Every John Hughes Teen Film Ranked Worst To Best
A genre and a decade defined by one man's films. But which one is the best?
Pre-1984, there had been teen films. Yet many of them missed the mark, with characters that often weren't three-dimensional enough to be considered as accurate portraits of youth culture.
Enter John Hughes, who revolutionised the genre by adding realism and humanity to the characters and scripts of his six teen films, released between 1984 and 1987. Of the six he wrote, he only directed four, the other two helmed by Howard Deutch. Nonetheless, all of them have that trademark wit, charm, and believability that Hughes was so adept at putting into his work.
Being products of the 1980s, there are of course some aspects which have aged poorly over the years, but the main characters are still as relevant and relatable as they were then - proven in the ongoing popularity of these films and their resonance with the teenagers of today.
From emotional confessions to prom nights to days off to impossible romances, the Hughes work defined the genre and have influenced almost every teen film since.
As endearing as they all are, some are better than others, and so this is the ranking of all six of them.
6. Weird Science
As the title suggests, Weird Science is very... well, weird. The film follows two losers who decide to create their dream girl, using a toy doll and a computer among other things. The plot is juvenile wish-fulfilment and the direction, writing and overall quality is not to the standard of Hughes' other work, but it has its moments.
If the sci-fi element is taken out, Weird Science does fairly well as a teen film. Parties and angst place it firmly within the genre. The problem is that the sci-fi element IS there, and it's executed in a shamelessly cheesy fashion that only the 80s could come out with.
Undeniably there are a few laughs to be had, and the leads in Anthony Michael Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith make for realistic high school nerds. These two factors are just about enough to stop the film falling on its face, but ultimately, Weird Science takes itself too lightly. Even for 80s standards, it is unabashedly lurid and unconventional, and the result is a mixed bag.
It is by far Hughes' worst teen film.