scary. But on the plus side for Hard To Hold, Rick looks really good throughout this movie, and the sound track is one of my favorite Rick Springfield records. I know it's not his favorite (he says it was written and recorded under the influence of a big case of Page 37 syndrome. You know, "this is what happens on page 37 of the script. Write a song to fit it") but it's still some really great work. The concert scenes are fun, too. I think it's worth it for Springfield fans, just so we can show our grandkids the rock star we had a crush on oh so many years ago."

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