"Hey, I Got It Covered!"

Revisiting the film 'The Heavenly Kid (1987)

During the 1980s, no one knew what was coming out on HBO. Suddenly, movies were just there on your TV, and you were watching them. Sure, TV Guide helped, but in my family, planning to watch TV was reserved for sports and catastrophes. My parents didn’t give a f*** what was coming out on HBO next month. They cared about what was on now.

We seem to only care about what else is on now. But we children of the 80s benefitted from our parents’ ignorance and apathy because we watched some incredible movies, some of them repeatedly. The Heavenly Kid was one of those couple dozen films that I watched every time it was on, no matter how deep I caught it. Something about the movie spoke to me, and I wondered if it would still speak to me now when I opened my birthday gift to see the Blu-Ray of the newly remastered version staring back at me from inside the wrapping paper.

Filmmakers were nuts in the 1980s. They put some crazy shit up on the screen. I love to think about the pitch session for this movie. Imagine a brilliant young writer in a high-pressure meeting, being forced to come up with one of his script ideas that was good enough to make a movie about. Here’s how I imagine it came out:

Okay, how about this? A greaser guy from 1967, think like Travolta. Guy dies in a drag race over an insult from another guy, a weaker guy. So this greaser guy dies after kissing his girlfriend goodbye. But he can’t tell her loves her. He’s too proud, right? So the guy dies and goes to the afterlife, which is split into three sections: Uptown, which is Heaven. Downtown, which is Hell. And Midtown, which is like purgatory, a waiting area. He sees these people going Uptown, and he thinks that looks pretty good. Except, they won’t let him in. He made some shit choices in his life. He was a real dick to the people who loved him. So, he’s afraid he’s going Downtown, but then he meets his guardian angel, who informs him there is a way he can make amends, but he has to ride a purgatory train for a long time until his number comes up. So that’s what he does, for like 16 years.

Eventually, his number comes up, and he’s got a shot at redemption. But twenty have passed back on Earth. And that girlfriend he left behind without saying he loved her? She had his baby boy, and that boy is a high school dork now, the opposite of his cool Dad (who died dumb and young). So, this guy’s assignment is to help fix his son, not only to make him cool, but make sure he doesn’t die dumb and young like he did. And he wants to tell his Mom that he loves her. And by the end, he does it all and gets his ticket Uptown.

What do you think?

So, the father and son are the same age and each has what the other one needs? And they both win in the end?

Right.

That’s pretty good. How fast can you get me a first draft?

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The film was directed by Cary Medoway. Though "The Heavenly Kid" might not be his most famous work, his craft and style are evident in every frame, creating a story that's both comedic and poignant, with a touch of the supernatural.

The screenplay, penned by Alan B. McElroy, shows the interplay of life and the afterlife, teaching us about redemption, love, and personal growth. McElroy, who possesses a distinct flair for storytelling, infused the narrative with humor and heart that lasts beyond the film's ending. I’ve carried it with me for nearly 40 years now.

Lewis Smith, playing the lead role of Bobby Fontana, is the heart and soul of this movie. He looks like James Franco’s Dad, both in appearance and mannerisms. Smith’s Bobby Fontana is filled with charm, coolness, and bravado that masks a deeply sensitive and hurting boy who didn’t get the chance to become a man.

I always thought the music made this movie. This was confirmed by rewatching it. Seamlessly bridging the gap between the rock 'n' roll vibes of the 1960s and the electrifying rhythms of the 1980s, the music is more than just a backdrop – it's a character. It provides an auditory journey that complements the visual storytelling, resonating with the parallel timelines. The echo of the main song in the opening scene and credits carries two very different meanings, the difference equaling the journey this character has made in just 90 minutes.

The Heavenly Kid is an introspective journey about two boys becoming men, but one of them is the other’s father. It’s a situation that many fathers go through when they fully realize that the sun has set on their childhood but are relieved to discover that they don’t have to leave what they love behind. There is no such thing as death but only change. This movie allowed a 12-year-old boy to look at the world through a father's eyes, seeing his son in a future he never lived to see.

While filled with humor and whimsy, the narrative doesn't shy away from exploring deeper emotions. It delves into the profound sadness of missed opportunities and the things that will never be. Yet, in the end, it's a heartwarming tale of redemption, reconciliation, and the eternal bond between a father and son.

One of the great legacies of this film is how it used the main theme song playing over the end credits and a stable closeup of Bobby riding the escalator uptown. The music is tough. It’s a statement about strength and loyalty, perseverance, and victory. But Bobby’s face during the escalator ride reveals wonder, joy, sadness, and resolution. We see the redemption of his soul on screen, which is a precious commodity worth seeking out and rewatching over and over again.

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