''Light of Day'' is a 1987 American

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

starring

Michael J. Fox Michael Andrew Fox (born June 9, 1961), known professionally as Michael J. Fox, is a Canadian-American retired actor. Beginning his career in the 1970s, he rose to prominence portraying Alex P. Keaton on the NBC sitcom ''Family Ties'' (1 ...

Gena Rowlands Virginia Cathryn "Gena" Rowlands (born June 19, 1930) is an American retired actress, whose career in film, stage, and television has spanned seven decades. A four-time Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner, she is known for her collaborations ...

and

Joan Jett Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin, September 22, 1958) is an American singer, guitarist, record producer, and actress. Jett is best known for her work as the frontwoman of her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and for earlier founding and per ...

in her film debut. It was written and directed by

Paul Schrader Paul Joseph Schrader (; born July 22, 1946) is an American screenwriter, film director, and film critic. He first received widespread recognition through his screenplay for Martin Scorsese's ''Taxi Driver'' (1976). He later continued his collabo ...

. The original music score was composed by

Thomas Newman Thomas Montgomery Newman (born October 20, 1955) is an American composer and conductor best known for his many film scores. In a career that has spanned over four decades, he has scored numerous films including '' The Player'' (1992); ''The Sha ...

and the cinematography is by John Bailey.

Plot

Siblings Patti (

) and Joe Rasnick (

) perform in a rock band, The Barbusters, based in

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

. As a single mother, Patti is estranged from her religious parents and struggles to provide for her son, Benji (Billy L. Sullivan), while Joe works at a manufacturing plant to help support his sister and nephew. Prior to a band performance, Patti breaks into a home and steals a set of tools to pay for a Peavey mixing board, arriving just in time to start the set. At work the next day, Joe is confronted by his coworker Smittie (

Thomas G. Waites Thomas G. Waites (born January 8, 1955) is an American actor and acting instructor born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Waites runs an acting studio in New York City which is named for him. He has been a member of the Actors Studio since 1984 ...

), whose brother-in-law was the target of the burglary, demanding payment. Joe agrees to pay the $600 on his sister's behalf, asking his mother, Jeanette (

), for a loan. She reluctantly agrees, concerned about Joe covering for Patti's numerous past mistakes. On repaying Smittie, Joe finds that he has been laid off. He and Patti agree that their best option is to take The Barbusters on a tour. They depart, taking Benji with them. The tour appears to be successful, but struggling with finances, each earns only $57 per member after a week of touring. In spite of this, Patti wishes to thank the band with steaks she claims to have been saving up for, but which Joe saw her shoplifting earlier. Joe confronts her about the theft, and Patti storms off to get ready for a show. While she's gone, Joe returns to their parents' home with Benji. Patti arrives and is heavily criticized by Jeanette for neglecting her son while on tour and pointing out her many failures. Joe intervenes, taking Patti to the basement to cool down. With a sense of desperation, she details her desire to tighten up the band and take it to a new level, which he is skeptical can happen. Returning from a

Fabulous Thunderbirds The Fabulous Thunderbirds are an American blues band formed in 1974. Career After performing for several years in the Austin, Texas blues scene, the band won a recording contract with Takoma/ Chrysalis Records and later signed with Epic Rec ...

concert, Joe finds Patti excited to audition for The Hunzz, a local metal band. He has no interest in joining The Hunzz, and she sees Joe's concern for the stability of their family as opposition to Patti's life. A brief fight ensues, but Benji appears, crying. Joe takes Benji to his room, and Patti leaves to audition for The Hunzz. The band members go their separate ways, with Joe returning to his manufacturing job and caring for Benji as a surrogate father. Issues with Jeanette's memory become apparent when she forgets that they own a functional dishwasher. Joe's father, Benjamin ( Jason Miller), confirms that her memory is fading, but he doesn't bring it up for fear of upsetting her. While talking to Bu (

Michael McKean Michael John McKean (; born October 17, 1947) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, composer, singer, and musician known for various roles in film and television such as Lenny Kosnowski in '' Laverne & Shirley'', David St. Hubbins in '' ...

) at work soon after, Joe gets a call that his mother is in the hospital. At the hospital, Jeanette has been undergoing tests and appears confused. The results of a biopsy are made known to Joe and his father, indicating that she suffers from ovarian cancer. Jeanette wonders where Patti is, and Joe believes he can find her. Joe goes to a Hunzz show to find Patti and takes her home. After a night out at a bar, Patti, Joe, and the band reconcile. Later, at the hospital, Jeanette requests to speak with Patti alone, and they reconcile as she is on her deathbed. Patti confesses that Reverend Ansley is Benji's father. Jeanette expresses a wish for Benjamin to remarry, and for Patti to join her in Heaven, and Patti agrees to both. Soon after, Jeanette passes away. At the viewing for her funeral, Patti is absent. Later that night, The Barbusters are expected to play a reunion show, but Bu suspects Patti will not make it to that, either. Joe finds her at an arcade, confronts her about her absences, and declares how much he used to look up to her. Patti leaves the arcade to go to the funeral home and embraces her father. Meanwhile, The Barbusters are setting up, getting ready to start their set without Patti. Surprising everyone, she arrives in time for the first chorus of "Light of Day," and the band is reunited.

