Tag Archives: Molly Ringwald

#131 Favorite Film, 1985 Films, Ally Sheedy, Anthony Michael Hall, Comedy, Drama, Emilio Estevez, Favorite Film of the Year, Independent, Independent Comedy, Independent Drama, John Hughes, John Kapelos, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Paul Gleason, Top 250 Films

The Breakfast Club-1985

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The Breakfast Club-1985

Director John Hughes

Starring Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez

Top 250 Films #131

Scott’s Review #755

Reviewed May 8, 2018

Grade: A

The Breakfast Club (1985) is one of the most beloved films of the 1980s and perfectly captures what it was like to be a teenager at the time.

Containing both innocence and authenticity rarely found in films targeted at younger audiences (and there were plenty in the 1980s), the film is timeless and holds up exceptionally well, still feeling fresh.

Director John Hughes avoids cliches and creates genuine truth in cinema. The theme song, “(Don’t You) Forget About Me,” is nearly impossible to hear without associating it with this film.

The storyline is uncomplicated: five high school students (Bender, Claire, Andy, Brian, and Allison) from different social classes gather one Saturday morning in the high school library for a day of detention.

Each student appears to know the others, but only peripherally, having little in common.

Assistant Principal Vernon (Paul Gleason) assigns them to complete a thousand-word essay by the end of the day. The group engages in mischievous antics, squabbles, and discusses their respective roles and troubles in life throughout the day.

The film looks and feels like a small, independent feature rather than a big-budget offering, which is a great compliment. The cast is very small- only the aforementioned six principles and two minor characters.

The setting is almost entirely inside the walls of a suburban high school, with only a few exterior shots. Mainly, what succeeds is the characters’ interactions, rich dialogue, and good texture, along with underlying insecurities that make the screenplay bristle with genuine angst.

It is tough to pinpoint who the lead characters would be, but arguably Claire and Bender (Molly Ringwald and Judd Nelson) are the pair expected to unite as a couple, as they do in the conclusion- this is predictable yet sweet.

Unexpectedly, however, the film pairs Andy and Allison (Emilio Estevez and Allie Sheedy).

Both couples are complete opposites; Claire and Bender even despise each other for most of the film, yet they realize their mutual attraction.

Careful not to weigh down the film with too much heavy drama, Hughes, who also wrote and produced the work, peppers in some comedic moments.

Gleason is the easy foil as the sole authority figure, a bit too dedicated to his job of humiliating and disciplining the students, but he does get his due humorously.

Either on-screen or off-screen, no adult figures are written in a positive light, giving The Breakfast Club a complete teenage perspective.

But the main appeal lies with teenagers and the message that Hughes successfully relays: that of the misunderstood young adult.

Each character is unhappy in some way and feels placed into a category or defined by the cliques they belong to, whether they want to or not.

Hughes makes the film a treasure in terms of relating to the characters- everyone remembers high school and the insecurities wrestled with while attempting to get good grades and obtain acceptance.

Hughes brings these aspects to life with his slice-of-life tale.

Even if not every character is immediately recognized by the viewers, each is empathetic nonetheless.

When Andy reveals his father’s criticisms, or Bender painfully recounts his father’s physical abuse, we feel for them, suddenly seeing the strong athlete or the burnout from our high school days in an entirely new way.

Mousy Allison gets a makeover from Claire and suddenly shines like a new dime- finally not being ignored. Brian’s overbearing parents’ pressures are almost too much for him to bear.

After the film, we are left to wonder what will happen on Monday morning during homeroom. Will the group continue their new friendships (or more) or return to the normalcy of their respective peer groups?

Hughes wisely does not satisfy our piqued curiosity but rather leaves it to our imagination.

The Breakfast Club (1985) holds appeal for the masses without feeling cliched or put upon- only feeling insightful and inspired to accept others we may have preconceived notions about.

