Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)

It must be a drag to be a slave to the male sex drive. Keith Nelson, much to everyone else's surprise, lands a date with Amanda Jones, the most popular girl in school. But with Amanda comes trouble in the form of the ex-boyfriend, Hardy Jenns. A rich spoilt egotistical bully, Jenns plans to get back at Keith violently. While things are further complicated by the fact that Keith's best friend Watts is hopelessly in love with him, something that Keith is oblivious too. All roads, rocky or otherwise, are leading to one house party where lives are about to be changed. Released a year after Pretty In Pink, writer John Hughes further cemented his status as the king of teenage angst with this funny, charming and entertaining picture. Following a similar formula to that used in Pretty In Pink, Some Kind Of Wonderful deals not only in young love thematics, but also in opposites breaking down barriers, bullies and the spectre of parental pressure. Keith (Eric Stoltz) is from humble working class stock, the idea of dating the more affluent Amanda (Lea Thompson) would seem idiotic at best. The characters may move in different circles, but Hughes, as is his want, thrusts the issue to the front whilst dangling little strands in the background. Time is given to the father (an impressive John Ashton) and son axis, where career pressure is raised. And the delightful old chestnut of fitting in at school, or not as the case may be as regards Watts (a tremendous and sensual Mary Stuart Masterton) is also putting in an appearance. It's often forgotten in Hughes "angsty" films, that they aren't merely love stories for the young and restless. They are all encompassing pieces that hold up better than ever on revisits today. Yes there is pandering to certain expectations, and yes the endings never veer away from a tried and trusted method. But Hughes knew what worked for him and his audience. That he never attempted to insult us (them) with sledgehammer tactics, or trick of the twist dallying, is really rather refreshing when viewing them today. Some Kind Of Wonderful is quite simply a wonderful film, with great comedy (check out the fabulous Elias Koteas) and a banging soundtrack, it ranks as one of the finest efforts crafted from the pen of a very fine writer. 9/10