The late John Hughes would have liked "Bandslam," an upbeat high school musical that plays like a garage-band cover of "The Breakfast Club."

Todd Graff's film adds a Red Bull to the formula of high school romantic triangle.

The movie stars Aly Michalka (of pop duo Aly & AJ) as the golden girl extrovert, Charlotte, and Vanessa Hudgens (of "High School Musical") as raven-haired introvert, Sa5m (the 5 is silent).

Both young women are drawn to Will (Gaelan Connell), new dude on the quad. Although something of a dork, he has possibilities, something his Mom (Lisa Kudrow, reliably funny) keeps on telling him.

At his New Jersey high school where the Tri-State Battle of the Bands is a big deal — "Texas high-school football big" — Will's 1980s-inflected musical taste is distinctive. The film follows Will as he navigates the perils of popularity and unpopularity.

Rated PG for mild language and thematic elements, "Bandslam" gets 3½ out of 5.