As we pass through life, birthdays become a less important date on the calendar. Today is my birthday, but who cares? I’m no different now than I was yesterday, or will be tomorrow. But what is just another day for a thirty-something year old man, can be the epicenter of the universe for a child, who counts days until presents are acquired and cake is consumed.
One landmark birthday, especially for a teenage girl, is the sweet sixteen. The biological graduation into womanhood accompanied by the acquisition of a drivers license is a moment in time young girls dream of. One movie that highlights this event is the John Hughes classic “Sixteen Candles.” Released in 1984, “Sixteen Candles” would serve as Hughes’ directorial debut and a launching pad for actress Molly Ringwald and the ’80s group ‘The Brat Pack.’
Samantha Baker (Ringwald) awakens from sleep on the morning of her sixteenth birthday only to discover that her entire family has forgotten. Sam’s older sister Ginny is due to marry the next day and with the Baker house is overflowing with guests in town for the wedding and last minute commotion.
At school, Sam’ problems mount as she continues to pine after popular senior Jake (Michael Schoeffling) to seemingly no avail. On the bus ride home, the school nerd (Anthony Michael Hall) professes his love to Sam only to be rejected outright. At home, the Baker house is a zoo of family members, including an exchange student from China, Long Duk Dong (Gedde Watanabe).
Sam’s family gets her to bring Long to the school dance that night, where a culmination of her obsession for Jake, and the nerd’s obsession for her come to fruition – with the ridiculous antics of Dong littered throughout.
From a nostalgic take, “Sixteen Candles” is a thing of beauty. It’s downright fascinating to observe with wrought envy the way people acted in the legendary decade of the ’80s. Kids talked to each other on the phone at night, carried Trapper Keepers through the halls of the school, and passed notes to one another in class. People ate food. They didn’t photograph it and post to Instagram.
The Baker family is a typical ’80s family; from a hard working father (Paul Dooley) who carries a briefcase (whatever job he had has no doubt long since been doubt outsourced) to the quintessential obnoxious little brother (Justin Henry). Posters of Culture Club and Sammy Hagar adorned the bedroom walls. The guys in the gym class are wearing shorts so short they look like they came from the girls department and Spandau Ballet’s “True” is what the students got to dance to.
Molly Ringwald is perfect for the role of Sam. Her facial expressions and demeanor capture brilliantly those of a typical high school girl. Her problems are minuscule compared to real world issues; no car for a birthday present and her crush not knowing she exists, but Ringwald really makes the viewer feel as though these issues are the most pressing things in the universe.
Cast as The Geek, Hall is the perfect ’80s nerd; approaching Sam on the bus with balls of steel though he has no chance at all. Assisting him are his nerd friends, one of which is played by a young John Cusack in only his second ever role.
Unfortunately, from strictly a movie standpoint, “Sixteen Candles” isn’t the best of the Hughes films by a long shot. The story is dull and unimaginative, and the pacing is downright sloth-like (though only a 93 minute run time you’ll feel every second of it).
Nevertheless, it is a classic, and any ’80s obsessed fan has no choice but to watch it. Just be warned; “Sixteen Candles” may have meant alot more to a teenage girl back in the ’80s than to a guy like me today.
by – Matt Christopher
