'Rad' is more 80's than Ronald Reagan sitting on Arnold Schwarzenegger's shoulders while playing Pac-Man and singing "Beat it". That is not meant as a criticism by the way.
True to the "Can do" zeitgeist of the decade, 'Rad' is an underdog story about a kid who overcomes the odds. Oops, spoiler alert. But come on, you know how these things turn out. It's all about how we get there and how satisfying it is to see our hero succeed.
Said hero is Cru Jones, a likeably bland character who is easy to root for. The villains are all card stock, which is more than okay in these kinds of movies. Again, you want shade, go sit under a tree.
Director Hal Needham ('Smokey and the Bandit') does a good job of capturing all of the BMX action, and the soundtrack--as many 80's soundtrack do--acts as an emotional desktop shortcut for the drama.
This isn't quite 'Karate Kid' on a bike, but if you like that sort of feel good 80's underdog tale, 'Rad' is aptly titled.
