Pretty in pink is the worse (teen) John Hughes movie

Also the kissing between Blaine and Andie was some if the most awkward kisses I've seen on film.

Shitty movie. Love James Spader in it tho

Would have worked better with Nancy McKeon in the lead role.

Annie Potts is the best thing about the film.

I've never seen it but I've seen Not Another Teen Movie so I already know the plot.

Worse than what?

Well, when the girl is named Andie and the boy is named Blaine, what do you expect?

R5 ummm the other John Hughes teen movies (like it says in the title?)

Nevemind R5, I got you. I guess you were referring to me saying "Worse" and not "Worst"?

Relax and live a little hun.

R8 You beat me but I was about to answer, and say, sorry, I was just being bitchy.

That's okay, at least you didn't say "worser."

I saw this movie at the movies when it came out. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. It was entertaining. It had a good soundtrack, I remember that.

Spader was the personification of "every evil wealthy person" I hated because I secretly wanted to be wealthy.

I was glad that the "Saving and Loan financial scandal" starting in 1986 wiped out lots of those preppie types of fortunes. You can't forget the Michael Milken Drexel Burnham junk bond scandal in the late 80s' either.

Ducky was closeted gay-in my old neighborhood of East Falls; he would have gotten the shit kicked out of him.

R10 Yeah the soundtrack is pretty decent, especially New Order's Elegia. And the moment when the play it and Steff and Andie share their hate fuck stare is pretty hot

They can't all be Meatballs, OP.

It was a disappointment for me. I had a close friend who dragged me to see Ringwald's John Hughes movies and found her first two to be quite entertaining. Pretty in Pink had some great elements but didn't seem to gel. To be cliché, its whole was less than tje sum of its parts.

But I would watch it again.

Love the movie but, yes, Andie was a humorless drip. She treated Duckie like a dog and the dress was ugly as hell. Her hair was bad too.

Has anyone seem her lately? It looks like her jaw grew and she looks like a Willis-Moore spawn now.

R15 I find Ringwald really pretty in the 80s. She's VERY pretty in The Pick Up Artist the year after. But idk if it was the hair cut, the lighter red hair color or her outfits, and she really wasnt in PIP.

R15 they've all aged. And in typical fashion, the hottest (Spader) aged the worst (though I'd still do him) and the least attractive (Cryer) aged the best.

The soundtrack includes Echo and the Bunnyman's "Bring on the Dancing Horses," an underrated classic.

That fucking home grown prom dress was an admonition. Ugly af

Molly R looked 30 yrs old and had zero charisma all around. For someone from the “wrong side of tracks”, she had a car and high quality (ugly) clothes. The clothes didn’t look old or from a cheap thrift store. She also looked coiffed to the max.

Duckie is ugly. Nobody wants to fuck him

Blaine was cute in an 80s preppy way.

Annie Potts was the best thing about the movie

I liked/like it.

I thought Duckie had all the fashion sense that Andie wish she had.

And though I didn't think they should end up together I can't respect a movie without any artistic integrity that just swaps out the ending to make more $$$.

Blaine is a 40 year old yuppie. Everyone old

Literally the 2 worst kissers on film

In retrospect, most of his movies were shit.

A die wasn’t dirt poor but where I grew up that would definitely be a house and area to be ashamed of in your teens. People were super shallow in the 80’s.

*Andie. That kiss at the end looked like it was the first time either one had ever kissed. Really awkward and unsexy

the entire movie was awkward and unsexy. not worth much excluding james spader

R25 I think that depends on the area. I grew up in the 80s and it wasn't like that. But it is an interesting reflection of the time for sure

Mcarthy was a terrible on screen kisser...he was equally bad with Ally Sheedy in Saint Elmo's fire.

What I've never been able to decide on is what dress was the biggest dissapointment...Andie's from PiP or Dorothy's wedding dress in the GG finale. Tough one.

I think thinks in general are more status-obsessed and materialistic than adults, r25. That was my experience in the 2000s.

Agreed, r24. Uncle Buck is the only I've bothered to watch multiple times. Most of his movies are time capsules but not that good.

I never bought how the class divisions were portayed though. It's so ott in the movie. Especially guys are not going to care if the girl your with is lower class than you, they'll care if she's hot and that's about it.

Funny too that nearly all the insults to Andie aren't so much about class but her fashion...choices and it's not like they didn't have a point lol. She just needed someone to tell her kindly lol.

