quizzyroy The critical reception to this movie is a classic example of bandwagoning. Everyone (including the previous reviewer) mistakenly believes it was thrown together after the crappy hit of the same name, which is absolutely not true.Conn is excellent, Joe Silver is top-notch as her father, and much of the dialogue is genuine and funny. This movie is thoughtfully understated (90% of it at least) in a way that more than makes up for a little bit of bad acting in the supporting cast and too much sentimentality in its waning moments. Really, there is just one thing that taints it horribly. I don't think this is a spoiler, but watch out for that last scene. She actually says "you know, I learned something today..." I'm not sure how Brooks wrote all the good stuff before that and somehow couldn't help but ladle on the molasses in the closing seconds, but to me it's not sufficiently cloying to taint the whole product.Mostly, the story is just one of a sweet, honest and talented woman trying to find her show-biz sea legs on a ship full of (male, LA) phonies.It's kinda like how Heaven's Gate is the worst movie ever made, unless you actually watch it (the version before the studio butchered it, that is). One well-publicized critical panning of a film can sometimes spark a rabble. People go into it already convinced, and just can't wait to start laughing at it. And thus the prophecy is fulfilled; "WORST MOVIE EVER!"This movie is GOOD, which apparently makes everyone else stupid except for me. I'm okay with that, I think.

jtemple82 Staring the talentless, no-hit wonder, DoDo Conn, who lip-synced her way into oblivion in this movie.A poorly written, unbelievably bad script, that it so obviously playing off advertising executives ideas of what Women's minds and romance is supposed to be.For females only, with IQ levels lover than their breast waist size.Perpetuates a degrading image of women and women's fantasy's.Rated as one of the 100 worst movies of all time.I hope you do know that DoDo Conn cannot sing a lick and song nothing in the movie ? It was popular in its day with lonely women who felt the fantasy was "romantic".

Bob Stout Yes, the song is catchy, but hardly great. Yes, the plot is pure soap opera. But Didi Conn delivers a great performance. With anyone else, this film might have deserved all of the scorn heaped upon it. But Conn's earnest likability really sells it. The supporting cast is good, but it's Conn's show. It's a pity she's just so nice - if she were trashier and more traditionally attractive, she could have a much bigger career. As some others have said, the award winning title song is also good the first few times around, but gets a little tiresome after a while. But the movie is one I can watch over and over (well, at least several times a year) and still enjoy.For anyone who's also a romantic and prefers films with heart to those with an edge, it's a must see.

SanDiego Soap-opera style story about one girl (Didi Conn) pushed into show business (stand-up comedy) by her stand-up comic father and trying to make it into show-biz (acting, singing, anything). There is romance and the title song 'You Light Up My Life.' The song is a major plot device much like Bette Midler's 'Wings Beneath My Wings' is for BEACHES. Debbie Boone's rendition of the song was second only to Bing Crosby's White Christmas as the most popular single in history due in part to listeners attaching a spiritual tone to the lyrics (led by Christian radio stations and the fact that Debbie Boone was part of the Pat Boone family). Debbie Boone was singing the song on every talk and variety show on TV, she was very attractive, very wholesome (once again, Pat Boone's daughter) and TV loved her. This helped bring people into the theaters to see the movie, in fact, was the only reason why people went to see the movie. Debbie Boone was not in the film, nor was her voice. This was very disappointing to most people. Didi Conn (mostly known at the time for wacky characters on TV sitcoms not unlike her GREASE character) didn't sing the song in the film (though she sort of sang in GREASE). If only they had cast Debbie Boone. The song is a classic, the film, alas, is not. WHITE CHRISTMAS (song: 10, movie: 10), BEACHES (song: 10, movie: 7), GREASE (song: 8, movie: 9), YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE (song: 10, movie: 4).