There is no arguing the fact that John Hughes was a staple of the 1980s and onwards. He dominated the film industry with his unique directorial skills and brilliant writing. His movies offered sensitivity, humor, and wit, and because of this we couldn’t help but fall in love with almost every flick he put out into the world.
Yet while the majority of his works will forever be cherished and praised by movie buffs and casual film viewers alike, there are some elements to his movies that simply would not be acceptable by today’s more inclusive and progressive standards. What from John Hughes’ movies have aged like a fine wine? And what from these films would never be acceptable in today’s day and age?
AGED WELL: PORTRAYAL OF TEENAGERS
Movies like The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Pretty in Pink were considered to be revolutionary, and for a good reason. Although you don’t have to be a teenager to fully appreciate these movies, John Hughes films do an excellent job portraying people in this age group who are often struggling with their identities and dealing with severe growing pains.
The way these characters are so properly and authentically written speaks to millions of people in this age group who are working hard to find themselves and get through high school, which is one of the most difficult periods in life where everyone is just trying to find themselves. This is especially evident in The Breakfast Club, as we get multiple perspectives on what it is like to struggle with fitting in and having to play a “role” in order to conform and blend in properly.
AGED POORLY: SEVERE LACK OF DIVERSITY
While these films do a great job showing off multiple perspectives, what we unfortunately don’t see is people from different ethnic and racial backgrounds being represented in these films. Even the extras in these movies are almost exclusively white, and the lack of representation for people of different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds is a bit uncomfortable to watch.
Because John Hughes is known for creating films that focus on the outsider’s perspective, it would have been nice for him to include a more diverse cast of individuals who have their own unique point of view when it comes to the high school experience.
AGED WELL: THE DIALOGUE
John Hughes’ films are still considered cinematic classics for many different reasons, yet perhaps one of the main reasons these movies remain so appreciated to this day is because of the effortless dialogue we are exposed to in each of these movies.
Even though some of these films came out over three decades ago, we still find ourselves constantly quoting these movies because the lines throughout the film are so significant and relatable. For these movies to still be considered so quotable ages after their release speaks volumes to John Hughes’ talent and his ability to create excellent dialogue.
AGED POORLY: SEXIST THEMES
If we are going to take an honest look at some of Hughes’ movies, there is no denying the fact that there are a string of problematic patterns in regards to how to male characters treat their female counterparts and in the end get rewarded because of it. In the movie Sixteen Candles, the character Caroline is seen as a sexual prize and the nerdy character has sex with her when she is practically unconscious. He is then rewarded for his conquest without any consequences for his actions.
In The Breakfast Club, Bender spends the entire movie bullying Claire and calling her pathetic. He never once apologizes for this cruel and undeserved behavior, yet he still ends up getting a kiss from Claire in the end despite how nasty he has treated her throughout the movie. This just would not fly today, and we are thankful for that.
AGED WELL: THE CHARACTERS
John Hughes’ films would be nothing without the incredibly unique and fascinating characters that dominate these movies. As a director, he does such an incredible job creating people that we can both relate to and admire.
Whether it’s Ferris Bueller’s overwhelming charisma and adventurous antics throughout Ferris Bueller’s DayOff, or Allison Reynolds’ oddball persona in The Breakfast Club, we are drawn to these characters because we can see a reflection of ourselves in them. Most of the characters that John Hughes has helped bring to life are still very much appreciated and beloved to this day.
AGED POORLY: THE PORTRAYAL OF ADULTS AS SOULLESS MONSTERS
There is a bit of a consistent theme throughout John Hughes’ movies where almost all the adult characters, give or take a few, are clueless and authoritarian monsters who exist to make the lives of teenagers miserable. Although Hughes has made some excellent adult characters, when the movies are teen-based, the adults come across as antagonists and villains simply because they are trying to do their jobs.
This is especially evident in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, where Principal Rooney must experience bullying and harassment simply for doing his job and trying to create order. Although he isn’t perfect, he certainly did not need to be villainized to the extent that he was.
AGED WELL: THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE UNDERDOG
One thing that we can really appreciate from John Hughes’ movies is his dedication to the “underdog” character. This seems to be a common theme in pretty much all of his movies where we get the perspective of individuals who just can’t seem to win.
Usually they are not the most popular characters, nor the most beautiful, or the most intelligent. This is nice to see, since Hollywood movies usually like to focus on people who are already at the top of the food chain. Having a focus on these characters who don’t always get what they want is a refreshing change of pace and it makes a handful of people feel seen and represented.
AGED POORLY: THE CASUAL RACISM
Unfortunately, some of Hughes’ movies have casual racism stored throughout. This is especially the case in the movie Sixteen Candles with the character Long Duk Dong who is the butt of the joke simply due to his race. There is nothing funny about the racial humor throughout the movie and all of these “jokes” feel extremely outdated.
Thankfully, this sort of humor would never be acceptable by today’s standards, and Molly Ringwald has even spoken out recently about her own thoughts on the racism in Sixteen Candles.
AGED WELL: HIS 80S MOVIE CLASSICS
John Hughes has a lot of movies under his belt, including some amazing hits in the 90s and onwards. Yet his best work is without a doubt from the 1980s, with films like The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Pretty in Pink as some of his most meaningful and classic works.
When we think of 80s movies in general, most of us are quick to point to these films created by John Hughes. He dominated the decade, and the zeitgeist of these films bring on a genuine sense of nostalgia for viewers, even for those who haven’t lived to experience the 1980s. Yet even though his movies from the 1980s are from decades ago, a handful of them are just as prevalent practically 40 years later.
AGED POORLY: HOMOPHOBIC REMARKS AND LACK OF LGBTQ REPRESENTATION
As stated before, John Hughes films are designed to give a voice to the underdogs and the outcasts of the world. Because of this, it would make a lot of sense for Hughes to have characters who identify with the LGBTQ community in order to give a voice to people who at the time did not really have one. It is also significant to note that homophobic slurs are tossed around constantly in these films, even by characters who we are supposed to be rooting for.
By todays standards, this just seems irresponsible. Although we will always love Hughes’ classics and continue to enjoy them, it is important that we recognize the shortcomings of these movies so we don’t end up repeating old mistakes and instead learn from them.