1984 Films, Anthony Michael Hall, Billie Bird, Blanche Baker, Brian Doyle-Murray, Carlin Glynn, Comedy, Gedde Watanabe, Haviland Morris, Jami Gertz, Joan Cusack, John Cusack, John Hughes, John Kapelos, Justin Henry, Michael Schoeffling, Molly Ringwald, Paul Dooley, Romantic Comedy, Zelda Rubinstein

Sixteen Candles-1984

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Sixteen Candles-1984

Director John Hughes

Starring Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling, Anthony Michael Hall

Scott’s Review #1,389

Reviewed August 14, 2023

Grade: B

While recently re-watching a string of John Hughes-produced or directed films from the 1980s, I set upon them with fresh eyes.

Some scenes or themes that worked in the mid-1980s would be inappropriate in a more sensitive, post-Me Too! era. movement.

Hughes, of course, was the king of the teen angst, coming-of-age, romantic comedies that usually starred Molly Ringwald.

Sixteen Candles, Hughes’s first directorial effort, was released in 1984 and launched him to superstardom and immense popularity. Films like The Breakfast Club (1985) and Pretty in Pink (1986) would follow to much acclaim.

What he did so well was provide maturity and a message to the otherwise dumb and raunchy comedies that populated the decade. He brought a fresh female perspective, whereas others were typically male and hormone-driven.

Already angst-ridden Samantha (Molly Ringwald) wakes up on the morning of her sixteenth birthday to find her busy family has completely forgotten her special day.

Samantha already pines for the handsome senior Jake (Michael Schoeffling), but worries that her dorkiness and lack of sexual experience will be a turnoff for the popular boy.

Meanwhile, Samantha must constantly rebuff the affections of nerdy Ted (Anthony Michael Hall), the only boy in the school who seems interested in her.

As enjoyable as Sixteen Candles is, I’d list it as the weakest of the Hughes films. It serves as more of a blueprint for the genius he would become.

Ringwald carries the film with ease, which is all the more impressive since this was one of her first film roles. She infuses Samantha with a blend of confidence, insecurity, and worry, so that most American teenage girls could see themselves in her.

Pretty but not a pinup blonde, Samantha is intelligent and the girl next door. She lives in a suburban neighborhood, is middle-class, has loving but distracted parents, and siblings focused on their trials and tribulations.

Most can relate to that.

A wonderful and tender moment between Samantha and her father, Jim, played brilliantly by Paul Dooley, nearly moved me to tears. His wisdom and kindness, as Samantha emotionally reveals her love for Jake to her dad, are warm and solid, epitomizing what a dad should be to his daughter.

A series of tepid misunderstandings occurs between Samantha and Jake, who, ironically, has noticed her and shares her attraction. She freezes when face-to-face with him and flees, so he naturally assumes she is a bitch and has no interest in him.

It takes so long for the lovebirds to connect that many possibilities and scenes go unexplored. The film ends as soon as they reveal their feelings, leaving the audience with little to celebrate.

We also know almost nothing about Jake. He is a rich kid whose parents are vacationing in Europe, but what makes him tick? He could have any girl in high school and date the pretty blonde girl, but what makes him so drawn to Samantha?

The casting of the four grandparents serves no purpose other than to provide comic relief and to convey an inaccurate message about how bumbling older people are.

One refers to Samantha’s ‘boobies’ while another stinks up the bathroom.

Worse yet, the inclusion of a foreign exchange Asian student named Long Duk Dong (Gedde Watanabe) is riddled with cliches and stereotypes only played for laughs.

These characters are caricatures.

Finally, the groping and taking advantage of drunk female characters now feels dated if not flat-out inappropriate. In 1984, the scenes are meant to be funny.

Still, Sixteen Candles (1984) accurately depicts the loneliness and problems that nearly every teenager has faced throughout history. With a warm message of belonging and a sweet subtext, the film is a recommended watch, but be wary of its stereotypes.