Cast

as Joe Rasnick *

as Patti Rasnick *

as Jeanette Rasnick *

as Bu Montgomery *

as Smittie *

Cherry Jones Cherry Jones (born November 21, 1956) is an American actress known for her roles on screen and stage. She has received various accolades for her performances in television and theatre including three Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, thr ...

as Cindy Montgomery *

Michael Dolan Michael Dolan (born June 21, 1965) is an American theatre and film actor, director and educator. Acting career Michael Dolan was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His interest in cinema started at the age of 10, when he filmed a remake of ''Su ...

as Gene Bodine * Paul J. Harkins as Billy Tettore * Billy L. Sullivan as Benji Rasnick * Jason Miller as Benjamin Rasnick * Tom Irwin as Reverend Ansley *

Michael Rooker Michael Rooker (born April 6, 1955) is an American actor known for his roles as Henry in '' Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer'' (1986), Chick Gandil in ''Eight Men Out'' (1988), Frank Baily in ''Mississippi Burning'' (1988), Terry Cruger in ''S ...

as Oogie * 1984

Miss Teen USA Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant formerly run, since 1983, by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. Unlike its sister pageants Miss Universe, which currently broadcasts on Fox and Miss USA, this pageant is webcast on the Mis ...

Cherise Haugen as Crystal * Jerry Gideon as Sean * Yvette Heyden as Laurie *

Del Close Del Close (March 9, 1934 – March 4, 1999) was an American actor, writer, and teacher who coached many of the best-known comedians and comic actors of the late twentieth century. In addition to an acting career in television and film, he was ...

as Dr. Natterson * Ray Bradford as Dr. Gould A young

Trent Reznor Michael Trent Reznor (born May 17, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and composer. He serves as the lead vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and principal songwriter of the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, wh ...

appears with

Exotic Birds The Exotic Birds was an American Synthpop music group formed in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, in 1982 by three Cleveland Institute of Music percussion students (Andy Kubiszewski, Tom Freer and Timothy Adams Jr.) They wrote their own music, an ...

bandmate Frank Vale and former Generators singer/bassist Mark Addison as fictional band the Problems. Local teen band the Pelicans appears as the Bubblegummers.

The Fabulous Thunderbirds The Fabulous Thunderbirds are an American blues band formed in 1974. Career After performing for several years in the Austin, Texas blues scene, the band won a recording contract with Takoma/Chrysalis Records and later signed with Epic Recor ...

perform in the movie as themselves.

Ron Dean Ron Dean (born August 15, 1938) is an American film and television actor. He appeared in films including ''Rudy'', '' Risky Business'', ''The Breakfast Club'', '' Cocktail'', ''The Babe'', '' The Fugitive'', ''The Client'', and ''The Dark Knight ...

has a cameo as one of the attendees of Patti's funeral home, and

Alan Poul Alan Mark Poul (born May 1, 1954) is an American film and television producer and director. Career Poul served as executive producer for the HBO original series, '' Six Feet Under'', on which he made his directing debut. He directed four episo ...

appears as a cashier.

Production

The film was shot on location in Chicago, Illinois; Maywood, Illinois; Berwyn, Illinois; Blue Island, Illinois; Lincolnwood, Illinois; Streamwood Illinois; Hammond, Indiana; and Cleveland, Ohio. The film is best known as the first real attempt for Fox to take on more serious film roles after establishing himself as a comedic star. ''Light of Day'' is one of the few projects where Fox has smoked in front of the camera; although a

chain smoker Chain smoking is the practice of smoking several cigarettes in succession, sometimes using the ember of a finished cigarette to light the next. The term chain smoker often also refers to a person who smokes relatively constantly, though not ne ...

, he avoided being photographed with a cigarette out of fear that it would encourage smoking. Schrader actually wrote the film with

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...

in mind, but he declined. That's why he had a copy of the script, with Schrader's original working title, ''Born in the USA.'' Schrader had taken his title from a line in a song by Cleveland band the Generators, whom he used as inspiration for the Barbusters''.'' Springsteen took the title for a song he had been writing about a Vietnam veteran. At that point, the film was on hold; it went back into production when Fox agreed to star. To make up for taking that title, Springsteen instead wrote the song "

Light of Day ''Light of Day'' is a 1987 American musical drama film starring Michael J. Fox, Gena Rowlands and Joan Jett in her film debut. It was written and directed by Paul Schrader. The original music score was composed by Thomas Newman and the cinemato ...

" for the film; that became its new title and the Barbusters' signature song. Joan Jett performed the song for the film's soundtrack. Starting from the late 1980s and during the 1990s, Springsteen himself used the song to close his concerts. Schrader has expressed dissatisfaction with ''Light of Day,'' particularly its plain visual style: "I had progressed from being a person with a literary vision to a person with a visual vision, and in that film I tried to...suppress my new literacy," and the casting of Joan Jett: "it's a good performance, but...that piece of casting just did not work."

