Pretty in Pink (1986)

Pretty in Pink (1986)
Yep, another teen romance from John Hughes featuring members of the Brat Pack! In terms of teen romances and comedies, John Hughes ruled the 1980’s. Unlike other films, he did not direct it but was rather the soul and mind. He produced and wrote the script with newcomer Howard Deutch taking over directorial duties. Like most of his scripts, Hughes’s Pretty in Pink is a very sweet film. Anyone who was once 16 could relate to the film as it authentically tackles class/social division within a school background. Like any of his films, Hughes made his characters relatable whether you like them or not. I genuinely thought this film is sweet and I enjoyed it very much, but there are some issues.

As I said, the script itself is sweet. Hughes took his story from a tale that is old as the beginning of time. We have seen this story play itself out countless numbers of time. The poor girl falling for the rich guy who has snobbish friends. And the poor girl does not want to show the world who she lives with or where she lives. Thankfully, the performances do elevate the material but unfortunately very few points could be given for originality. I also had issues with the ending. The original ending would have been something I would have related with, but the producers fear it could have been considered classist. No outright spoilers here! With all that in mind, the rest of the movie worked well.

Duckie (Jon Cryer) is a very unpopular boy who is consistently getting laughed at. He also has a major crush on his best friend, the likewise unpopular Andie (Molly Ringwald). Andie has some inconsistent wardrobe choices and heralds from a poor background. Her mother left years prior and her father Jack (Harry Dean Stanton) is often drunk and unemployed. Now, Duckie wants to tell her his true feelings, but cannot seem to do so. While he contemplates his feelings, Andie falls for the rich Blaine (Andrew McCarthy). He seems to genuinely like her as well, but his snobbish friends keep getting in the way, particularly Steff (James Spader). With prom on the horizon, what will happen to these teenagers and their feelings?

The performances are really solid as you would expect with a Brat Pack film. What is Brat Pack? Essentially, it is a term that was given to such teen films from the 1980’s and are associated with one or more of Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Andrew McCarthy, etc. So, you could include films such as The Breakfast Club. Back to this film, Ringwald worked well with Hughes as he recommended her in the lead role. She delivered once again! Some people found Jon Cryer annoying as Duckie, but can you resist his lip synch to that Otis Redding song? McCarthy and Spader were solid, but Spader definitely looked too old to be a high school student. Also, I must include Annie Potts who played Andie’s record store boss, Iona. I liked her words of wisdom and her style choices.

The soundtrack is considered to be one of the best of the 1980’s and I can agree. Deutch originally wanted to include theme music, but Hughes convinced him otherwise. Most of the songs are from the new wave genre. In fact, the film’s title comes from the hit song sung by the Psychadelic Furs. This soundtrack is a staple when you consider films from the 1980’s.

Pretty in Pink may not be the best or the most original of films associated with John Hughes. The story has been told a billion times over, but thankfully we got good performances out of the script. I liked the dynamic between Andie and her father and between Andie and Duckie. The chemistry is there between the actors. Too bad the film ended the way it did. It could have been a more satisfying film. Still, this was still a relatable, enjoyable flick.

My Grade: B

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