A timeless classic.

Rating: 10/10 (18 March 2012)

I decided to review this film mainly as an excuse to see the film again (although it's only a few months since I last saw it).
The description of the film sounds awful. Five students get a detention! Seriously what kind of film is that and what strings did the director, producer and writer, the late John Hughes, have to pull the get it made? Most of the cast were relative unknowns, up and coming stars including Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy and Paul Gleason. The film is set almost in one location over the course of one Saturday. It is hardly the formula for a great movie. But for some reason the film turns out to be amazing. It went on to become the 16th highest grossing film of 1985 (the top film that year was Back to the Future). It is a true master class in film making. It shows what you can accomplish with the right script and the actors who can bring the characters to life. The cast is perfect, every one of them brings something great to the film from the teacher in charge of the detention, to the janitor. But for me the stand out performance is from Judd Nelson's performance as John Bender. At the time Judd Nelson was 25 playing a 17/18 year old, but it took the maturity of age to play such a troubled and messed up character. A character who's tough exterior hides the anguish of abuse. His is the most interesting journey in the film.
The performances in it are so good because of the rest of the cast. Each actor feeds off the other actors performances and every one of them is better for it. This is what many films are missing, a great young talented cast putting it all out there. Other films that use this include The Outsiders, Young Guns, Red Dawn and St. Elmo's Fire (coincidentally all apart from Red Dawn star Emilio Estevez but it does star his brother Charlie Sheen so I guess it must be in their genes!).
I absolutely love this film. It is in my top movies of all time and I never get bored watching it.
If you haven't seen this film please give it a go. It is a true love it or hate it film. A film that can be watched over and over. A timeless classic.