Reception

In a review for the ''

Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago T ...

'', critic

Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...

gave the film three-and-a-half out of four stars and called it the "most direct and painful statement" of a theme explored in Schrader's previous films—"wildly different characters with one thing in common: Their pasts keep them imprisoned, and shut them off from happiness in the present." Ebert found Rowlands' acting "powerfully, heartbreakingly effective" and said that Jett matches to Rowlands' inspiration in "the most surprisingly good performance."

Janet Maslin Janet R. Maslin (born August 12, 1949) is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for ''The New York Times''. She served as a ''Times'' film critic from 1977 to 1999 and as a book critic from 2000 to 2015. In 2000 Maslin ...

of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' stated "

wrote the rousing title song and reportedly took the phrase "

Born in the U.S.A. ''Born in the U.S.A.'' is the seventh studio album by American recording artist Bruce Springsteen, released by Columbia Records on June 4, 1984. It topped the charts in nine countries, including the US and UK, becoming his most commercially su ...

" from an earlier draft of Mr. Schrader's screenplay. It's possible, even from the finished film, to see what he and Mr. Schrader might share. One of the monologues included on Mr. Springsteen's recent live album describes his boyhood dream of becoming a rock-and-roller and proving something to his family, to himself, to the world; those ambitions are described in terms of musical triumph, not money or fame. ''Light of Day'' wants to embody a similar dream, but it pulls its punches. Mr. Schrader may have started out to make a film about the fiercest, most incorruptible stirrings of young talent. But he wound up making a soap opera along the way." ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' criticized the film's writing, mocking the film's family as "anyfamily USA as written by

Eugene O’Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of realism, earlier ...

.""Light of Day"
''

''. December 31, 1986. Retrieved June 10, 2018. The publication was mixed toward the film's casting, writing that while Rowlands did well with the material, Fox was miscast for his character, and "Jett looks the part and even manages to hit the mark from time to time, but for every hit there’s a miss." The magazine also found Patti's obsession with rock-and-roll as an escape mechanism to be "childish and silly." On

review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...

website

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

, ''Light of Day'' holds an approval rating of 53% based on 15 reviews, with an average rating of 5.23/10. On

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...

, the film received a score of 55 based on 12 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by

CinemaScore CinemaScore is a market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts based on the data. Background Ed Mintz founded Ci ...

gave the film an average grade of "C" on an A+ to F scale.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack to the film was released in 1987. As a single, "Light of Day" reached number 33 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and received additional

album-oriented rock Album-oriented rock (AOR, originally called album-oriented radio) is an FM radio format created in the United States in the 1970s that focuses on the full repertoire of rock albums and is currently associated with classic rock. Album-oriente ...

airplay due to the connection of

and

. The Barbusters is the name of Jett's band in the film.

Track listing

# "

" (Bruce Springsteen) – The Barbusters # "This Means War" (Joan Jett, Bob Halligan, Jr., Kenny Laguna) – The Barbusters # "Twist It Off" (Jimmie Vaughan, Kim Wilson, Fran Christina, Preston Hubbard) –

# " Cleveland Rocks" (Ian Hunter) – Ian Hunter # "Stay with Me Tonight" (Dave Edmunds, John David) –

Dave Edmunds David William Edmunds (born 15 April 1944) is a Welsh singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer. Although he is mainly associated with pub rock and new wave, having many hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, his natural leaning has alwa ...

# "It's All Coming Down Tonight" (Frankie Miller, Andy Fraser) – The Barbusters # "Rude Mood" (Stevie Ray Vaughan) – The Barbusters # "

Only Lonely Only may refer to: Music Albums * ''Only'' (album), by Tommy Emmanuel, 2000 * ''The Only'', an EP by Dua Lipa, 2017 Songs * "Only" (Anthrax song), 1993 * "Only" (Nine Inch Nails song), 2005 * "Only" (Nicki Minaj song), 2014 * "The Only", by S ...

" (Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan) –

Bon Jovi Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey. It consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald (American musician), Hugh McD ...

# "Rabbit's Got the Gun" (Joan Jett, Kenny Laguna) – The Hunzz (credited as Joined Forces on the cassette sleeve) # "You Got No Place to Go" (Michael J. Fox, Alan Mark Poul) –

# "Elegy" (Thomas Newman) - Rick Cox, Chas Smith, Jon C. Clarke and Michael Boddicker

References

External links

* * * * {{Paul Schrader 1987 films 1980s musical drama films American musical drama films American independent films American rock music films 1980s English-language films Films scored by Thomas Newman Films directed by Paul Schrader Films set in Cleveland Films shot in Chicago Films shot in Cleveland TriStar Pictures films Films with screenplays by Paul Schrader Taft Entertainment Pictures films 1987 drama films 1987 independent films 1980s American films