From the opening "Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!" of Simple Minds 'Don't You (Forget about me)' The Breakfast Club is unashamedly the quintessential 1980s teen movie.
The film starts with a bizarre opening title sequence. Excerpt of lyrics from David Bowie's 'Changes' appears on screen,
"And these children that you spit on, as they try to change their worlds, are immune to your consultations; they are quite aware of what they are going through."
before shattering to reveal the front facade of Shermer High School, Illinois [a familiar location to fans of Ferris Bueller's Day Off].
The premise is simple. Five High School students are set to endure an eight-hour Saturday detention session. A prom queen, an athlete, a brain, a rebel and a basketcase, what could they possibly have in common? In short, nothing (other than their plight for the next eight hours).
During the course of the day, the teens realise everyone has quirks, talents, flaws and problems of perception amongst their own peer group. The Breakfast Club is ultimately a journey of discovery and the endpoint is camaraderie.
The film is an eclectic mix. Confused, clumsy and indulgent, yet offering heart and humour and the occasional stark, hard-hitting depth. There is a noticeable nine-year age difference between the five main characters. At the time of filming - Anthony Michael Hall (16 years old), Molly Ringwald (16 years old), Emilio Estevez (23 years old), Ally Sheedy (23 years old) and Judd Nelson (25 years old). Almost 40 years later the dialogue feels a little pretentious at times and the transformation of Ally Sheedy from basketcase goth to Minnie Mouse lookalike is unnecessary and only panders to the teenage pressures of appearance, conformity and belonging.
One of the most resonating scenes in The Breakfast Club is the challenging conversation regarding stereotypes, peer pressure and what happens on 'Monday morning.' This scene, involving all of the characters sitting in a circle on the floor of the library mezzanine, was apparently unscripted. Instead, writer and director, John Hughes asked the actors to ad-lib and improvise. The result is a powerful exchange, with Anthony Michael Hall, in particular, producing a sensitive performance.
The Breakfast Club remains a film for anyone who has ever been a self-aware teenager, and ideally, one that should be watched whilst you are a teenager.
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