The Breakfast Club: The Movie That Struck A Chord

I still remember the first time I saw The Breakfast Club. I was 18 and left in a daze, one impossible to shake off. As a teenager, I had never come this close to feeling represented in a movie as I did after watching this John Hughes classic. And over the last 7 years, it has managed to retain its spot in my top 10 movies list. Some movies can do that; leave an imprint so strong that even if you disagree with or dislike certain aspects of them, you can’t begin to deny their importance in your life.

But still, writing this blog hasn’t been without inhibitions. Before I sat down to write this piece, I kept recalling one scene from the movie that I find to be particularly problematic. One where, although it’s not shown, it’s suggested that John Bender touches Claire Standish inappropriately while hiding from the detention teacher under her desk. And sadly, he gets away with it, without facing any consequences! Quite the opposite happens by the end of the film – he gets the girl!

This scene made me hesitate. In addition, the film has some misogynistic and homophobic undertones with other problematic themes running wild, unchecked – if you think about it, just like the protagonists of the story. But my love for the overall message trumped my concerns.

Yes, while the film can fail to be politically correct and is offensive at several points, it still brings back the focus toward real conversations. The film is not about a certain ideology. It simply paints a picture of what teenage life can be like. What it’s like to be stereotyped when you are so much more than that. And how all of us have sufferings and griefs of our own, as well as our own coping mechanisms. What matters is if we let these stereotypes and pains tear us apart or be a means of connecting with one another. And that to me, is significant.

Now, getting to the fun part…what made the film for me!

The Characters, duh!

a brain…an athlete…a basket case…a princess…and a criminal

Though my alliance or affection lies most with Allison, I found a part of me depicted in Brian's intellectual brilliance, Claire's perceived perfection, Andrew's confining conformism, and Bender's inability to be understood, taken seriously, and his spirit of rebellion (highly minuscule when it comes to me).

Like Ally, I know I have much more to offer the world than my absurdity.

Like Brian, I have an identity that extends beyond my intellectual capacity.

Like Claire, I feel out of place many a time, even with those I find the closest to me.

Like Andrew, I find myself stuck to a picture painted in my own head (borrowed from others in some ways); unable to break out, but sometimes, just almost.

Like Bender, I find myself fighting to find my true self; fighting to break out of the preconceived notions about me and the expectations others have from me.

I’m pretty sure, at one point or another, you all must have felt like these characters, felt like I do. Because all of us are a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, a criminal, and so much more. And while that is a point of comfort, we should also see it as a point of coming together.

The Message that Made the Movie

There are some scenes that shine bright – the dance sequence, the scene where the 5 protagonists sit and reveal it all (it was mostly improv by the actors which makes it EPIC!), and of course, the fist pump moment! But like I mentioned earlier, the film’s significance for me lies in the message. And because I’ve detailed it in a post on the Like Riding A Fish Instagram page, I’ll quote the same:

Andrew, Allison, Bender, Brian, and Claire represent all of us and especially our realities during the teenage years.

While that sounds bleak on the surface, it's good to know that we all have our demons, insecurities, fears, and evils that we are trying to survive or triumph over.

The chaos, the circus, the stereotyping, the shame, the discomfort, the abuse we all face, though in differing degrees and from both personal and strange sources, allow us the opportunity to find a common ground. And while it would be better if that commonality stemmed from light rather than darkness, it's the one thing that can be the motivator in us to spread light going forward.

This movie has a lot to say – some good, some bad – but its main message remains. We all have shit in our lives. And yes, some people's shit stinks more, stings more. So maybe, we should be kinder, nicer, more honest about who we are and what we want. Maybe that can be the start to reducing the collective stink of our shits. And if being kind comes hard, then maybe we should atleast try to stop our hearts from dying when we grow up. 

Who knows? That way, we all might just get our fist pump ending!

Iconic Lines

I’ve said quite a lot, to end this ‘not a blog’, I’ll let some of the most iconic lines from the movie take the stage:

“We’re all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that’s all.”

“Screws fall out all the time, the world is an imperfect place.”

“When you grow up, your heart dies.”

“You see us as you want to see us—in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain…and an athlete…and a basket case…a princess…and a criminal. Does that answer your question?”

As you might have guessed, I love this movie. If you haven’t seen it, please give it a chance. That’s all.