The Breakfast Club is seen as one of the most iconic films from the 80s. This coming of age classic explores the experiences of five teenagers forming an unlikely friendship in detention despite their obvious popularity differences and separate cliques. Breaking their high school stereotypes through dance breaks and sincere conversations, finally seeing each other as equals. And I hate it.
The most memorable moment of the movie is the ending scene, where John Bender, the ‘criminal’, raises his fist in victory after the sparks of a relationship with Claire Standish, the ‘princess’, are ignited with a kiss and Claire giving him her earring. Cute, right? It had the opportunity to be. All I could think about during this moment was his previous comment: ‘go close that door, we’ll get the prom queen impregnated’. Taking place at the beginning of the movie, this uncomfortable comment stuck with me until the end. It seems odd that if he liked her, he would want say such vulgar and violating comments. It seems to play on the whole ‘boys tease girls they like’ stereotype. But even if this is the horrible flirting tactics given to this character, it crosses a line when he is hiding under a desk and puts his head in between her thighs. Not only is he threatening rape, but publicly assaulting her. There is afterwards no guilt or remorse, but he walks away, offended that she hit him away while the other characters laugh. He sits elsewhere while Brian Johnson, the ‘nerd’, offers him some of his lunch. John is sympathised with by the other character as opposed to Claire. Although lover boy here is successful in getting the girl, I find it shocking that his offensive behaviour and very unromantic treatment of Claire is forgotten and forgiven.
A reason as to why the unlikely couple was formed is the film industry commonly finding relationships as character developments. Yes, relationships can help change people positively, whether Troy being able to embrace his love of musical theatre or Hazel becoming more spontaneous, John Bender has no other change to his personality or behaviour. Kissing a pretty girl shouldn’t be character development or a redemption arc if he hasn’t actually changed his actions or morality.
The other character whose character development doesn’t sit right with me is Allison Reynold’s character, the ‘basket case’. She has a typical high school makeover scene with the help of Claire near the end of the movie. When this scene started I was excited about the possibilities of female bonding and trusted Claire would makeover Allison to have just a bit of mascara, part her hair nicely and instil in her a new sense of friendship and confidence. Instead, she became unrecognisable. Her gothic/punk style is completely changed and replaced with a light pink frivolous blouse and a big white bow and headband. The other characters note on her appearance, stating it’s nice to properly see her face. I felt disappointed that seeing her face wasn’t the point of the makeover, giving her a bit of confident to feel more included in the group and less of a ‘basket case’. It also presents the unhealthy standard that her sense of style was deemed attractive before, as she herself only kisses Andrew Clark, the ‘jock’, after this transformation. Like with John Bender, a shallow change, such as a romantic interest or aesthetic change in appearance, is represented to be the full reach of her character arc and personal development. It’s disappointing for a movie that presents itself to be parading individuality being an important part of identity, but one that shouldn’t separate you form others.
Perhaps I am a bit too critical of this movie. I can understand that it was made at a different time with a different context and different societal acceptances of misogynistic and slightly predatorial behaviour. Yet it wouldn’t be right to appreciate the positive messages of the movie without noticing the more uncomfortable jokes or behaviours and the movie lacking a sense of consciousness around clarifying these behaviours as wrong. So although it may have a memorable ending scene, John Bender definitely not deserve that earring.
