Pretty in Pink. Paramount, 1986.Cast: Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy, Jon Cryer, Harry Dean Stanton, Annie Potts, James Spader.
Director: Howard Deutch.
Rating: PG-13.
Length: 96 minutes.
ASIN: B00005JKOI
Plot:
At Andie’s school, the students are strictly divided between the rich and the poor; the two sides never mix. Andie is one of the poor students. Her father is depressed and only working part time after her mother left them. To help out, Andie works at a record store after school and makes her own clothes. She has very few friends, one of which is Duckie, a dorky boy who is madly in love with her and not afraid to show it. One day, Blane, one of the rich students, starts to show some interest in her. He asks her out, but the date is a disaster. His friends are rude to her and her friends are rude to him. The date ends with Andie in tears because she in embarrassed for Blane to see where she lives. Blane insists that it doesn’t matter and asks her to go to prom with him. The two continue to date, but his creepy friend, Steff, manages to convince Blane that they shouldn’t be together. After confronting Blane in the hallway and breaking up, Andie decides that she should go to the prom anyway. She creates another masterpiece, a pink prom dress, and Duckie accompanies her to the prom. Blane has come alone, however, and is there to apologize to Andie and declare his love for her.
Critical Evaluation:
Pretty in Pink is the quintessential 80s movie. It’s a perfect example of the fashion and music of the time, which is something that many teens today enjoy. It’s more than just a blast from the past, however. The central storyline - that of looking past the labels to be with the person you love - is something that modern teens can understand.
Molly Ringwald plays Andie with maturity and sweet sincerity. Her portrayal of a daughter trying to take care of herself and her heartbroken father, while maintaining her hopefulness and dignity, is an outstanding performance. Andrew McCarthy as Blane’s wooing of her is charming in its execution; even when he caves to the pressure of his jerky friend and leaves, it’s still hard to hate him. Possibly the best character in the movie is Duckie, played by Jon Cryer. He’s adorable and hilarious, especially in his love for Andie. The scene where he lip-syncs to “Try a Little Tenderness” is the funniest in the movie. He’s allowed a chance to be more than comic relief, however, when displaying both his heartache at watching Andie fall in love with someone else and his affection for her when he encourages her to open her heart and forgive Blane.
Annotation:
Andie, a poor girl, and Blane, a rich boy, fall in love while their friends try to keep them apart.
Director Information:
Howard Deutch was born September 14, 1950 in New York. He attended the University of Ohio and then joined the advertising department at United Artist Records. After leaving advertising, he went into business for himself and started his directing career by directing music videos for musicians such as Billy Idol and Billy Joel. His first feature length film was Pretty in Pink.
He met his wife, Lea Thompson, while directing her in Some Kind of Wonderful in 1987. They were married in 1989. He’s since directed her in several other movies and television appearances. They have two daughters.
Genre:
Movie: Romantic Drama
Curriculum Ties:
None
Movie Talking Ideas:
- Talk about falling in love with someone your friends don't like.
- Compare Blane and Duckie.
- Discuss Andie's relationship with her father.
Interest Age:
13 and older
Challenge Issues:
Sexual content
Profanity
Alcohol and tobacco use
Challenge Defense Ideas:
- Require the challenger to fill out a written challenge form with clear reasons stated and examples given.
- If not already familiar with the content, become familiar.
- Refer the challenger to the library's collection policy.
- Refer the challenger to reputable reviews of the books, as well as reviews by those in the book's target audience.
Reasons for Selection:
It's a classic teen movie.
