Kathleen Turner has never been better than she was in those 1986 film. A much more touching time travel film than Back to the Future -- Turner's character (an unhappy middle-aged woman) has the chance to re-live her high school days and do things differently only to end up making the same mistakes she made before. Turner is a gifted comedienne who has the ability to convey the pathos underneath the comedic layer.

Nicholas Cage is grating at first but the character grows on you after awhile. A then unknown Jim Carrey has a small role as does Joan Allen.

Francis Coppola may have just been a director-for-hire on this film but he is never an uninteresting director. Look closely he adds many small touches to the film. I especially liked a scene where Barbara Harris (as Peggy Sue's mother) is having her jewelry appraised when Peggy Sue walks into the house. Mom lies to Peggy Sue and tells her the man is taking an election poll then tells Peggy Sue she will vote Democratic in 1960. The scene is never explained any further but it is interesting to note that 1960 was the very beginning of the women's movement. Perhaps Mrs. Kelcher is beginning to see that there is a life outside of being a housewife and mother. She wants to but is afraid to assert her independence. Hence the jewelry appraiser. Since Mrs. Kelcher has no skills outside of the house it is comforting for her to know that should it come to it she would be able to support herself temporarily by selling her jewelry. Her nest egg so to speak should she decide to leave the nest.