The Malibu Bikini Shop (1986)

Director:

David Wechter

Writer:

David Wechter (writer)

Release Date:

October 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

Two brothers who have just graduated from college inherit a bikini store from their aunt.

Plot Keywords:

Bikini | Bikini Store | Female Nudity | Psychotronic | Sex

Cast

Michael David Wright	...	Alan
Bruce Greenwood	...	Todd
Barbara Horan	...	Ronnie
Debra Blee	...	Jane
Jay Robinson	...	Ben
Galyn Görg	...	Cindy (as Galyn Gorg)
Ami Julius	...	Kathy
Frank Nelson	...	Richard J. Remington
Kathleen Freeman	...	Loraine Bender
Jon Rashad Kamal	...	Eric Greene
Beverly Sanders	...	Berta Hilgard
Harvey J. Goldenberg	...	Julius Bender
Barbara Minkus	...	Sylvia Rutledge
Rita Jenrette	...	Aunt Ida
Jim Boelsen	...	Delivery Man #2

Also Known As:

The Bikini Shop

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Santa Monica, California, USA

Company:

Romax Productions

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After Todd enters the dressing room with the large breasted blonde woman, he begins smiling and making faces at his brother Alan through the two-way mirror. Although Todd does this behind her back, she would obviously be able to see what he is doing in their reflection since they are both facing the mirror.

Quotes:

Richard J. Remington: [Proudly showing Alan and Todd the bikini shop they've just inherited] Well, fella's, this is all yours.
Todd: [Impressed - mainly by all the bikini-clad girls running around] Mr. R, I think I've found my calling in life.
Richard J. Remington: [Sarcastically] Really! And I had you figured for a brain surgeon!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball (2003) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Into Something Good

Not sexy, not funny.

"Malibu" Bikini Shop is a Sex Comedy that manages to be neither comedic nor sexy. Well, maybe a little bit sexy. But the scenes of Barbara Horan in the hot tub are hardly worth enduring terrible music, embarrassing fashions (sadly, the bikinis are some of the biggest violators) a thin, implausible, wholly predictable plot, and characters that are all one dimensional caricatures. This isn't even a "so bad it's good" kind of bad. It's more of a "sixth graders write better than this" bad and "how the hell can a movie about girls wearing bikinis be so unenjoyably" bad. Imagine an Elvis movie and the depth of plot those had, only instead of Elvis you have a pair of B-cups thrown in every 18 minutes or so and you have a pretty good idea of what you're in for with Bikini shop.

I realize this isn't exactly Masterpiece Theater, but if you want to see skin (which is why 99% of people would even consider watching this) it would be so much more efficient to just look at a Playboy or even an episode of Rock of Love. The girls in this movie, while young and fit, are saddled with horrendous wardrobes and situations. Visually, none of them really rate higher than about a 7 out of 10.

If you're still reading this review, you may be a Trekkie interested in Bruce Greenwood's early work and you're on the fence about if it's worth the time. Be warned: are you prepared for Bruce in a belly shirt? I advise having your thumb locked and ready on the ff/scan button. Life is too short to waste watching trash like this, and when I write "trash," I don't mean in a morally reprehensible way. I mean in a lazy, lowest common denominator kind of way.

Bonus points to anyone who figures out why "Malibu" is sometimes attached to this title when the movie hints that it takes place in Santa Monica.