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May 28, 2015DaisyCosh rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
She's gawky; she's geeky; she's working class. She's Andie Walsh. Set in a Chicago high school, "Pretty in Pink" tells the story of Andie (played by Molly Ringwald), a plain-Jane girl with a big brain and a kind heart but not enough in her bank account to rub shoulders with her rich classmates. She dodges harassment regularly from snobby womanizer Steff (played by James Spader) and seeks advice from her cool older boss at the record store, Iona (played by Annie Potts), while continuing to navigate the unfriendly corridors with her quirky best friend, Duckie (played by Jon Cryer), who is not so secretly in love with her. When Andie decides to break the class barrier between the so-called Zoids and Richies and date Blane (played by Andrew McCarthy), an attractive and open-minded boy from the good part of town, Andie has to face her own insecurities in order to keep their relationship alive. She realizes that being cool isn't the most important thing. Instead she continues to confidently wear the clothes she designs and stitches herself rather than opting for the high price tag that Blane's posse pays for their ensembles. She remains herself in spite of everything, including Blane's own doubts. She stays, as the title implies, pretty in pink. What I like about "Pretty in Pink" is that it has the Hughes touch. Writer John Hughes was notorious for making films that speak to teenagers, often cited as an adolescent mind in an adult body. "Pretty in Pink" is no exception. He writes in a timeless way that doesn't condescend to its audience. Just because you're younger doesn't mean you're stupid. Not once do these films feel like they are preaching to you. The characters are flawed and make mistakes and learn from them. They do what they think is the right thing and find out if they're right. They learn as they go while everybody waves their finger at them to be better than what they are. The pressures of being a teen seem insurmountable at times, given more responsibility than before but not even a modicum of power and freedom. Andie is mature, taking care of her father to some extent after her mother left them years before, but she still needs help. Enter Iona, the off-the-wall record store manager, who guides Andie. She encourages Andie to pursue her own dreams and to be an individual without sacrificing the usual teen experience of the senior prom. They share stories and seem to understand each other, despite the age gap. You see? Anyone can become friends. Teenagers are not mutants. It is this kind of attention paid to developing a genuine tale that makes "Pretty in Pink" remain strong decades later. Like I said, this film won't talk down to you. Messages about conformity, insecurity, misogyny, elitism, family life, and other heavy themes are not out of bounds here. "Pretty in Pink" addresses it all in true Hughes style. It's not a perfect film, though, for a few reasons. One, the fashion is obviously dated, from the ugly oversized spectacles to the lacy shoulder-padded gowns. Two, my heart remains with Duckie. I love his character so much, as I'm sure so many others do, but he is not the hero of this particular story. I won't go into too much detail, since I refuse to ruin such a good film, but if "Pretty in Pink" came out nowadays, the masses would be divided into two factions: Team Duckie and Team Blane. Other than that, I adore "Pretty in Pink." A strong female character who goes against the grain, Andie is an honest-to-goodness everyday superheroine, fighting the good fight. She has the power to choose as a woman to do whatever she pleases. Just because someone loves her doesn't mean she must love them. She has the mindset to do whatever she pleases. That's the good feeling "Pretty in Pink" leaves you with, and I won't say no to that.