(Howard Deutch; 1987)
Starring:
Eric Stoltz, Mary Stuart Masterson, Craig Sheffer and Lea Thompson
Another John Hughes classic! Okay, he didn't direct this one but he did write and produce it.
The story is quite similar to Pretty In Pink, only with the genders reversed. This time it is a poor boy
who fancies a rich girl. Her friends don't approve of their relationship and the boy's best friend
(this time a girl rather than Ducky) likes him. The main difference between the two though is that this one actually
has the 'proper' ending. That is the ending you wanted for Pretty In Pink. Originally in Pretty In Pink Molly Ringwald's
character was meant to end up with Ducky. However the original test audience (or fools as I call them) wanted her to end up with rich kid Blane.
Also Hughes was worried it might put out the message that rich and poor people shouldn't date each other.
I don't think it gives too much away to say that in Some Kind Of Wonderful the poor boy ends up with his friend rather than the rich girl.
Also, it doesn't give too much away to say that as the film is fairly predictable. Plus, it came out in 1987 so you've had long enough to see it by now
before I spoiled the ending for you! But I digress...
I got the feeling that as he had to compromise the ending on Pretty In Pink, that was why he wrote this film.
The film is about Eric Stoltz's character, Keith, who is enamoured with Amanda Jones, one of the most popular girls in school. Keith, meanwhile, is a misfit at school. At home he argues with his father about his future. (With his father wanting him to go to college). He spends most of his time out of school working at a garage and hanging out with his best friend Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson). It also features a supporting character with more depth than would be expected in this type of film in Duncan (played by Elias Koteas). As with Pretty In Pink it culminates with Keith blowing his college fund to take Amanda on a date (with the questionable decision of using Watts as the chauffeur) and they end up at a rich kids party that Amanda's possessive ex-boyfriend is holding.
Some may see this as a better or more mature version of Pretty In Pink. Personally, whilst that may be true and I do like the film, I don't feel it is as fun as PIP. Plus, whilst Duncan is a great supporting character, he is no Annie Potts. Last word to Film critic Roger Ebert who stated the film "is not about whether the hero will get the girl. It is about whether the hero should get the girl, and when was the last time you saw a movie that even knew that could be the question?"
