The Bottom Line: This movie is a great example of ensemble casting. This movie is about the story. It relies on the ability of the cast members to produce a stunning show.
This movie is a GREAT movie for teens today. I teach high school and I show this to all my classes every year and have them write a paragraph on who changes the most.
I went to high school in the 70's and there were similar "groups." There were the kickers, the jocks, the heads, the brains, the drama weirdos...
I personally fit into several of those categories at different times. Many of us do. Although The Breakfast Club takes place in the 80's so many of the issues still confront teens today. The kids all want so much to be liked and all seem to do things they don't want to because of what their friends think. There are kids like Bender who are abused at home and have reputations for being "bad." There were in the 70's too. I have sad memories of one such "bad" kid who was in reality so sweet and was being terribly sexually and physically abused at home. The "Basket Case" has been my student for three years now. The parallels are amazing. She also cleans up beautifully--could be a model.
My students always comment on how cute the actors were in the 80's, how young Emilio and Molly look. They also comment that they know people like that and how much the movie seems like a real high school situation.
I'm touched by the poignancy of the interpersonal situations. It's so hard for the different groups of students to understand each other and the brilliant crux of this movie is that such different students gain understanding and appreciation of each other.
As a film, I really appreciate a work that spends its budget on the talent and not on special effects. This is such a marvelous ensemble piece. One like this is rarely equaled (in MY humble opinion).
Don't you forget about me.... Fear Not, I carry The Breakfast Club with me always.
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