Sixteen Candles (1984)

After an amazing feedback from the review of Say Anything based on another recommendation, Table9Mutant at Cinema Parrot Disco with Sixteen Candles with her equal love for Jake Ryan (if not more) as for Lloyd Dobler. She can correct me in the comments if she’d like.  She posts up all these cute, creative and even weird-ish things like THIS and THAT along with awesome movie and book reviews.  You really should check out her blog if you haven’t yet.  I truly think we have quite similar tastes so if you like mine, you definitely should head on over to hers 🙂

Director: John Hughes

Cast: Molly Ringwald, Michael Schoeffling, Anthony Michael Hall, Justin Henry, Haviland Morris

Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald)  is finally sweet sixteen.  She doesn’t expect her life to change but she did expect at least a little difference for the better.  However, on the very special day, nothing really goes as planned.  Her family completely forgets her birthday because of her sister’s wedding the following day.  At school, she dreams about her crush, Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling) from noticing her but he doesn’t seem to even notice her.  Plus, she fills out a silly quiz and it vanishes, and she hopes that no one links the answers back to herself.  Plus, she is getting hit on by a geek Ted (Anthony Michael Hall). In the midst of all this, things shift without her knowing and behind the scenes, another story is actually happening.

Sixteen Candles is a high school love story and there is a whole lot to love about it. Just a reminder, I’m 27, ok? No longer in high school but its inevitable to feel that high school romance that I could relate to, granted I didn’t have any sweet-looking boy like Jake Ryan hanging around in my school.  BUT, even though I didn’t have high school romance, I am quite familiar with the world of high school crushes and the days of feeling like everything was crap.  Seriously, this movie really is great and I’m sure it actually probably still relates to the teens nowadays but then maybe even younger, I don’t know anymore.  I already feel too old to understand kids these days.

Our main actress here is Molly Ringwald who plays Samantha Baker.  I haven’t seen anything from her or most of the rest of the cast.  Samantha Baker is the normal everyday girl and all she wants is to have a great sweet sixteen.  As normal and as shitty she views her life, she is respectful of herself and she’s very charming to watch especially when interacting with Ted and his persistance and her shyness with Jake.  Plus, if that is not the most awesome thing a father can say to their daughter.  I loved that part a lot.

To match with Samantha Baker is her hugest crush and the one she wants to be with forever (or something like that), Jake Ryan. I’m not saying like all guys are bad in high school because I have a lot of guy friends from high school but dude, would they have conversation? Wouldn’t a teen freak out.  They would think more on the lines of the second dude, no? Jake Ryan is the dream guy every girl wants.  He is sentimental and wants to find true love.  Thats quite a mature thought in the high school scene.  But, thats what makes girls swoon, right? And he’s actually pretty good-looking also. Just to emphasize my point, look at the below caption and find me a teen that will say that.  If there was, I’d have had a massive crush and wanted to stalk him every single day till he noticed my existence.

And thats why he’s just a fantasy high school boy 😛

Aside from all the love and unrealistic aspect of it (which I bought so it worked), this movie was hilarious.  It wasn’t all lovey-dovey and mushy.  It was stylish with its comedy also.  Its not some low-rated comedy.  Its actually some pretty funny moments that might probably happy at certain parties, especially how wasted some of the characters did get.  I look at a movie like this and I realized how much of  a goody two shoes I was in high school because I did none of the above. Ted/The Geek was possibly the funniest character there along with his sidekicks, and one of them was played by a very young  John Cusack (WHAT?!).

Sixteen Candles is a very sweet and for the most part funny high school story.  For the most part, it really feels like nothing is happening, but there is actually something going on.  If you watch this (like me) so many years later, chances are everyone already knows that iconic ending scene.  Jake Ryan is that perfect high school boy that every girl dreams about and Samantha is a very good portrayal of a normal high school girl (at least I related). Its an adorable and endearing and that makes this movie awesome.  I recommend it ever so highly and I think if you haven’t seen this (which you probably have), you probably should 😉