Friday, February 28, 2014

The Breakfast Club (1985)

Director: John Hughes
Writer:    John Hughes
Cast:       Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Paul Gleason, Ally Sheedy

Five high school students, each fitting to the different stereotypes, have to spend a Saturday  in detention. Over the course of the day they discover that they have much more in common than they thought.

It is a great coming off age comedy-drama film from the 80s. Rob Reiner's 'Stand By Me' was about childhood friendships while this one is about five students who would never be seen together unless dictated by the circumstances. Film begins as a pure comedy and gradually develops into  the more serious  matters. That journey is provoked by the character Bender's (Judd Nelson) ramblings in not a subtle way. There is a poignant scene towards the end where the nerdy guy Brian (Anthony Michael Hall) asks them come Monday whether they will still be friends, and it is something I think everyone can relate to having been part of a particular circle of high school friends where strangers are not welcome. The ending is a bit Hollywoodish but it is a great film nevertheless. 

I will end with the final letter that they send to the teacher as part of their detention:
Brian Johnson: Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. What we did *was* wrong. But we think you're crazy to make an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain...
Andrew Clark: ...and an athlete...
Allison Reynolds: ...and a basket case...
Claire Standish: ...a princess...
John Bender: ...and a criminal...
Brian Johnson: Does that answer your question?... Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club.

Rating: 4.5/5

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