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Movie:		6.0
Picture:		5.0
Sound:		5.0
Extras:		2.0
Score:		5.0

Director(s):	Bob Giraldi
Writer(s):	Jeff Rothberg, Joe Menosky
Starring:	Jon Cryer • Annabeth Gish • John Spencer • Keith Coogan
Genre:	Comedy • Drama
Release Date:	April 14, 2009
Rated:

List Price:	DVD - $9.99
Amazon:

Lionsgate's Lost Collection finds itself stranded in a purgatory of film fandom. Each of the movies, including Hiding Out, feels like a hybrid of two better and more popular films. In that vein, Hiding Out feels like a mixture of numerous 80s high school films mixed with the tone of an 80s cop film. More than once you'll cock your head slightly to the side and wonder ‘why did that feel like slightly like the Fugitive?'

Andrew Morenski (Jon Cryer) works as one of those faceless suits on Wall Street doing things with the money of the rich that the rest of the world doesn't really want to hear about. Unfortunately for Mr. Morenski, the money he's been investing hasn't come from entirely legitimate avenues and he's wanted to testify against the Mafioso types whose money he's laundered unwittingly. After a fateful meeting with some feds (one of whom is played by West Wing's John Spencer), Andrew goes on the run dodging the bullets of a hit man who wants his silence.

On the lam, Andrew runs off to a quiet suburb where his cousin (Keith Coogan) lives, dyes his hair and enrolls in high school (despite being about 38 or so). Apparently, hair highlights in the 80s were super convincing. Suddenly no one recognizes Andrew (including his own relatives) and he's free to live a second life in obscurity - for awhile. Even with the hitmen thrown off his scent, he begins his rise in high school fame as the most popular guy high school's known since Ferris Bueller. Selected as a nominee for class president, befriended by the moderately hot girlfriend (Annabeth Gish) of the school jock and made all-round king of the class, Andrew's having the high school experience he never had the first time through.

The whole experience would come across as fun 80s entertainment were it not for that theme of statutory rape that colors the entire script. When a 30-something year old man puts the moves on a 17 year-old girl, it's hard to cheer for the guy to succeed. Sure he's our hero, and yes she's the hot girl he's supposed to end up with (in normal film formula) - but that knowledge of the age gap remains. To make it worse, it's clear that the character is aware of it too. I thought at first that would make it better, that a morally responsible 30-something protagonist playing the chaste card would help the situation seem less filthy. It doesn't. It still feels off even with those genuine saccharine teen romance moments written in to show that she really does like him and that they have this "connection".

Jon Cryer lived in the shadow of bigger 80s legends. His moments in the sun got sidelined in favor of more charismatic types. Hiding Out gives him a fair opportunity in a relatively good feature to show his acting chops. He's entertaining and he carries the film. Annabeth Gish is magnetic and sweet but the pressure for the plot rests firmly on Cryer's shoulders.

DVD Bonus Features

The Trivia Track, which the DVD cover lauds as the next best thing after nuclear fusion, couldn't be more ridiculous. Offering up the most randomly trivial information about the movie and stars alike, the trivia track is just a bit too useless to bother with. After all that, the theatrical trailer is a fun nostalgic romp. Watching old trailers is always fun.

Here we have an 80s film with bits and pieces from 80s classics that all overshadowed this one. Hiding Out got the shaft. It definitely deserves better than to be scrounged up 20 years after the fact in a "Lost Collection". So check it out, even with statutory rape undercurrents, it's still fun.