Sunday, November 05, 2006

Movie review – “Some Kind of Wonderful” (1987) ***

Last of the John Hughes films and perhaps the least known – it didn’t do as well at the box office, probably because the sensitive protagonist was a boy… although there are many girls who love the film for that reason, just not as many who love films about sensitive girls and handsome prince charmings.
The greatest strength of the film is Mary Stuart Masterton’s stand out star making performance as the tom boy drummer – it’s a terrific turn, one that looks even better now and makes one wish she had a bigger career.
Lea Thompson and Eric Stoltz are likeable in their roles, though Stoltz’s character becomes increasingly creepy as the film goes on: lecturing Thompson during his final date, blowing his college money on earrings (that plot development is really irritating), conveniently running after Masterton when Thompson essentially gives him the flick.
The plot of this is the weakest – a big date wasn’t enough, it needed to be the prom or something. Plenty of good things around, though: the support performances of Elias Koteas as a kindly skin-head, Candance Cameron as an annoying kid sister and Scott Coffey as a boy with a crush on Masterton, the music, any scene involving Masterton (particularly the practising kissing scene).

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