The iconic movie that gave 80’s teenagers some meaning and possibly some direction, has reached a milestone. Thirty years ago theBreakfast Club came onto the scene, spawning five up and coming Hollywood Stars and Starlets who represented a generation that were trying to find themselves. Each character in the movie was fighting their own struggles as the movie would go on to unravel the complexity of being a teenager. Directed by John Hughes (1950-2009), the premise revolved around five students who were corralled to attend detention for various High School crimes and misdemeanours.
Everyone in the group had a preconceived judgement of the other. By the end of the movie each walked away with a better understanding once their day long detention was finished. Once the kids, who were from five distinct adolescent social groups came together, there was no topic left untouched; peer pressure, sex, love, suicide, loneliness, abuse, promiscuity, rebellion and violence. Together they broke through the stereotypes and tore down the walls that seemed to divide them coming in.
John Hughes was known for writing and directing teenage coming of age movies. The 80’s appeared to be his decade. He had the ability to touch a common nerve but never spoiling his formula. With movies like Some Kind of Wonderful, Pretty in Pink, Weird Science, Sixteen Candles and of course, The Breakfast Club he was able to showcase some of the same actors and actresses that had a special chemistry that only he could catch on film. It was well crafted themes containing realistic dialogue of that time period. Few directors were able to capture that kind of magic which capsulated a generation.
Molly Ringwald, Emillio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy welded the teenage angst that was alive and well in 1985. There were no car chases. No murder plots or blood splattered on the screen. Not one boob was shown, aside for Molly Ringwald’s cleavage. Yet the message was clear and accomplished. It dug deep into the minds of everyone who had at one point in time struggled with who they were and felt lost because they didn’t know who they were supposed to be.
With the Breakfast Club, there could never be a sequel. The 1985 movie was truly ‘lightning in a bottle’ and a classic for future generations to note, everything is going to be ok.
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