Starring:
Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer, James Spader, Annie Potts and
Andrew McCarthy.
Sounds:
[Duckie; "Blane!"]
This is like a serious version of Sixteen Candles. Molly Ringwald stars as Andie, the poor girl who likes Blane (Andrew McCarthy), a rich kid whose friends would dissapprove. Jon Cryer is Duckie, Andie's best friend and surprise, surprise he is also in love with her. But it is all okay as Blane forgets his stuck up friends to go out with her, whilst Ducky finds someone else and we discover Pink really is her colour.
This film is also full of other good supporting
characters which help fill it out, like Iola the 30 year old
punk who acts as a mother/friend and mentor to Andie and Andie's
unemployed father (Harry Dean Stanton) who still can't get over the
fact that Andie's mother left him.
Duckie however really is the scene stealer.
Originally Andie was suppossed to end up with Ducky and not Blane
but it was changed for the film so as to appeal to more people.
This film follows the sort of formula for an 80's teen movie that
you'd expect. The whole rich/poor divide which is crossed. The great
idea of having one of the characters work in a record shop so as to insure a
sellable soundtrack and of course the best friend who has unrequited
love.
James Spader is very believable as Blanes horrible, rich best friend
who looks down on Andy (although it is only because he can't have her).
Also the dialogue between Andie, her best friend and the two 'rich bitches'
is spot on for realism. The acting is once again superb. With both Molly
Ringwald and Harry Dean Stanton putting in great performances. You can totally
believe the relationship between them. Again though, Jon Cryer's performance is the
one that makes this movie. Although the ending was changed for mass appeal
most people agree they want Ducky to get the girl, not Blane. This is probably
because most people can relate more to Ducky and his situation/actions
(despite his outlandishness) than they can to Blane's. You can feel his pain
when he first learns of Andie's date with Blane and can't completely
blame him for getting annoyed at her (although you do still feel sorry for her).
No matter what any other review sites say of this movie it is great. One of the
classic teen movies (well it is a Hughes after all, what did you expect?).
There are rumours of a sequel being planned involving all four main characters, but no mention of John Hughes' collaboration on the project. It will supposedly be darker and moodier and focus more on Spader's womanising character.