Its reputation far precedes it as one of the quintessential coming-of-age teen comedy-dramas, nevermind 80s movies, and that reputation is not undeserved. Even if not every last facet of the story or humor is fully relatable, a lot of it certainly is, and remains so even 40 years later: familial relations to which one can't relate, various social difficulties, total hatred of the school bus, feelings of being unappreciated, and more. On the other hand, we also get stereotypical representations of teens and cliques; over the top gags, jokes, and sound and musical cues, including some definite boorishness, and some abject randomness; obsession with sex and teenage notions of love that seem far-fetched even for stereotypical, hormonally-sensitive teens; the arbitrary inflated importance of The School Dance (and who has ever actually had a party like that?); and to top it all off, pervasive racism, and casual use of homophobic or ableist slurs that emphatically have not aged well. Suffice to say that earnestness is paired with tawdriness, aspects with which we can identify are paired with those with which we cannot, and all this time later some parts come off great, and others not so much. Still, despite its faults this is a classic, and on the balance, it's pretty fun!
In uneven bits and pieces, in both his writing and his direction, filmmaker John Hughes crafts small moments that in and of themselves are kind of brilliant. 'Sixteen candles' is never necessarily firing on all cylinders, but at its best, it's all but perfect. Some of the sight gags, characterizations, and jokes earn a good laugh, and the particular execution of some little inclusions is just exquisite; the climax is an absolute blast. The development of friendship between the archetypal geek and the archetypal jock is a minor delight, as is the representation of the most distinctly upper-class character as careless, selfish, childish, and destructive. Of course, the latter elements would be better if they weren't paired with casual, approving discussion or suggestion of sexual assault, manipulation, and exploitation. Even setting that aside (though definitely not forgetting it), some scenes don't come of nearly as well as they're supposed to, even something as small as that moment when Ted approaches the bedroom window of Bryce and Wease. Like I said: earnestness, and tawdriness.
And still, for all that, at large this is very well done. The big cast, filled with recognizable names and faces, are all a joy. Molly Ringwald actually gives an admirable, sincere performance of range and personality; given only a second supporting part, Paul Dooley lights up the screen with warmhearted honesty that threatens to upstage the star. Against all odds, Anthony Michael Hall and Michael Schoeffling do a fantastic job in helping to build the story and sell the comedy; in what are essentially bit parts, it's nonetheless a joy to see Jami Gertz and Zelda Rubinstein here. Moreover, crew behind the scenes turned in fine work all around - production design, art direction, costume design, hair and makeup, stunts, effects, and more. The assembled soundtrack is simply superb. 'Sixteen candles' as a whole is uneven in very distinct ways, but it boasts strong direction, acting, and craftsmanship, and its writing is smarter and sharper than not.
I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say this is a must-see; it has attained a rather high status in our culture that I'm not fully certain it deserves. Like some other features from the 80s, I think nostalgia has somewhat taken the place of consideration of inherent value, which doesn't serve the medium well and also says a lot about our society. Still, despite being decidedly flawed in some regards (if not outright ill-begotten), and broadly imperfect, more than not I think this is a rather good time, and holds up reasonably well; by no means can that be said for all its kin. It won't appeal to everyone; frankly, asterisks and content warnings are necessary for some of the inclusions; there is no actual need to see this just because of its reputation. All the same, if you do have the chance to watch 'Sixteen candles' and can abide its less savory aspects, it's a decent way to spend ninety minutes.
In uneven bits and pieces, in both his writing and his direction, filmmaker John Hughes crafts small moments that in and of themselves are kind of brilliant. 'Sixteen candles' is never necessarily firing on all cylinders, but at its best, it's all but perfect. Some of the sight gags, characterizations, and jokes earn a good laugh, and the particular execution of some little inclusions is just exquisite; the climax is an absolute blast. The development of friendship between the archetypal geek and the archetypal jock is a minor delight, as is the representation of the most distinctly upper-class character as careless, selfish, childish, and destructive. Of course, the latter elements would be better if they weren't paired with casual, approving discussion or suggestion of sexual assault, manipulation, and exploitation. Even setting that aside (though definitely not forgetting it), some scenes don't come of nearly as well as they're supposed to, even something as small as that moment when Ted approaches the bedroom window of Bryce and Wease. Like I said: earnestness, and tawdriness.
And still, for all that, at large this is very well done. The big cast, filled with recognizable names and faces, are all a joy. Molly Ringwald actually gives an admirable, sincere performance of range and personality; given only a second supporting part, Paul Dooley lights up the screen with warmhearted honesty that threatens to upstage the star. Against all odds, Anthony Michael Hall and Michael Schoeffling do a fantastic job in helping to build the story and sell the comedy; in what are essentially bit parts, it's nonetheless a joy to see Jami Gertz and Zelda Rubinstein here. Moreover, crew behind the scenes turned in fine work all around - production design, art direction, costume design, hair and makeup, stunts, effects, and more. The assembled soundtrack is simply superb. 'Sixteen candles' as a whole is uneven in very distinct ways, but it boasts strong direction, acting, and craftsmanship, and its writing is smarter and sharper than not.
I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say this is a must-see; it has attained a rather high status in our culture that I'm not fully certain it deserves. Like some other features from the 80s, I think nostalgia has somewhat taken the place of consideration of inherent value, which doesn't serve the medium well and also says a lot about our society. Still, despite being decidedly flawed in some regards (if not outright ill-begotten), and broadly imperfect, more than not I think this is a rather good time, and holds up reasonably well; by no means can that be said for all its kin. It won't appeal to everyone; frankly, asterisks and content warnings are necessary for some of the inclusions; there is no actual need to see this just because of its reputation. All the same, if you do have the chance to watch 'Sixteen candles' and can abide its less savory aspects, it's a decent way to spend ninety minutes.