The original mean girls! (Heathers (DVD))

Member Name: bamamo

Product:	Heathers (DVD)
Date:	11/08/08 (93 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Some great lines, fast-moving plot

Disadvantages: No real soundtrack

I kept hearing about this film but somehow only saw it for the first time a few months ago. I've since watched it twice more. This is high school movies and black comedy at it's absolute best, complete with ridiculous 80s clothes and hair. Perfect!

This now cult classic tells the story of the three Heathers - Chandler (Kim Walker), Duke (Shannen Doherty) and McNamara (Lisanne Falk) - and Veronica (Winona Ryder)- the most popular and hated girls in school. Veronica is new to their clique after ditching her true friend, Betty Finn, in an attempt to get in with the in-crowd and become popular, even though she too hates the Heathers.

The Heathers are ruled by Heather Chandler, the most popular girl in school and in her own words "wanted by all as a friend or a f*ck". She leads a reign of terror over the students at Westerberg High School by playing mean pranks, in particular on Martha 'Dumptruck' Dunnstock, and firing mean - yet inventive and well, hilarious - insults at them. Heather Chandler is the original Mean Girl, but you can't help but laugh at some of the things that come out of her mouth.

One night Veronica, who is still in some kind of initiation with the Heathers, is dragged along with a party at a nearby university with Heather Chandler. She has a horrible time and when she asks to leave, Heather refuses, resulting in Veronica throwing up in the hallway. The next morning, she and love interest JD (Christian Slater) go to Heather's house to give her a hangover cure which they hope will make her throw up, to get a taste of her own medicine. While Veronica opts for milk and orange juice, JD suggests liquid drain cleaner. Veronica reminds him that they don't want to actually kill her, just make her feel bad, but the cups get mixed up while they are kissing, and although JD notices the mistake, Heather drinks the Draino and dies immediately.

The pair decide to make it look like a suicide and Veronica, who is an excellent forge artist, writes a note to leave in Heather's room. Little did they know that Heather would become more popular than ever after her death, and JD would get somewhat of a taste for killing...

VERDICT
Heathers is fast-moving and fun with a hell of a lot of wit. It laughs in the face of other 80s movies like The Breakfast Club, although if you liked that I think you would enjoy this, only a lot more. Politically correct it is not, the first time I saw it I was quite shocked at some of the things they got away with saying!

Although Heathers was pretty much a box office flop, it has done phenominally well in DVD and VHS sales, and I think this is down to the fact that between them, Veronica and JD, they live out what you secretly wish you could have done in high school. We can't all kill the bitchy queen bee, so it sure is fun to watch.

I don't want to spoil the rest of the film, but the events after Heather Chandler's death do get somewhat out of control, and I *almost* started to dislike Veronica too, but at the end I thought "well, you gotta do what you gotta do".

It's so hard to write this review without a spoiler of the rest. I will leave this with a few of my favourite quotes (ones which don't give too much away) and I strongly urge you to watch this, even if it's just to laugh at the poofy hair-dos and shoulder pads. Oh 80s fashion!

QUOTES
Heather Chandler: Well f*ck me gently with a chainsaw, do I look like Mother Theresa?

Heather Chandler: I brought you to a Remington party and what's my thanks? It's on a hallway carpet, I got paid in puke.
Veronica: Lick it up, baby, lick it up.

Heather Chandler: Is this turnout weak or what? I had at least 70 more people at my funeral.
Veronica: Heather?
Heather Chandler: God, Veronica. My afterlife is so boring. I have to sing Kumbaya one more time...

Veronica: If you were happy every day of your life you wouldn't be a human being. You'd be a game-show host.

Veronica: (By Heather's coffin) Hi, I'm sorry. Technically, I did not kill Heather Chandler, but hey who am I trying to kid, right? I just want my high school to be a nicer place. Amen. Did that sounded bitchy?

QUICK FACTS
-Release date: 1989
-Rating: 18 (language and violence)
-Language: English
-Run time: 103 mins
-Filming locations: Los Angeles, CA

Heathers is currently on DVD at Amazon.co.uk for £3.97.

Summary: A classic for a reason.