Gotcha! (1985)

44% of critics liked it
(9 reviews)
48% of users liked it
(4,803 ratings)

"Gotcha!" is a puerile but popular campus game at UCLA in which students stalk one another armed with paint-spewing pellet guns. Veterinary student Anthony Edwards may not be any great shakes in the classroom, but he's a whiz at Gotcha. His skills come in handy when Edwards, on vacation in Paris,… More "Gotcha!" is a puerile but popular campus game at UCLA in which students stalk one another armed with paint-spewing pellet guns. Veterinary student Anthony Edwards may not be any great shakes in the classroom, but he's a whiz at Gotcha. His skills come in handy when Edwards, on vacation in Paris, becomes acquainted with the mysterious Linda Fiorentino. She gets him mixed up in international espionage; fortunately, the well-armed spies aren't quite as adept at "Gotcha" as Edwards is. Most of the film was lensed in Paris and Berlin. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 37 min.
Directed By: Jeff Kanew
Genres: Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1985 Wide
On DVD: Aug 12, 2003

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Uninspired sophomoric spy caper.
Pete Vonder Haar, Film Threat
Every Cold War adolescent's fantasy: Linda Fiorentino possibly trying to kill you
Fred Topel, About.com
Fun action adventure about paintball turned real

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Jani H

"Mon crayon est large."
AJ V

I caught this movie on TV a while ago, I remember it being exciting and kinda funny too. I really enjoyed it, and I'd like to see it again.
Dean M

The teen movie is funny, mystery and excitement - it's like James Bond in college. Anthony Edwards is well-cast as the young man being whirled into the wicked world of espionage behind the Iron Curtain, and Linda Fiorentino is so seductive and sexy in a strange mysterious way.
jay n

Fluff but good fluff
Steve K

Fun 80s fluff. With a delicious Linda Fiorentino.
RJ M

Here's a movie that, for many reasons, could never be made today. In its opening sequence, college students run all over campus with black paint guns, shooting at each other. The mere sight of something like that today would send people running a panic, and lead to endless… More
Here's a movie that, for many reasons, could never be made today. In its opening sequence, college students run all over campus with black paint guns, shooting at each other. The mere sight of something like that today would send people running a panic, and lead to endless highlights on CNN. The students are playing "Gotcha!", a game where they compete against others in an assassination-type game involving red paint pellets. One of the best players is Jonathan (Anthony Edwards), and it's about the only thing he's good at. When he and his lothario roomate take off on a European trip, he meets the seductive Sasha (Linda Fiorentino), that is all too willing to show him the ways of the world. What Jonathan doesn't know is that Sasha is a spy. Here's the other area where the movie couldn't be made today. Firmly cemented in 1985, the movie was made when the Berlin Wall, and communism split Germany in half. The plot simply wouldn't fly today. Sasha lures Jonathan to East Berlin, and ends up dragging him into a cat and mouse game with Germans, Russians, and any number of people that would just as soon kill you as look at you. Edwards is a likeable doofus, and comes across as a believable character who finds he has more wits and cunning that he gave himself credit for. The husky voice Fiorentino does two things in this movie very well...smoke, and get naked. The latter of which is surprising given the movies PG-13 rating. Director Jeff "Revenge Of The Nerds" Kanew makes excellent use of the Eurpoean surroundings. From tourist attractions to back alleys, the movie has a real feel that sells it far more than if they had gone the cheap route and shot it on a backlot. The movie does take a little while to get moving, and occasionally falls a little too deeply into slapstick when it comes to its humor. But it is a fun revisit to the 80's, and showcases when times were both safer and more dangerous at the same time.
Chad R

Another old one from Goose with hair! This must be when my Dad got the illegal device to get HBO...good stuff.

Read all 7 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Marla Adams as Maria Jonathan's Mother

            J.P. Bumstead as Duty Officer

            Christie Claridge as Girl Student

            Nick Corri as Manolo

            Brad Cowgill as Reilly

            Marie Dubrule as Paris Blonde

            Steve Eastin as CIA Agent

            Anthony Edwards as Jonathan Moore

            Linda Fiorentino as Sasha

            Aileen Fitzpatrick as CIA Operator

            Erik Holland as Bronski

            Dan van Husen as Man in Shadow

            Francis Le Maire as Waiter

            Gene Lebell as KGB 1

            Kari Lizer as Muffy

            Klaus Lowitsch as Vlad a Russian Agent

            Irene Olga Lopez as Rosario

            Roland Nitschke as E.B. Customs Guard

            Alex Rocco as Al

            Chris Rydell as Bob Jensen

            Bernard Spiegel as Taxi Driver

            David Wohl as Professor

            Bob Yerkes as KGB 2

            Susanna Bonasewicz as Operative

            Bernward Buker as Punker

            Marie Carlman as Hotel Girl

            Robin Cooke as CIA Agent

            Tom Deininger as Hawker

            Dante di Loreto as Boy with Football

            Victor Garron as Homeboy No. 2

            Ruben Guevara as Chicken

            Traudl Haas as Kiosk Woman

            Robin Harlene Honeywell as Girl Student

            Skip Jacobsen as Cop No. 1

            Greg Karas as Homeboy No. 3

            Elke Knittel as Female Punker

            Berno Kurten as Punk Driver

            Ayshea Leigh as Cabaret Singer

            Tiina Maria as Heidi

            Christel Merian as E.B. Customs Guard

            Peter Pan as Chinese Man

            Reggie as M.P.

            Maximilian Ruethlein as W.B. Hotel Clerk

            Erich Schwarz as E.B. Customs Guard

            Kevin Sifuentes as Homeboy No. 1

            Karl Spanner as KGB Goon

            Dragomir Stanojevic as KGB Goon

            Danny Tolkan as Maitre d'

            Georg Tryphon as Customs Officer

            Manfred Tummler as E.B. Policeman

            Kristina Vasari as Airport Hostess

            Dirk Vogeley as W.B. Policeman

            Tim Werner as CIA Agent

            Larry Charles White as Cop #2

            Jesus Franco as Homeboy No. 4

            George Fisher as KGB #3

            Christopher Rydell
            
            Klaus Loewitsch
            
See full cast