A teen classic (The Breakfast Club (DVD))

Member Name: shaneo632

Product:	The Breakfast Club (DVD)
Date:	16/09/09 (1 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great writing and characters

Disadvantages: None

note: also appears in part on Flixster and The Student Room

The Breakfast Club is one of the very best films of the 1980s and a cultural milestone from the master of the 80s teen film, John Hughes, who sadly passed away last month. This is a warm and affirming film that's also among the most honest and authentic observations of the high school system and the social structure within that system.

The film opens as a number of kids are in detention on a Saturday, having all committed numerous infractions, whilst the discipline-obsessed principal (Paul Gleason) tries to ensure that they keep quiet and don't try to escape. The kids are from a variety of backgrounds and cover virtually every facet of the school system. There is the nerdy kid, Brian Johnson (Anthony Michael Hall), who is a little too perfect for his own good, Allison Reynolds (Ally Sheedy), the strange misfit who seems to be obsessed with lying, Claire Standish (Molly Ringwald), the conceited and rather irritating priss of the group, Andrew Clark (Emilio Estevez), the no-nonsense jock, and the best character of all, Bender (Judd Nelson), a rebellious youth who is the only one that really tells things as they are.

I really admire the film's brutal honesty - it breaks down the preconcieved notions of life that these teens have, and primarily through Bender, delivers a rundown of what life's really like, and how the societal groups propogated in school are merely a smokescreen created by the upper crust of the hierarchy. What's most fascinating is how these groups slowly learn to connect throughout the course of the film, but the film leaves it open as to whether these barriers will stay knocked down. It therefore offers no simple solutions but also opens the doors for change. It's a supremely influential film that really connected with numerous generations of kids, and will continue to for decades to come.

Another great film in the Hughes canon. The host of characters are wildly original, and the point this film makes is valid for teenagers everywhere. Great stuff, bolstered with a superb song by Simple Minds to play us out.

Summary: One of the best teen films ever