The Breakfast Club

1984 / Director. John Hughes

Tonight I introduced The Breakfast Club to my 14 year old daughter. She loved it. In fact she told me it's one of the best movies she's ever seen... thus proving how timeless it is. This, of course, applies to most of John Hughes' films from the 80s but The Breakfast Club is the one, which resonates the most. It tells the story of five teenagers stuck together for a Saturday morning detention. Each one of them represents a different social class with opposing views, morals and disciplines. The whole film is shot in the one location and it's effectively driven by its dialogue. Hughes understands the angsts of teenage life and he demonstrates it skilfully with these characters. Confessions are made and secrets are laid bare and before long these kids come to understand that they are all essentially the same. Life as a teen isn't easy and while the fashions and music might have changed over the years, the kids haven't. I've seen The Breakfast Club countless times but watching it with a 14 year old for the first time, it resonates even more. My daughter forgot that its set in 1984 and she kept commenting that she knows people exactly like that. It's a true testament to a legendary filmmaker. All of these actors (The Brat Pack) are excellent with Judd Nelson offering a powerhouse performance. A great script, a great concept and a social relevance that carries through time. Superb. 

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