Playing for Keeps is an early Miramax Production before they became affiliated with Disney (sellouts). Danny (Daniel Jornado), Spikes (Matthew Penn, brother to Sean), and Silk (Leon Grant of 321 Contact) are three friends straight out of high school. After a few failed joint business ventures, they devise a plan so that they can stay together forever, and become independently wealthy. Danny's family inherits a hotel, that they want to turn into a pleasure palace for teens. Unfortunately, when they get there, they discover the building is nothing more than a money pit, and is going to need a lot of work. It's up to Danny, to motivate his friends, to work on the "Hotel Magestic" and make all of their dreams come true. In the mean time, the locals aren't too happy about the teens plans and a local developer needs the land as well in order to complete a multi million dollar deal. With the help of Rock (Harold Gould, the only one of the bunch still working today), the caretaker of the delapadated mansion they set out on their mission. They refuse the local developers offer of a buy out and set out to restore the mansion in a game of beat the clock. The locals try to run the "city trash" out, not allowing them to shop at their stores or eat at their restaurants in peace. In the mean time, Danny becomes smitten with a local girl he meets named Chloe (Mary B Ward), who eventually winds up joining their crusade to get The Majestic up and running.

Playing for Keeps is 80's cheese at its finest. You get your goofy characters, your silly dream sequences, your sexy skinnydipping scene complete with brief nudity (courtesy of Chloe), and in the end, everyone comes together to beat the odds (just like in real life). The soundtrack is a virtual who's who of 80's kitsch with tracks by; Pete Townsend, Arcadia, OMD, Phil Collins along with a fair share of one hit wonders you're not likely to get out of your head anytime soon.

Also in the cast look for Jimmy Baio (cousin of Scott Baio) and a young Marisa Tomei as Spikes girlfriend (in one dream sequence he's lifting weights and she appears before him in a naughty nightie with a tray of assorted snack cakes).

Long out of print on the Universal MCA label, this title resurfaced on Laser Disc as well. It would be nice to see a budget release of Playing For Keeps on DVD along with a 5.1 or DTS track which would be slammin' for the soundtrack! Until that day, my VHS and cassette of the soundtrack will have to tide me over.