One last collaboration for John Hughes and Molly Ringwald, whose creative partnership dissolved after this film. Somewhat softer and more self-serious than the preceding teen epics Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club, it tackles social cliques and classism from various perspectives.
Ringwald and leading man Andrew McCarthy, akin to Romeo and Juliet, find their young relationship stressed by the negative influence of friends who insist they find someone closer to their own status. There really isn't much sparkle to the pairing, though, apart from a few awkward make-out scenes, and they both come off as especially wet noodles in comparison to the vibrant, brash supporting cast. Jon Cryer is most memorable of these as Duckie, a flamboyant mod who's been carrying a torch for Ringwald all his life, and nearly steals the film with an abrupt dance/lip-sync number just before everything gets overly angsty.
Most of the third act is wasted on hand-wringing and moping, though, and the ending (changed at the last minute, much to Hughes's chagrin) feels disingenuous even if it does make a better fit for the movie's theme. The window dressings are drowned in '80s flavor, too, from the appropriately synthy soundtrack to the Halloween-grade costume choices. Looks like everyone at this school was either Don Johnson, Sid Vicious or Morrissey.
Harry Dean Stanton is the MVP of this movie. Jon Cryer's overacting annoyed me. This movie doesn't hold up very well, it's just forgetful.
John Hughes movies are a particular set of movies that deservedly and undeservedly have a cult following. I get it. They speak to a timeless generation. They have great soundtracks. They have a "feel" to them. However, they really are not the greatest of movies and I believe have held up more on principle than on merit. Pretty in Pink is possibly my least favorite of the bunch. With that being said, I still really enjoyed it! Who am I trying to kid?
Rating: 3/5 - 75% - Worth Watching
It fails by being too pretentious.
If you were a teenager in the 1980s John Hughes' movies were kind of a must-see. He captured what it meant to be a teen like no other and Pretty in Pink is no exception.
Falling in love, social class, belonging, the fear of being accepted - Hughes always deals with those issues. And it's so easy to relate with those characters. Molly is so sweet and unlike The Breakfast Club her character is now on the other side of the road.
I hold these movies in my heart, I really do. They are not perfect by any means. But having lived through those times, and experienced what those characters went through, makes them special.
For a moment, I thought the rich boy was going to turn into an asshole and the friend was going to get the girl at the end. I'm glad they avoided that cliché ending. I also liked how it kinda ended all of the sudden. Nice movie.
Ducky > Blane don't @ me
A high school film that can be forgettable, charcters were decent you didn't hate everyone but didn't really care for any of them either not the best film with John Hughes behind it but it's alright.
It's as cliche as it can get, but in this case for me the actors make the difference, they feel more natural, less fake than most of other similar movies.
God the girl was so impatient
boyfriend doesn't pick up phone don't ever fall in love. it's complicated
+rings the bell and after ONE second nobody answers* rings again
and the guy looked like a psycopath when he opened his eyes like that D:
Failed to be too pretential.
Shout by DeletedBlockedParent2016-07-15T19:46:09Z
High school. Check. Love story. Check. Heartbreak. Check. Prom. Check. Retro soundtrack. Check. Brightly-coloured outfits. Check. Average 80's high school movie. Check.