By Sarah Hahn, 17, Mayfield HS
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If there’s one movie that every teen needs to see, it’s The Breakfast Club, the quintessential high school movie. Rent this movie TONIGHT! It is the ultimate exploration of how it feels to be a teenager, dealing with sex, peer pressure, cliques and parents.

Even if you’ve never seen The Breakfast Club, you’ve probably heard of its premise: five students, completely unalike, who serve an entire Saturday in detention at the school library. There’s Bender the criminal (played by Judd Nelson); Andrew the jock (Emilio Estevez); Claire the princess (Molly Ringwald); Allison the basket case (Ally Sheedy); and Brian the brain (Anthony Michael Hall). (Back in 1985, when this movie was made, these "Brat Pack" actors were the DiCaprios and Damons of their day). The students have nothing in common; they judge each other by the cliques they are in at school.

However, by the end of the day, they have delved into each other’s souls, exploring their disturbed relationships with their parents and the peer pressure that has compelled them to hurt themselves and to others. "What’s bizarre? I mean, we’re all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that’s all." The Breakfast Club is full of small insights about life and fantastic quotes about adolescence: "When you grow up, your heart dies." Often, I randomly turn on this movie (which I stole from a friend in eighth grade), especially if I’m feeling lonely. It perfectly captures the essence of living in a society which values what we look like and who we hang out with.

This movie seems so real


I first saw this movie when I was nine or 10, and I thought it was dumb and long: it just seemed like a lot of kids sitting on the floor confessing their feelings. However, now that I am in high school I can appreciate everything this movie represents. This isn’t Dawson’s Creek: the actors use real language in real situations.

If you’re looking for a movie that perfectly defines the high school experience, look no further than this funny and touching film.