John Hughes is responsible for some of the greatest teen comedies of all time. As a director he brought us, Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and of course, The Breakfast Club. As a writer/producer, his influence extends beyond that of the teen comedy, with a number of films that are certified classics, including the 'National Lampoon' Vacation films, and of course Home Alone. I don't believe any work he's done, has achieved the level of success of The Breakfast Club. Rightfully so, as The Breakfast Club is much more than just a teen comedy, it holds up well as an example of exemplary screenwriting, and good filmmaking.

I've seen The Breakfast Club enough times that I could write a full length review without having watched the film recently. However, I had a chance to revisit the film once again, earlier this evening, while the girlfriend was laid up after some dental surgery. If you're not familiar with The Breakfast Club (I don't know how that's possible), let me explain the very simple premise. A group of students being punished for various wrong-doings around school, serve detention on a Saturday morning. Supervised by their principle, they spend the day in the library, and who wants to bet that they bond in some fashion, and maybe even become friends.

A number of things set The Breakfast Club apart from similar films of the era. First, the characterization of each student is remarkable. Hughes begins developing each character from the very first sequence. The parents drop their children off, some dialogue is exchanged, and suddenly we know worlds about each character. It's brilliantly written, as it never seems contrived or forced, nor intrusive or out of place. The film is built on dialogue, and as the movie progresses, our characters interact and develop in a realistic manner, resulting in characters who seem more like real people, than those taken from the written page.

The characters are portrayed by a cast which, at the time of production, were all very popular. However, times have changed, and I'm certain there are many people out there who probably would have no clue who any of the stars are. Those of us, who are familiar with the cast, may also issue a kind of “Where are they now?” question to ourselves. As they all seem to have vanished off the face of the earth. Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy. I can assure you, they are all still working, albeit in a much less productive fashion than they were in the 80's. They are all excellent here; each character is perfectly cast to their role. Most notably is Anthony Michael Hall, who's completely unrecognizable these days from his original neo-maxi-zoom-dweeby characters. Judd Nelson also personifies the quote-unquote ‘criminal' Bender, bringing a believable depth to the character, and delivering most of his dialogue pitch-perfectly.

The most important factor in the success of The Breakfast Club as a film, in addition to the marvellous screenwriting, and well-realized characters, is the level of social significance inherent in the story. Our characters are all drastically different people, at first glance, they don't even seem remotely similar, however, as the movie progresses, they realize they are more alike than they ever would have imagined. As they interact, the group develop a bond, even a friendship, yet at the end of the day, you have to realize, that high school functions in a hierarchical fashion. Every person is lumped into their own class or group, and certain groups are prohibited from interacting. When detention is over, on Saturday afternoon, our characters realize that there is a strong possibility they may not remain friends - simply because it's not possible in the structure of the school popularity system. It's a statement that's as relevant now as it was in 1984, and will hold the same relevance 20 years from now.

The Breakfast Club will always hold up, as there will always be people who can relate to it. Everyone who's been through high school will spot the similarities to their own experience. It will create a more involving experience, however, the screenplay, actors, and film overall are of such high quality in pure construction and execution, that I find it hard to imagine that anyone could dislike The Breakfast Club. It's a movie that defines an entire era of genre filmmaking, and will continue to be enjoyed for years to come. The soundtrack is great, as well, with the most important single, Simple Minds' “Don't You Forget About Me” seemingly a perfect fit, with the films undying status as a classic of it's time.