R31 because of John Candy. He was naturally funny.

The mother in uncle buck was one ugly cunt.

McCarthy was such a drip in that Brat Pack documentary that I can never rewatch it for that reason alone. “They called me a BRAT! They didn’t even KNOW me!”

It hurts to say because I like the guy but he was probably one of the least standouts out of the Brat Pack group. He didnt distinguish himself at all in any role. He had bad agents.

I would add to R32 though that Steff never gave a shit about Andie being "poor". He asked her out and in front of everyone. I think he was trashing Andie to Blaine just so he'd get scared into not dating her anymore. It was pure manipulation, though judging by Blaine's reaction, no lies were told.

Lay off of PIP. It’s part of my childhood.

That said, Hughes hated that they made him change the original ending so he redid the movie and switched the sexes with Some Kind of Wonderful, where in the end, the one with unrequited love (Mary Stuart Masterson) ends up with the object of her affections (Eric Stoltz).

R32 not true of my high school. There were a handful of absolutely gorgeous girls from poor families and while the rich preppy guys would lust after them openly and likely hook up with them on the down low (if given the chance) they would never, ever be seen on a date with them, have them as girlfriends or take them home to their parents. The rich girls would easily slum it with a poor hottie though.

R38 SKOW was much better as far as the central love triangle. MSM was phenomenal in the film and should have gotten a supporting actor oscar nod for that role. I know people say her character read as lesbian but she played the vulnerability of unrequited love so well (unlike Cryer/Duckie, though that was more the fault of the script) that I never thought it.

And the class issues were played much more realistically/grounded than in PiP.

That said, Keith having his love epifany in the last 2 minutes was rushed.

PiP had the better supporting characters (Hardy was just a stock high school bully in comparison to charismatic and somewhat nuanced Steff. And no Fiona either).

*Iona....and epiphany

Damn you OP! Now, I’m watching PIP (it’s on Paramount Plus)

It’s not as bad as I thought and Andrew McC is very cute l

My least favorite John Hughes movie. I never got the McCarthy love . I always found him bland in looks and acting ability . It would have been a much more interesting story if Steff would have taken her from Blaine and fucked her eyes out. Then when Duckie went to defend her honor Steff fucks HIS eyes out. THAT would have been an interesting movie !

R43 I read a fanfiction where Steff is bi and desperately wants to fuck both Blaine and Andie. It was pretty hot. But I like yours too.

This movie came out when I was 26 or 27, but even then we all went to movies like this. I hung out with people who were around 21 to 30. Brat Pack/teen movies and stars were the big thing at the time. (And some of the actors playing teens were closer to my age, or actually were my age.)

But John Hughes movies were like fantasies, to me. The suburb I came from, a "bedroom community," didn't have this big rich-poor dichotomy. There was a country club. But it wasn't a fancy one. There were no big mansions, or even McMansions. It was a different economy. There was a much bigger middle class, including regular working people. Does anyone else know what I'm talking about? Movies like this were about a different world.

The version of the theme song that was done for the movie sucked. The original track is much better.

I think the movie would have worked much better with someone else in the Blaine role. McCarthy is like a pan of unflavored gelatin brought to life. Andie's interest and attraction to him is inexplicable

R46 the hilarious thing is how they have "If you leave" play for 15 minutes straight during prom. Like was it the only song on?

R47 Idk I think it was really about the writing. Its not like McArthy was miscast or didn't do what he was meant to do. He even said himself he though the character was a bit blah and spineless when reading the script. It was just a thankless role.

Some say Spader should have played the part (and apparently he was offered to audition for him) but he wanted the villain part and honestly it would have been just such a complete waste of his talents. Now whether the better movie was in Steff being the lead, is another thing.

R47 I see Andie's interest. He's cute and nice and rich. I see his interest in her less.

So the guys are named Blaine and Steff.

[quote] ends up as conservative as shit

All John Hughes movies are conservative as shit. Reagan-era schlock.

John Hughes wanted more of a stud to play Blaine but Molly thought Andrew was cute and lobbied for him. The two were later reunited in Fresh Horses, which is a kind of bleaker PIP redux.

A bit of trivia: Andie’s house is a block away from the Myers house from the original Halloween and right next to the alley scene location in the opening of Halloween II in Pasadena, California.

Remember when there were record stores?

Yes R52, every single one of his movies has white people end up in the wrong side of the tracks and hijinks ensue. Except PIP and SKoW. Because that's the whole plot of the movie.

