'Baby It's You' screening takes place in Asbury Park. Here's the Springsteen connection

Happy birthday, “Baby It's You.”

The John Sayles under-appreciated coming-of-age classic, starring Rosanna Arquette and Vincent Spano, turns 40 this year. An anniversary showing takes place at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 16, at the Showroom Cinema in Asbury Park.

It's an appropriate place as a scene in the movie takes place on the Asbury Park Boardwalk, and the film features the music of Bruce Springsteen.

“It's not the first film to use Bruce's music, but I would say it's definitely the first major film, and John Sayles would go on to direct some of Bruce's music videos,” said Caroline Madden, the author of “Springsteen as Soundtrack” who will be hosting a Q&A at the screening. “So the film not only uses Bruce's music, but it takes place in New Jersey.

Spano's “Sheik” character is introduced in the film to Springsteen's “It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City.”

“That scene is really great because a lot of the lyrics really match Sheik's character,” Madden said. “He matches the swagger you hear in the song. It's very fitting.”

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The Boss' “She's the One,” “Adam Raised a Cain” and “The E Street Shuffle” are also used in "Baby It's You." Sayles would go on to direct the Springsteen videos “Born in the U.S.A.,” “I’m On Fire” and “Glory Days,” as well as the indie films “Return of the Secaucus Seven,” “The Brother from Another Planet” and “Lone Star.”

Madden is a Toms River native who's written for IndieWire, SlashFilm, and has a new article on “Baby It's You” on RogerEbert.com. She’ll have copies of her “Springsteen as Soundtrack” for sale at the screening.

More: Toms River hosting new music and comedy series, including contest sponsored by Bamboozle

“Baby It’s you” is a different kind of coming-of-age film, Madden said.

“A lot of those films end on graduation,” said Madden. “Everything is centered on getting to graduation, the senior prom, and it sort of just ends right there. But with 'Baby It's You' you, it's split. There's a transition to follow Jill (Arquette's character) in her first year of college and Sheik in his first year of adulthood, and it's all about reconciling the dreams you have when you're a high school teenager.

" ... A lot of those probably aren't going to come true when you're an adult. After high school you aren't the same person, and it's hard to hold into the friendships and romantic relationships you had.”

Go: “Baby It's You” with Caroline Madden, 3 p.m. Sunday, April 16, 707 Cookman Ave., Asbury Park. $20; showroomcinemas.com.

Eagles in Newark

Break out the pink champagne on ice, the Eagles “Hotel California” 2023 Tour is coming to the Prudential Center in Newark on Friday, April 7.

Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit and Vince Gill are the group's current members. The concert will feature the Eagles' landmark album “Hotel California” performed in its entirety from start to finish, accompanied by an orchestra and choir. Afterward, the Eagles will perform a full set of their hits.

The Eagles “Hotel California” concerts began in 2019 in Las Vegas. The Prudential Center date will be the band's first performance at the arena since 2018, and its fifth performance at the venue overall.

The show is also a homecoming for Walsh, who went to Montclair High School, and even played football there. Walsh often welcomes the Montclair crew to his shows when he's in the area.

Resale tickets are available through Ticketmaster starting at $250.

Go: Eagles “Hotel California” Tour, 6:30 p.m. doors, show starts 8 p.m., Friday, April 7, Prudential Center, 25 Lafayette St., Newark, tickets start at $250; prucenter.com.

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Springsteen songs feature in 'Baby It's You' coming of age film