Breakfast Club: How It Influenced College Students Around the World

“The Breakfast Club”, released in 1985, is a John Hughes film called by most critics as his best work. To everyone’s surprise, “The Breakfast Club” became an instant hit and is still considered to be one of the greatest teen films. In this article, we explore the secret of the film’s success and analyze how it has influenced generations of students around the world.

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Going Beyond the Standard

Getting ready to watch “The Breakfast Club”, viewers may think that this is another teen comedy. We may be even familiar with the storyline. According to the plot, completely different characters find themselves in a confined space and are forced to communicate with each other.

At first glance, the characters seem to be stereotypical. There is a stupid athlete, a nerd, a school beauty, a rebel, and an outsider. Yet, half an hour later, they open up and share their traumas and problems. 

Andrew, John, Brian, Claire, and Alison have to spend their Saturday at school as a punishment. During this time, they understand that each of them is a much more versatile personality than could be determined by the stereotypes corresponding to their groups. Characters try to break down the barriers of prejudice between school “estates”.

Each character tries to stand out from the crowd. However, it quickly turns out that they have a lot in common. What exactly? Distrust of adults, lack of understanding with parents, and fear of the future. The film described the world of adolescents with its most uncomfortable sides – bullying, depression, and suicide attempts.

Observing the characters, young people realize that the people around us are much more than our judgments about them. Appearance and image can be deceiving – and this is one of the main ideas of the film.

So, the film begins with clichés but ends with abandoning them. And this topic seems to be especially exciting for discussion with other film lovers. You will surely have a great time with them, while an expert essay writer is giving you a hand with college tasks. Outsourcing your paper is a great way to have some rest and forget about stress.

Revolution in the Genre of Teenage Movie

Of course, “The Breakfast Club” is not the first film about teenagers. In fact, the early 1980s became a golden period for this genre. Teenage comedies were gaining popularity – they were all filled with humor and jokes. 

Yet, the life of adolescents is full of other things. Self-doubt, loneliness, confusion, and misunderstanding are daily concerns for some of them. It was “The Breakfast Club” that drew attention to these issues. The film showed that high school students are not children at all. They are all deep personalities experiencing strong emotions.

“The Breakfast Club” is a useful example that can be mentioned in many college essays. However, if you face problems with the writing, turn to an essay writing platform to get professional assistance. Talented specialists are always there to make your work as perfect as possible.

The relevance of this example can be easily explained. After all, other teenagers have the same problems – namely, a fear of not fitting in, low self-esteem, and a desire to find a common language with others. Watching Hughes’ characters, the students finally felt that they were not alone.  

Issues and Problems: Young People Can Relate

The teenagers of the 1980s found themselves a lost generation, unconcerned with politics and economics in that stable era. The younger generation was more worried about self-awareness, identity, and the search for their place in society. Sounds familiar even in 2021, doesn’t it?

The film also demonstrates the division of adolescents into social groups: insiders and outsiders. Of course, prom queens, athletes, cheerleaders, golden kids from successful families are popular. They are opposed by outsiders. Those are eccentrics, marginalized, and outcasts. 

In reality, this division can be overcome. The first step is to start communicating and get to know others better.

Students Can Enjoy Stories From the Perspective of…Other Students

It’s funny that antagonists in almost all of Hughes’s films are authoritative adults who turn out to be stupid. At the same time, teenagers are shown as profound personalities with a strong will. “The Breakfast Club” inspired a generation of screenwriters and directors who began to film stories from the perspective of their young characters. 

Hughes’ influence is still felt today. Here, there is disrespect for adults, since the only ones who can save the town from danger are a group of schoolchildren.

The film practically set the trend for cynical and slightly traumatized protagonists who are fun to watch. In nowadays films and TV series, outsiders and rebels become heroes. There are many examples. Take at least the well-known “Skins”, “Euphoria”, or “I Am Not Okay With This”. 

Characters’ Looks and Fashion

The protagonists’ looks have been chosen to correspond to the social status of each of them. Film fans can easily create an outfit to embody the image of a beloved hero:

• Claire (the “Princess”) is dressed in Ralph Lauren clothes: pink blouse, long skirt, and elegant brown boots.
• Bender (the “Criminal”) wears a cloak with a scarf, loose pants, and army boots, his fingerless gloves are a symbol of the freedom-loving spirit.
• Brian (a straight A’s student) wears an electronic calculator watch, which was one of the typical signs of a nerd in the 80s.
• Athlete Andrew is wearing comfy jeans and a sleeveless T-shirt.
• Outcast Alisson is dressed in a black, shapeless hooded overcoat with a baggy skirt complemented by boots.

Final Thoughts

And the last, but not the least, is soundtracks. Watching movies, we often start looking for the songs to add to our playlist. 

John Hughes was one of the first directors to include modern soundtracks in the film – the kind of music that young protagonists would listen to. The main theme song, “Don’t You Forget About Me”, performed by the group Simple Minds, also became world-famous.