The
Breakfast Club (1985)
Rating:
R
Runtime:
97 minutes
Box
Office (in today’s dollars): 100 million (approximately)
Characters:
Claire Standish, Brian Johnson, Andrew Clarke, John Bender, Allison Reynolds, Richard
Vernon, Carl Reed
Cool
Stuff: Allison’s Cap’n Crunch and Pixy Stix sandwich
Cool
Music: “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”
Cool
Quote: “Don’t mess with the bull young man, you’ll get the horns.”
When
I was a senior in high school, I had to write a two-page paper about which of
the five main Breakfast Club
characters I most resembled. I will keep you in suspense and reveal my choice
at the end of my review. They are all good/bad in their own way: Claire (the
princess) is pretty but unfriendly, Brian (the brain) is nice but troubled, Andrew
(the athlete) is popular but easily influenced, John (the criminal) is tough
but a jerk, and Allison (the basket case) cool but a liar. Richard Vernon (the
assistant principal) sees people as he wants to see them and is not a good guy.
Carl (the janitor) is the eyes and ears of the school and is a good guy.
The
coolest parts of the movie are the dialogue, so I had a little trouble choosing
the coolest thing ... until I realized the obvious choice was Allison’s Cap’n
Crunch and Pixy Stix sandwich. I have to admit I have never tried it, but I
will one of these days. The movie has one of the most memorable end scenes
(Bender’s fist in the air) and is accompanied by one of the most iconic ’80s
songs “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”. Coolest quote was tough: “Uh, what ruckus?
... Could you describe the ruckus, sir?” is funny; “When you grow up, your
heart dies,” is sad; Bender’s joke about a naked blonde, a poodle, and a salami
could have been a classic if it had a punchline. Dick’s “Don’t mess with the
bull young man; you’ll get the horns,” is the clear winner.
The
movie tackles many issues: alcohol, bullying, drugs, fashion, money, parents,
sex, and suicide. The biggest question, which is never answered, is do they
remain friends/lovers on Monday morning? (I say yes, initially, but after a
while they will revert back to their own ways.) I always felt bad for Brian:
everyone else got the girl/guy.... He got to write the paper.
Speaking
of papers ... I wrote a ten-page paper explaining how I resembled all five
characters. Pretty sure that blew my English teacher’s mind.
Next
movie to review: The Goonies
