Every John Hughes Teen Film Ranked Worst To Best

John Hughes' directorial debut, Sixteen Candles, is at its heart a sweet coming-of-age story that set the bar for later teen films. The focus on very real emotions and characters that teenage audiences could relate to cements this as a turning point in the history of the genre.

There is lots of fun to be had, as characters engage in all sorts of hilarious escapades to make a brilliantly entertaining romp.

What really holds it together, however, is Hughes's direction and Molly Ringwald's performance, and it's these two who make what could have been seen as a pointless film about a moody sixteen-year-old and her petty problems, into a classic. It's no surprise that both of their careers were launched by this film.

However, Sixteen Candles is held back by the unfortunate use of racial stereotypes and unsettling behaviour . While this would have been seen as pure comic entertainment in 1984, in this day and age these are considered outdated and offensive by most.

Nonetheless, if these flaws are overlooked, it is still an endearing and comic look at high school life, especially considering it was the first film of its kind.