Pump Up the Volume

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Videos & Photos

  • Trailer 1

Movie Info & Cast

Director:

Allan Moyle

Producer:

Sandy Stern, Rupert Harvey, Syd Cappe

Release Date:

Aug 22, 1990

Runtime:

1hr 42m

Synopsis

Mark runs a pirate radio station and causes an uproar when he speaks his mind and enthralls fellow teens.

Cast

  • Christian Slater
  • Samantha Mathis
  • Ellen Greene
  • Scott Paulin
  • Cheryl Pollak
  • Andy Romano
  • Mimi Kennedy
  • Annie Ross

Letterboxd User Reviews

3.7
47.6K
15.1K
14.9K
RATINGS 651 FANS
3.7

  • The cinematic equivalent of trading in your Poison tape for a Pixies CD.

    530 Likes
    Adam Ball
    Adam Ball
    Aug 14, 2020

    "This is vandalism, not free expression!" I assumed that this very formative movie for me would rest mostly on nostalgia -- which is still there, intact. But also this thing, this still so thorny thing, that should be inextricably tied to its moment is instead on the…

    453 Likes
    matt lynch
    matt lynch
    Jun 30, 2014

    Before Facebook, iPhones, iTunes, AOL, and Twitter there was this really cool thing called a radio. Teenagers would listen to it and maybe even dance. What was even cooler than a radio? Pirate radio, an underground station that played awesome music and the DJ's could say…

    427 Likes
    Todd Gaines
    Todd Gaines
  •
    Dec 7, 2016

    Even shy, awkward, bespectacled Christian Slater can GET IT.

    390 Likes
    Anna Bean
    Anna Bean
    May 28, 2019

    another perfect example that punk is beyond just music, leather jackets, docs and spiked hair.

    360 Likes
    Inherently Viced
    Inherently Viced
    Jun 11, 2026

    Makes you wish radio would make a comeback, which is a truly bonkers thing to cross one's mind in 2026, but that just speaks to Pump Up The Volume's joyous ability to draw in and comfort the outsider. The spirit of John Waters runs raging through this; blatantly in its…

    127 Likes
    Jay 👽
    Jay 👽
  •
    Jun 24, 2016

    "I like the idea that a voice can just go somewhere, uninvited, and just kinda hang out like a dirty thought in a nice clean mind. Maybe a thought is like a virus, you know, it can... it can... kill all the healthy thoughts and just take over. That would be serious."

    303 Likes
    Filipe Furtado
    Filipe Furtado
    Feb 20, 2021

    the real e-girl and her podcaster boyfriend

    287 Likes
    Austin
    Austin
    Oct 5, 2022

    Kids rule! Adults drool! *catches his reflection in the mirror* Uh-Oh.

    216 Likes
    Justin Decloux
    Justin Decloux
See All Reviews on Letterboxd.com

Queue Community Reviews

93%
Community 969
❤️ LOVE
31%
👍 LIKE
62%
😐 MEH
5%
👎 DISLIKE
3%
Top Reviews
  • Chazz d
    Chazz d loved
    Pump Up the Volume

    This movie is just so fantastic, from the characters, to the amazing plot point. It’s a movie that is so easy to just rewatch, over and over. Christian slaters character this film, he is so relatable, the living embodiment of wanting to be someone else, except he is that person

    3Y
    Jimmy Cricket
    Jimmy Cricket loved
    Pump Up the Volume

    A fun movie about the power of the human voice and freedom of speech. Some good songs on the soundtrack (Leonard Cohen specifically). Gets a bit heavy handed by the end and doesn’t touch upon the guilt aspect enough but the issues it deals with still prevail today.

    9M
    James New
    James New loved
    Pump Up the Volume

    Concept alone is great & the script is fantastic. spreads a message waaaaay ahead of its time. Performances are great and the needle-drops are fantastic. A lot better than I would’ve imagined. The title is a little generic but that’s the least important thing rn

    2Y
  • MizLit
    MizLit liked
    Pump Up the Volume

    As always, the book was better. This rating might be more influenced by the soundtrack than the actual film. Required GenX angsty teen movie.

    2Y
    Michael Delahoussaye
    Michael Delahoussaye liked
    Pump Up the Volume

    Good film, will watch again. Not sure why Slater looks 35 in the movie poster but is a convincing 17 year old in the movie.

    2Y
    joel
    joel liked
    Pump Up the Volume

    Very interesting movie, with a really cool message. Totally wish I was one of those 80s/90s kids.

    3Y
  • milo
    milo loved
    Pump Up the Volume

    it was amazing, i love the storyline and how it can go really deep

    3Y
    Msunny
    Msunny liked
    Pump Up the Volume

    Top 3 movies ever, nearly perfect in every way

    3Y
    Beau
    Beau loved
    Pump Up the Volume

    Great Movie and the music is awesome too.

    6M
View More Popular Pump Up the Volume Reviews on Queue

Atom Users Reviews

No one has posted a user review yet.

Metacritic

77
metacritic
Based on 16 Critics
8.2

USER SCORE (29)

Universal acclaim based on 29 Reviews
88

Pump Up the Volume, in addition to presenting an engaging story, has tapped into a universal truth about rebels with causes.

View full review
Metacritic review by James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
80

Working within the confines of the teen-age genre film, Pump Up the Volume succeeds in sounding a surprising number of honest, heartfelt notes.

View full review
Metacritic review by Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden
The New York Times
See All Critic Reviews on Metacritic.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Pump Up the Volume (1990) family-friendly?
The movie has been rated as R, meaning that Under 17 requires an adult accompaniment.
How long is Pump Up the Volume (1990)?
The movie is 1hr 42min long.
What's Pump Up the Volume (1990) about?
Mark runs a pirate radio station and causes an uproar when he speaks his mind and enthralls fellow teens.
Who's the cast of Pump Up the Volume (1990)?
  • Christian Slater as Mark Hunter (Hard Harry)
  • Samantha Mathis as Nora Diniro
  • Ellen Greene as Jan Emerson
  • Scott Paulin as Brian Hunter
  • Cheryl Pollak as Paige Woodward
  • Andy Romano as Murdock
  • Mimi Kennedy as Marla Hunter
  • Annie Ross as Loretta Creswood
Who's the director behind Pump Up the Volume (1990)?
Allan Moyle directed Pump Up the Volume (1990).
Who produced Pump Up the Volume (1990)?
Sandy Stern, Rupert Harvey and Syd Cappe produced Pump Up the Volume (1990).