R51 I thought The Breakfast Club wasn't. It's very "old people suck" and anti authoritarian and about tolerance to an extent and looking beyond people's labels. Though they do have Allison's makeover which is pretty conservative coded.

Was a theatre manager. I would stand in the back and you could feel the virtual WTF? the audience was thinking when that dress appeared. It is an utter failure. I don't know if Hughes test screened his films but I can't see a way that an audience wouldn't have commented on it. A talented costume designer could come up with a simple pretty dress that could be home made but this looks like Andie made it with her feet.

If it weren't for the music (and Annie Potts), PIP was basically unwatchable. By that point, Molly's pouty act had become tiresome.

Unbelievably, that house is listed as being worth over a million dollars today.

Judging by the street view of the back alley and back yard, it's a dump.

Another way SKOW is better is that the "Blaine" in the movie, Amanda, is much better written and gets her own pov. I like that they made her poor but popular. Though I never bought her as the school sex symbol I have to say. Great hair but thats it

R57 everything about that dress, every single choice, is bad. Light pink on a pale redhead? Polka dots? Length is too long to be fun/sexy, too short to be elegant (I call it secretary length). Unrevealing except for could shoulders. And it literally looks like a bag swallowed her it is so formless.

In the late 70s, girls were still wearing granny dresses to the prom, so this was probably considered a strp up in the 80s.

Poor Jon Cryer, what was worse, losing that gorgeous head of hair or ending up playing second banana to million dollar an episode Charlie Sheen?

R56, it did have the Bender character. He was poor and a bad boy. Judd Nelson was a sexy lad back in the day

That dress. THAT DRESS !!

Eh Cryer had a happier ending than 80% of most Brat Packers/Brat Packer adjacent's. He made a shit ton of money on a super succesfull sitcom that lasted 12 seasons. He also got to display some excellent comedic chops. I think he was 10 times funnier than Sheen. And He unlike Sheen, got 2 Emmys as supporting.

He's doing fine.

Pretty in Pink is a nasty little movie masquerading as a sweet movie.

Cryer was the weakest link on Two and Half Men and this was particularly apparent after Sheen left. The episodes built around him were always a slog. Cryer was was the put-upon character which made him somewhat essential but not entertaining when given the spotlight. Only that ugly kid was worse as an actor. Sheen, Holland Taylor, and Conchata Farrell were the heart of the show.

R68 Sheen played himself and he got the comedic plotsbut not comedic acting. Sheen is charismatic but his comedic chops were mid at best. Cryer was 1000 times funnier and it's why he's gotten that recognition.

I thought Cryer was often funny as hell on that TV show. One episode that stood out was when he's tricked into putting on his mother's evening gown, stopping in front of a mirror while running and saying "hmm, not bad". The show ends with his mom saying "I knew this day would come but did you have to pick my favorite red silk?"

The whole thing was a farce and quite funny.

Cryer got great reviews for Pretty in Pink, which surprised me because I thought he was just doing a lot of unfunny shtick.

But then his mother was a casting director, which partly explains his getting the break.

I was confused about the title when I saw this in my teens—because she is ugly in pink (like all gingers). I heard the Robert Downey Jr. was supposed to play Duckie but Ringwald said he was too gorgeous and no girl would pass him up. She is right. I thought Cryer was great. Believe me, most girls have a Duckie in high school—a devoted friend who is in love with you but not cute enough to get with. That friend feeds their egos so they keep him around.

R72 that doesnt make sense because originally she was meant to end up with Duckie so that would have helped the case. They even filmed the ending that way, and they scrapped it because if a test audience.

RDJ would have been better, but the writting still would have needed to change.

The problem with Duckie as written is that they wanted him as the goofy lovable comedic relief guy but also as a serious love interest and they didn't realize you can't have both in one.

R64 I would have been so down for a Jihn Hughes bad boy 3 way with poor bad boy Bender and rich bad boy Steff. Ohh yeah..

I thought Duckie was hot. I would have totally fucked him at the prom and went off with him.

"That friend feeds their egos so they keep him around"

R72 which was one of the reasons I didn't like Andie that much.

R75 Idk if hot but had he played it down a bit I would have totally gone for him instead of Blaine. Blaine just leaves me dry.

I thought Duckie was cute too. Not smoking hot like Steff but cute.

One of the things that always bugged me was the first date. They couldn't go eat, see a movie? A hundred things to do but they go to a party where they know they'll get negativity? Second date was in a horse stall?

