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The Breakfast Club (1985)

The Breakfast Club. Feature film. (1985, 97 mins) IMDB

...I'm not sure why, but this film has a cult following, but not by me...

I

suppose if I had been born a few years later I would have been in high school when this film came out and might have known about it, but even then that's not entirely likely. It came out when I was in university. I can't say I remember many films from that time. My mind was focused on other things. Why do I mention this? Because this film is probably best viewed by kids, not adults.

I said I wouldn't watch another film based on high school students. Somehow I thought this film would be different or more likely I forgot my rule.

The film is straightforward. Five students arrive at school on a Saturday for a day-long detention session (I never heard of such a thing.) There's the five students, a teacher, a janitor and, briefly, parents for the kids.

The film could be a play with such a limited cast and limited set. The technical aspects of this film weren't that difficult.

And the story? Take five different types of people and force them to be together for many hours. There's the jock and the prom queen. There's the bohemian and the geek and finally the thug and misfit.

They don't know each other but as the story unfolds, they do and instead of being strangers and instant enemies, they become friends.

I can't say I enjoyed this film. I didn't like it messages. It's Pollyanna. Maybe if I saw it when I was in high school, I'd probably feel differently, but not likely.

Posted 2009/05/10 at 21h12ET in Movie Commentary.

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