Essential

Rating: 9/10 (2 July 2005)

In John Hughes' classic 80's film The Breakfast Club, five people from five different clicks of the high school realm are forced to sit together for one Saturday due to their reckless behavior. The group consisting of, "a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess, and a criminal," learn what it is like living in their shoes.
The brain is Anthony Michael Hall and his character Brian is one of the more complex. He needs to keep his grades up so he can survive his home life. All seems fine in his world but little does the Breakfast Club know it is anything but.
Andy is the athlete played by Emilio Estevez, is the person who always can fight his way out of a situation. If something needs to get done, he can do it. This pressure is poured onto him by his father. The wrestling team needs him and this Saturday session is the key to continuing his quest for college.
Ally Sheedy plays the part of the basket case named Allison. She is the oddball of the group. With her secretive, quiet, and sometimes disturbing attitude, she is the one who must truly find out what she really is and what she wants out of life.
The princess is played by Molly Ringwald. Claire is so self absorbed that even if she became friends with someone there she wouldn't tell anyone because it would ruin her reputation of being perfect and popular.
Last but not least is the criminal played by Judd Nelson. As the smart-ass of the "club", John Bender (just called Bender) feels like he runs the show. Always nipping back at Principal Vernon (Paul Gleason) who runs this Saturday detention. Nelson delivers a mind blowing performance as this trash talking, punk dressing, and domestically abused teenager.
Director John Hughes could not miss with any of his pictures in the 80's. Sixteen Candles, Ferris Buehler's Day Off, PLanes, Trains, and Automobiles, and Uncle Buck. All done within 5 years. All are priceless. This picture stands out among them.
What makes this movie so memorable is the dialogue shared between these characters. They would have never met if it wasn't for this detention on a Saturday. They never would have shared so many deep, intimate thoughts that otherwise might have stayed locked up in "the vault". Each person tells their story of where they come from and why they are there giving us a feeling of relief in the end.
With all the pieces put together, you get one hell of a movie and one that will be remembered for generations to come. Who could ever forget Claire's lipstick trick?