None of the guys in this movie were hot.

Disagreed R79. Spader was smoldering. A shithead but a hot one.

Her dress was an admonition of what, r19?

OKAY Op, I have to ask-what is SKOP!!

SKOW = Some Kind of Wonderful.

I never understood the appeal of Andrew McCarthy. Bland.

R80 I put Spader in PIP in my top 5 sexiest movie characters of all time, despite it being a PG 13 teen film. He isn't just extremely good looking, it's his swagger. He walks around and looks at people with the confidence of someone that knows he'd be the best fuck of your life and would be more than willing to show you...if he has nothing better to do.

Take a look at the way he stares at Andie in the parking lot like he has zero fucks to gives if she knows he wants her. He is zero apologetic about it.

And the scene in the party in his bed. He lays around in his black silk robe and white undies, half stoned/drunk, whisky in hand, with his very grateful post coital girlfriend all over him, loving the show he is giving to the clueless, virginal milquetoast couple before him.

He's a man...the rest are still boys.

I liked McCarthy in "Heaven Help Us" but that was filled with good character players and all had to do was seem clueless around them. Otherwise, he seems like a mildly handsome guy with little acting talent.

Spader looks at least 30 in this movie. So does his slutty blonde girlfriend. When I saw this as a young teen I thought all rich kids were bored and looked old.

My first boyfriend looked a bit like Spader in PiP—except poor and dumb.

Spader was 25 when he filmed this, so that helped in him appearing more grown up. Girlfriend Benny looked even older. Underrated performance from Kate Vernon by btw. Hilariously bitchy and horny.

Bennie and Steff were the horniest teen couple ever. This exchange had no business being in a pg-13 film

Michael J. Fox was supposedly considered for Duckie as well.

As for Molly's trifecta of Hughes characters, I find Andie to be the most likeable. Samantha in Sixteen Candles treats The Geek (Anthony Michael Hall) like shit and is low-key xenophobic towards Dong, as is the rest of her family, and Claire is a rich snob who only becomes likeable later in The Breakfast Club.

"UNIQUE IN PINK" 😂

In the link at R59, if you leave the alley, turn right on Hope St. and go down to Meridian Ave., those yellow townhouses are where the Halloween Myers house used to be located. Years ago, it was moved to the end of the street and is still there if you turn left on Meridian and go down to the train tracks on Mission St.

R91 totally disagree. In 16 Candles she has her bitchy unlikeable moments but she refreshingly isn't really supposed to be much more than a regular teen, she's not portrayed in a "strong virtuous heroine" as I feel she is in PiP. And in TBC she is conceited and a bit of snob but she's far more self aware of it than she is in PiP and anyway towards the end she sheds that anyway. Her character is MEANT to be seen as inperfect.In Pretty in Pink she just comes of as very moralistic and she never stops being self righteous. That first date with Blaine.....dear god, she did nothing but bitch and pout and throw tantrums, you have to wonder why he even went out with her again.

DONG! 👏👏 Grampa is speaking!

Andie is also a height-ist and able-ist in the movie, when he calls Duckie a "retarded little dwarf" probably the only moment I genuinely liked her, at least she came of as genuine for once.

[quote]Girlfriend Benny looked even older.

17 years later she played Col. Tigh's middle aged wife on Battlestar Galactica.

If Spader was hot I didn't notice--he played such an asshole that would negate for me whatever hotness he may have had, and I didn't like his clothes and hair, either.

*or hair

Spader was super sexy c’mon. Yes the hairdo is dated but the attitude, confidence and fashion are still hot.

Why does Molly Ringwald have Rumer Willis jaw now? What happened to her?

Steff's evilness is overrated, all he does in the whole damn movie is trash talk his bestie about his girlfriend so he dumps her because can't handle seeing him with the girl he likes and that despises him. I don't even think he actually thought those things he said. He just manipulated Blaine, it's not his fault Blaine is spineless turd and essentially fell for it like the moron he is.

steff is a manipulative shit. a two faced gossip

Manipulative, sure. 2 faced gossip though? Not sure I remember him being two faced or gossiping.

Clearly, OP has never seen Some Kind of Wonderful if he thinks Pretty in Pink is the worst.

R105 SKOW has been discussed in detail in this thread and many consider it superior. I do as well, not by alot, but still superior.

[quote]So the guys are named Blaine and Steff.

Hi, Duckie.

SKoW I could never get through.