Growing up is finding the dad in a John Hughes movie the most relatable and sensible character in the movie.
What it's about
Keith (Eric Stoltz) pursues an out-of-league Amanda (Lea Thompson) despite the warnings of his tomboy best friend Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson).
The take
Some Kind of Wonderful is the less iconic, gender-swapped cousin of Pretty in Pink (both are written by John Hughes and directed by Howard Deutch), but what it lacks in renown, it makes up for in nuance. It goes a bit deeper in its exploration of gender roles and class disparity, really digging into the important differences between its female leads and the privilege of its wealthier characters, and it’s just as funny and charming too. Sure, a big part of the delight of watching it stems from nostalgia, but a larger chunk comes from the actors’ easy chemistry and the script’s witty lines. The movie is not revolutionary—it’s just a romcom at the end of the day—but it is smart and subverts expectations when you least expect it.
What stands out
That banger of a last line. I won’t say it here, but if you know, you know. Also, “It’s 1987! Don’t you know women can be anything?” “I know, my mom’s a plumber.”
Comments
Add a comment
Your name
Your comment
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
More like this in
The Substance (2024)
Demi Moore swaps bodies in this standout chaotic body dysmorphia horror
8.0
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
A star-studded and riveting legal drama with a blockbuster feel.
8.1
The Guilty (2018)
A minimalist, razor-sharp thriller that will have you gasping for air.
9.0
System Crasher (2019)
A tale of trauma and one of the most talked about movies on Netflix in 2020.
9.0
Forgotten Love (2023)
The stunning third take of the classic Polish pre-war melodrama
7.7
His Three Daughters (2024)
Three sisters deal with life and death in this moving family portrait
8.9
Incendies (2011)
Part melodrama, part war thriller, Incendies is gorgeous and heartbreaking from the first scene
9.9
A Silent Voice (2016)
A coming-of-age movie that circles around friendship and the atonement of a boy
8.7
Cold War (2018)
A quiet Polish masterpiece with ravishing music and dazzling visuals
9.2
Short Term 12 (2013)
Sweet, slow-moving, and possibly life-changing, this American drama shines the light on the chaos and crises of social work in America