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Directed by: John Hughes Starring: Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Anthony M. Hall, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy "Don't you--" Duh-DOO DOO Duh-DOO DOO DOO "forget about me..." After making the acclaimed 'Sixteen Candles', John Hughes went on to make 'The Breakfast Club', probably his most famous movie. 'The Breakfast Club' was well-recieved when it debuted back in 1985, and even today, 20 years later, it is still fondly remembered and loved. The movie takes place in a typical, all-American high school, during a dreary March Saturday morning in 1984, and tells the tale of a group of five high school students who have nothing in common. Except, of course, for the fact that they all have Saturday detention. The five kids have never really interacted, nor had reason to. Each one represents a different clique/social group, collectively forming a perfect cross-section of most every teen in America. There's Andrew (Estevez), the typical jock Athlete; Claire (Ringwald), the rich, popular Princess; Brian (Hall), the geeky, bookish Brain; Allison (Sheedy), the introverted, weird, slightly goth-esque Basketcase; and John (Nelson), the rebellious, troublemaking Criminal. Paul Gleason also appears as Richard Vernon, the authoritarian principal, whose strict attitude and inability (or perhaps refusal) to relate or understand the students alienate, and oftentimes puts him at odds with, the teenagers. Particularly John Bender, who seems to know just how to push his buttons. The confrontations between these two form some of the film's most tense moments. Although they seem different on the surface, as the day goes on the kids begin to communicate. Throughout the entire day of detention, the kids reveal more about themselves and learn more from each other. It's interesting to watch their characters interact and sometimes conflict. John is particularly abrasive, but he is probably one of the more entertaining and interesting characters in the movie. Besides him, Allison is the most charmingly eccentric of them all. Although the other three are good themselves, John and Allison are the scene-stealers, I feel. Claire is a rich daddy's girl, and comes across as stuck-up (although that was intentional, it still doesn't help me like the character). Also, her problems seem to be far more trivial than the other kids'. Andrew is likeable in his own right. His relationship with his overbearing jackass of a dad, as well as his backstory regarding why he recieved Saturday detention, make him likeable, but he's a little too straightedge and uptight when compared to John. Brian is often humorous ("I'm in the math club") and entertaining, but again, he just seems kinda boring compared to John and Allison. Vernon is probably as unlikeable as John and Allison are likeable. When he first appears, he quickly proves himself to be the uncool adult figure. Besides Vernon, the only other adult in the movie is Carl the janitor (John Kapelos). Unlike Vernon, however, Carl is far more sympathetic and in tune with the kids and what they're going through, and despite his humble position as custodian, he wields a suprising amount of power at the school. 'The Breakfast Club' is a very good and well-done movie. But as widely popular as it is, it is not flawless. For one thing, this movie came out in 1985. That in itself isn't a flaw, but it DOES mean that some parts of the movie are quite outdated. Take, for instance, John's comment to Vernon to "eat his shorts". Now, that may have illicited a :hellnaw: from somebody back in 1985, but if you seriously said that as a mocking challenge now, you'd be laughed at. Another example is the air guitar that John and Andrew both do at seperate times during the movie. I mean seriously, air guitar? All of this will make an Aught teen crack up or look at the screen in confusion. To be fair, though, a lot of this only makes the movie more charming (although it may detract from the seriousness a bit). Another minor annoyance is that this film, like other John Hughes films, seems to carry a vibe that "Gosh, adults just don't GET IT, man!!  ". It's not a big deal, but it's kind of annoying now that I'm a young adult. Despite this, I think for the most part, 'The Breakfast Club' actually holds up quite well. The core message of the film (that we're not so different afterall) is a little quaint when you look at it now, but that doesn't change the truth behind it. I think modern teens can benefit and enjoy this movie. Although cross-clique liasons aren't as farfetched as they were in the 80s, there's still some deliberate segregation and social circles. If this movie was made today, they'd probably make the kids multiracial/religious/cultural, but the essence would remain the same. When measured and judged on its own merits, 'The Breakfast Club' is a very fine movie that will continue to be enjoyed by many. I give this movie a 4.5. P.S.- Although it's pretty lame that Brian was the one that didn't get a girl. RATING: 4.5 PROS: Good characters, well acted, pretty decent portrayal of the typical American high school during the 1980s CONS: Some aspects of it haven't aged well ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088847/
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Jun 19, 2005 15:39
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