Some Kind of Wonderful [M]

Keith is a high school misfit with a domineering father, a best friend who’s a tomboy, and a love that cannot be repressed. After falling for the senior class siren, Amanda, Keith asks her out and is quietly ecstatic when she accepts. But Amanda has other motives in going out with Keith, namely to make her recent ex jealous. Whilst the whole school sees the joke on poor Keith, one person is right by his side, his best friend Watts who is madly in love with him. And it’s only through humiliation, repression, and unwavering defiance that Keith realises that the love he wanted was always right next to him. 

Another wonderful look at the dramas of adolescence from writer/producer John Hughes, Some Kind of Wonderful is another classic from the 80s filled with romance, defiance, comedy, drama, and poignant messages about social structure. With the conflicts of Pretty In Pink and the grit and warmth of The Breakfast Club, it will have to be added to the collection. 

Keith is a high school misfit with a domineering father, a best friend who’s a tomboy, and a love that cannot be repressed. After falling for the senior class siren, Amanda, Keith asks her out and is quietly ecstatic when she accepts. But Amanda has ulterior motives for going out with Keith, namely to make her recent ex jealous. Whilst the whole school sees the joke on poor Keith, there is one person who is constantly at his side offering support: his best friend Watts who is also madly in love with him. And it’s only through humiliation, deceit, repression, and unwavering defiance that Keith realises that the love he wanted was always right next to him. 

Why are there no modern filmmakers coming up with original and down-to-earth romantic dramas like this? No one can relate to a bizarre love triangle between mythic monsters! This, right here, is the perfect look at adolescent drama and romance and, because practically everyone has gone through something like this, all audiences can relate to it and that’s where its poignant power comes from! A simple story of two worlds joined: the rich and the poor, the intelligent and the creative, the future and the here-and-now. 

With wonderful performances from Eric Stoltz, , Mary Stuart Masterson, Lea Thompson, Craig Sheffer, John Ashton, Molly Hagan, Maddie Corman, and Elias Koteas, Some Kind of Wonderful is a classic film that’s filled with drama, romance, comedy, defiance, neglect, and heart. I absolutely loved it!