Okay, I swear this is the last wussy entry in my 10 favorite movies series. But even though this might be termed a chick flick, it definitely exceeds the standards for such films. I would say this is one of the last good movies John Hughes (The Breakfast Club, Ferris Beuhler's Day Off, Pretty In Pink) had something to do with (he wrote and produced it). The last would be Uncle Buck, of course. Anyway, unlike most of Hughes'80's flicks, this movie features a fresh cast. There are no Brat Packers in sight. The story pretty much runs like Pretty In Pink in reverse, but who the heck cares. This is another one of those against the grain movies. It breaks stereotypes. It tugs at your heart as well as your funnybone. The dialog is genuine. What a way to finish off the 80's teen genre.
One of the best things about this movie is the cast. They aren't your standard Brat Pack teenie bopper looking people. Their performances have more depth than pretty much any other Hughes cast. Eric Stoltz plays the main artsy/loser guy to a T. He's not really a loser, he's just an against the grain type guy. My kind of guy. Mary Stuart Masterson plays Watts, the tomboy drummer. She's hilarious and genuine. Lea Thompson is the stuck up popular gal who wants to be rich but isn't. Elias Kotias (Casey Jones in TMNT) puts in my favorite performance as the stereotypical thug with a twist. His character definitely has the funniest scenes in the movie.
The thing I like most about this movie is that it doesn't sell itself short. It isn't one of your typical guy gets the girl love stories. It has wit, sarcasm, and deals with some genuine issues that a lot of people can relate to. It's also a great date movie. I'm always saddened when I see the bile that John Hughes has put out in the last 10 years or so, so its always refreshing to watch movies like this. Definitely a must have for any 80's marathon.