1986 Films, Andrew Dice Clay, Andrew McCarthy, Annie Potts, Drama, Dweezil Zappa, Gina Gershon, Harry Dean Stanton, Howard Deutch, James Spader, Jon Cryer, Kate Vernon, Molly Ringwald, Romantic Drama

Pretty in Pink-1986

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Pretty in Pink-1986

Director Howard Deutch

Starring Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy, Jon Cryer

Scott’s Review #1,376

Reviewed July 10, 2023

Grade: B+

A ‘B+’ grade may surprise some who know that I’m not a big fan of generic 1980s films, romantic comedies, or dramas.

Formulaic or nostalgic doesn’t always sit well with me, but I was baited hook, line, and sinker for an implausible coming-of-age sweet story.

Pretty in Pink (1986) and its writer, John Hughes, epitomize the 1980s and teen-angst films in general, but beneath the surface, the film has a lot of heart.

Star Molly Ringwald was the ‘it’ girl of the decade, perfectly portraying the girl next door facing the trials and tribulations of ordinary sixteen-year-olds.

Of course, my favorite Hughes film is The Breakfast Club (1985), also starring Ringwald, but Pretty in Pink is hardly as daring as that film. It’s softer and kinder with a lovely message of individuality and romance.

The film’s secret weapon is the spectacular musical soundtrack featuring, among other songs, the groovy title track by Psychedelic Furs and the mega-hit ballad ‘If You Leave’ by Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark.

Andie (Ringwald) is an outcast at her high school in the American Midwest. From a working-class household with an unemployed father (Harry Dean Stanton) and an absent mother, she makes her clothes and has an individual fashion sense.

She’s not exactly popular with the bitchy and materialistic cheerleaders.

She works at a record store for her older boss and friend, Iona (Annie Potts), and is usually seen with her best friend and fellow outcast, Duckie (Jon Cryer), who has a crush on her.

When one of the rich and famous kids at school, Blane (Andrew McCarthy), asks Andie out, it seems too good to be true. As Andie starts falling for Blane, she realizes that dating someone from a different social class comes with its challenges.

Pretty in Pink has a few different angles, including a social sphere, a romantic triangle, and themes of conformity.

The triangle is ultimately divisive. Should Andie choose a best friend and confidante, Ducky or Blane, the boy she is truly smitten with? Her choice has divided audiences since the film was released decades ago.

She has so much in common with Ducky, who also has blue-collar roots, but her heart belongs to Blane, who could offer her so much more. Andie is headed for University and couldn’t Blane be the proper sophistication for her?

I’m on team Blane.

Strangely and off-putting is Ducky. Meant to be cute, he all but harasses Andie, smothering her and pressuring her. His repeated phone calls would make me run the other way.

Social class is a wise topic explored and one that many audiences can relate to. The classic upper-class boy falls in love with a working-class girl, and family and friend pressures develop.

Hughes doesn’t delve much into the upper-middle-class parents, focusing only on the students, which I find interesting. The character of Steff (James Spader) is the villain, antagonizing Andie because he can’t get her into bed.

Andie has inspired, and continues to inspire, teenage girls everywhere who refuse to conform to norms and standards. The film offers a strong female character with real emotions and hopes, fears, and dreams.

Thanks to an outstanding performance by Ringwald, we see all her emotions, and a beautiful dynamic forms between father and daughter.

The conclusion of the film (related to the triangle) occurs at the high school prom, where a jilted Andie attends alone. A quick sequence where she reconnects with a character is very rushed, and the film ends quickly.

Unsurprisingly, this is the result of the finale being rewritten at the last minute after the original ending didn’t go over well with test audiences.

There is something to be said for the writer and director having complete creative control, but sadly, this isn’t the case in Pretty in Pink, and the audience can see the void.

Pretty in Pink (1986) may scream ‘1980s film’ and the tacky hairstyles and outfits that go along with the decade and the genre, but the messages relayed hit their mark.

Though dated in some ways, the film is timeless in others.