There are few filmmakers more quintessentially '80s than John Hughes, the man behind Ferris Bueller's Day Off and writer of Pretty In Pink. His best and most rewatchable film, though, is his sophomore feature; the one that's endured the longest. The Breakfast Club knowingly embraces movie cliches and character stereotypes and flaunts them in sincere, infectiously heartwarming manner. The premise is simple: five high schoolers on detention, including a jock (Emilio Estevez), a nerd (Anthony Michael Hall), a princess (Molly Ringwald), an outcast (Ally Sheedy) and a rebel (Judd Nelson), bond over their shared dissatisfaction with teen life. Hughes' deft touch and the strong performances (the Mickey Rourke-alike Nelson will have you wondering why his career never took off) lend the film a strangely bittersweet power. Together the cast capture the essence of teendom, appearing awkwardly, vulnerably trapped between carefree days past and an uncertain future ahead.
Lover of film, writer of words, pretentious beyond belief. Thinks Scorsese and Kubrick are the kings of cinema, but PT Anderson and David Fincher are the dashing young princes. Follow Brogan on twitter if you can take shameless self-promotion: @BroganMorris1
