MovieChat Forums > The Breakfast Club (1985) Discussion > Disappointing

Disappointing

posted 4 years ago by Wuchak (8772)
63 replies | jump to latest

This movie has a big reputation as an 80's teen flick, but I was wholly disappointed. Most of the discussions between the five students from different cliques -- the popular girl, the jock, the Brainiac nerd, the dope-smoking rebel and the neurotic misfit -- come across contrived and unconvincing. Some of the dialogue is actually cringe-inducing.

The hoodlum (Judd Nelson) could've worked as a character, like the Fonz or Vinnie Barbarino, but he's such an annoying, loud-mouthed jerk that he loses all sympathy, particularly when he verbally rapes the redhead on multiple occasions for no ostensible reason. The fact that the two end up together at the end adds insult to injury. Not to mention two others that unrealistically couple up.

It's strange that "The Breakfast Club" is billed as a comedy because there's very little that's funny, although it's occasionally entertaining, like some of the music sequences. Unfortunately, writer/director John Hughes wasn't into the heavier side of rock and so the soundtrack consists solely of bland 80's new wave bands, like his other 80's teen flicks (e.g. “Sixteen Candles,” “Pretty in Pink” and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”). Don't get me wrong, there are a couple of quality songs, like “We Are Not Alone” by Karla DeVito, but where are the heavier popular bands of 1984, like Van Halen, Scorpions, Judas Priest, Ratt, Dokken, Queensryche, Def Leppard, AC/DC, Twisted Sister or Motley Crue? Is it asking too much to have ONE song that actually rocks?

But the music is the least of the movie's problems (and isn’t really a problem at all, except that there aren't any heavy tracks). The actors are fine, but Hughes' dialogue is unconvincing. The script needed a serious rewrite.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

Honestly, the movie is a little overrated

[–] strntz (12454) 3 years ago

The hoodlum (Judd Nelson) could've worked as a character, like the Fonz or Vinnie Barbarino, but he's such an annoying, loud-mouthed jerk that he loses all sympathy,

I think that was the point, that and the subplot that in addition to being a bully, he also was a coward who backed down to the jock and the principal.

particularly when he verbally rapes the redhead on multiple occasions for no ostensible reason.

I think that's a little strong. This was the 1980s when people didn't curl into an involuntary fetal position when someone insulted them. Today you can kill someone with a look, back then you had to be more of a wordsmith, something Bender actually was pretty good at.

The fact that the two end up together at the end adds insult to injury.

I've seen weirder things happen. Again, different time and place. People, even kids, were tougher then.

[–] Wuchak (8772) 3 years ago

It wasn't a matter of Claire being tougher, it was a matter of her simply being too classy & intelligent to succumb to the non-charms of this gross verbal abuser. There's no way a girl like her would warm-up to a characterless swine like Bender by the mere end of detention. Maybe after several weeks/months wherein he proved he wasn't a needlessly abusive scumbag and earned her interest, but not in that short of time.

I think that's a little strong.

Go back and listen to the things he says to her. They were extremely meanspirited and uncalled for, even shocking, whether the year is 1984 (when the film was shot) or 2021 or 1954 or 84 AD.

I like what you say about the scriptwriter making a point concerning Bender being an oppressive coward without sympathy, but he failed to convincingly morph Bender by the end when viewers -- and Claire -- are supposed to have developed some sympathy for him and accept him as a person worthy of attracting someone like Claire. The way it is, the only person he'd attract is a masochistic girl plagued by low self-esteem.

But I'll watch it again sometime to see if I'm being unfair to the movie.

[–] strntz (12454) 3 years ago

I realize that the concept of all this taking place during one 8 hour detention session squeezes the plot, but the script at least had the requisite cathartic moment for all of them when they all pretty much came clean with each other and bonded a bit. Could they do this in 8 hours? Probably not, but it was still fun to watch, it was for me at least.

Bender was not without *some* charm. Early on he was a total tool but started to show cracks in his persona and started showing some humanity. Bender had a fairly good vocabulary and knew how to use it humorously and effectively. I also liked how he picked up on Carl busting their balls by claiming the clock was fast.

[–] Wuchak (8772) 3 years ago

I appreciate the balance you provide to my original post. I'll give it another try sometime.

[–] acidraindrop (3055) 3 years ago

It's really hard to take your critique seriously. Obviously, different strokes for different folks and all so it's fair if some people don't enjoy the film. But your criticisms are inherently subjective. It didn't need a rewrite simply because YOU don't like it.

For example
"ike the Fonz or Vinnie Barbarino, but he's such an annoying, loud-mouthed jerk that he loses all sympathy"

This isn't a bad thing. He's a shithead. He's insecure. He is NOT a nice person. All because you wanted to sympathize doesn't mean that he needs to garner sympathy.

"The fact that the two end up together at the end adds insult to injury."

