A huge hit when it was first released and still iconic today, The Breakfast Club is one movie that has really stood the test of time.
Written and directed by John Hughes, The Breakfast Club is about a group of teenagers in detention that are all very different from one another. By the end of the day, they realise they aren’t so different after all.
The students start off by being very cagey with each other but as the day goes on they find ways to connect and are drawn together by a mutual hatred of their Teacher and minder for the day, Mr Vernon.
The focal point of the movie is the letter the Group are forced to write by Mr Vernon detailing “who you think you are”. Brian writes the letter on behalf of them all and basically says Mr Vernon sees them in a certain way but in spending the day together the five of them realise they all have a little bit of each other inside.
John Hughes says the film was originally to be 2 and ½ hours long but some scenes were cut. He is the only person with the complete copy.
There have been many rumours of a sequel but nothing has ever come to fruition. I very much hope things stay that way.
Brat Pack Rating
The absolute classic, stands the test of time and has five of the Brat Pack members in the cast. Films don’t get much better than this, a hard 10 out of 10.
The Breakfast Club Characters
Claire Standish – The typical pretty rich girl who attracts the attention of Bender.
John Bender – The bad boy of the group. Always in trouble and is in detention for setting off the fire alarm.
Brian Johnson – The geek. Brought a flare gun to school that went off in his locker. Also enjoys online trading.
Andrew Clark – The athlete and state champion wrestler.
Allison Reynolds – A bit crazy, strange and just plain weird. In detention because she had nothing better to do.
Starring; Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy.
The Breakfast Club Trivia
Anthony Michael Hall’s mother and sister in the movie are his real life mother and sister. Also, John Hughes played his Dad at the end of the movie.
The robot Bender from Futurama is named after John Bender from The Breakfast Club.
John Hughes almost got rid of Judd Nelson because of his attitude towards Molly Ringwald off camera. This was due to Judd staying in character even when the cameras stopped rolling.
I think this one might be my favourite Brat Pack movie. Maybe because I didn’t go to high school but for the last year to get my baccalaureate (in France) so I am quite nostalgic of what I didn’t live… Strange, yeah I know.
Thanks for the site, Jamie.
Jamie,
Thanks for creating the website. Though many people site “St. Elmo’s Fire” as being THE movie that defined the ’80’s generation, I still feel that “The Breakfast Club” defined us even more…especially those of us going through High School.
As Brian says at the end of the movie in the letter…”we are all a little bit of each character”…as we continue to struggle to survive and find our way through life..even 30 years later..
Thank you for a great site, and for perpetuating The Breakfast Club!
Rusty Hale (A cross between Brian and Andrew…)
Best Movie From The 80’s This Like All The Memories I Haved In Calumet High School
Jacob Swanson