Ultimate teen film still packs a punch today; Brat Pack lives on!

Rating: Null/10 (27 February 1999)

I vividly recall growing up in the '80's. One of my pastimes was soaking up the culture of the age. Video and film were key parts of this culture. The thing was you didn't care whether they were Oscar material, you just had a good time. This film however, THE BREAKFAST CLUB, is one of the more serious films of the age, and I think one of the best. Even though the Brat Pack did not rage on with their careers after the eighties, they undoubtedly had talent, and they certainly display it in this play-like setting. It takes a different kind of skill to perform in these types of atmospheres, but all of them handle it very well. Judd Nelson may be a sort of a scene-stealer (and he does do it well), but the whole cast plays their part to the mark. I found it odd that I didn't play favorites with the characters. Each one had a past to tell, and a captivating one, too. This is not your traditional John Hughes fare with bumbling burglars and vacations that get out of control. This is deeper material with deeper character sketches. This is a rare teen comedy that delivers more than you expect. Rating: Three stars and a half.