You act as though men like Bender are necessarily terminally single, or that they don't verbally abuse their partners who still stay with them.

This alone really makes your opinion on the film's script difficult to accept.

[–] Wuchak (8772) 3 years ago

All because you wanted to sympathize doesn't mean that he needs to garner sympathy.

Actually the writer (Hughes) could've had Bender become a serial killer, gutting people like a fish, and I could care less. My issue is: The story asks the viewer to accept that, after Bender atrociously accosts Claire on several occasions for no ostensible reason beyond his own juvenile insecurities and scumbag-ness, we are to accept that in a mere few hours he's able to have a character change so great that an intelligent girl like Claire would actually warm up to him enough to join with him romantically. Why Sure!

I call that bad writing, but if you think it's great scripting and love the movie, that's wonderful; more power to ya.

[–] acidraindrop (3055) 3 years ago

I see what you're saying. But you're again projecting onto the film for some strange reason.

we are to accept that in a mere few hours he's able to have a character change so great

You assume he had a character change. He did not.

that an intelligent girl like Claire would actually warm up to him enough to join with him romantically

You imply that Claire is smart enough not to want to be with an abusive, selfish, manipulative asshole. There is no reason to think this.

You imply that she warmed up to him because he changed in ANY way. This is not what happened.

I call that bad writing, but if you think it's great scripting and love the movie, that's great; more power to ya.

I attempted to have a rational discussion with you, but if you want to be condescending and intellectually ignorant, than more power to ya!

[–] Wuchak (8772) 3 years ago

You assume he had a character change. He did not.

By "character change" I meant some kind of change of heart/mind that had an obvious effect on his behavior, glaring enough to attract Claire to his non-charms in just a few hours of detention. He at least stopped verbally abusing her, which shows that he did have some kind of change by the end of the story. If he was still treating her like that do you think they would've been a couple at the climax? Obviously not.

You imply that Claire is smart enough not to want to be with an abusive, selfish, manipulative asshole. There is no reason to think this.

There's plenty of reason: In the first act it was clear that she wasn't appreciating Bender's atrocious, unprovoked accosting, to say the least. If she's the kind of girl you suggest she would've been swooning over his gross abuse.

if you want to be condescending...

Actually, I wasn't. Just because you're either (1) overlooking the movie's shortcomings or (2) making excuses for it because of nostalgia (or whatever), it doesn't mean I look down on you or fans of the film. I meant what I said: If you love the movie, that's great. I like some of it too, but was disappointed. I'm just conveying some legit criticisms. Isn't that what this board is mainly for -- discussing movies, what you like or don't like, their themes, etc.?

[–] DarkHorse (297) 3 years ago

Bender and Posh chick is highly likely. She likes that it will piss her family off and girls tend to like dickheads. He is also, despite his crudeness genuinely into her. He is also a battered child and she would like taking care of him.

Jock and Nerdy chick not so likely. I agree with that and it seemed forced and tacked on.

The film is pretty empty but then a lot of those 80's teen films were like extended music videos.

There some interesting insights into the characters, Ally's Nerd girl turns up to detention voluntarily to have somewhere to put herself and possibly for some kind of social interaction. The Jock is under a lot of pressure and is cracking up. Nerd guy is trying to fit in and is crossing the line into being a bully. Can't recall why Posh girl was in there.

[–] Furienna (3345) 3 years ago

I don't see how Allison was a "nerdy chick" though.
She was more like an '80s version of a Goth girl.

[–] degray9 (1126) 3 years ago

It’s not really that unbelievable that Claire would end up with Bender. When you go back and rewatch you notice she was attracted to his brutal honesty and no-nonsense attitude. She was attracted to the unpredictability, but she also recognized that he had a tenderness inside that he disguised out of fear due to being abused at home.

[–] Wuchak (8772) 3 years ago

I'll give it a re-watch sometime with what you say in mind. But, going by memory (since I haven't seen it for a few years), it seemed clear in the first act that Claire wasn't appreciating Bender's atrocious, unprovoked accosting, to say the least.

[–] degray9 (1126) 3 years ago

Well you’re not alone. Molly Ringwald wrote an Op-Ed a few years ago about how her character is essentially sexually harassed and demeaned throughout the movie. She was uncomfortable with John Hughes’ writing and considered it misogynist.

But I think the film makes a point that by Monday all of the characters would be back to their normal status quo and no longer on friendly terms once the euphoria wore off.

[–] moviechatterer (15780) a year ago

This whole thread seem like one of those

"Why do women go for total bastards instead of me" posts , of which there are many , because tough guy jerks do indeed get women , somehow , so the movie is accurate.

[–] Wuchak (8772) a year ago

Claire seemed smarter than that. Besides, if what you say is true, she would've been swooning over Bender in the first act, not at the end after he dropped the vile verbal abuse.