Casey Chong presents seven John Hughes movies beyond the classics…
The name John Hughes is synonymous with ’80s teen culture, the filmmaker having spent the majority of his career exploring the angst-ridden years of adolescence as teenagers cope with generational conflicts, class struggles, and more. He basically defined the era of how a coming-of-age teen drama/comedy should be, with some of his most talked-about directorial efforts including Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and, of course, The Breakfast Club.
Hughes also successfully transitioned to more adult-oriented comedies, as seen with the likes of Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Uncle Buck, and scored the biggest hit of his career for writing and producing the 1990 holiday comedy classic, Home Alone. Despite his untimely death at the age of 59 in 2009, Hughes’ legacy continues, with his filmmaking stamp remaining relevant even today. Here, we focus more on some of the underrated John Hughes movies that deserve more attention, and here are the seven such films for your viewing pleasure…
Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)
Thematic similarities aside with Pretty in Pink aside – with Eric Stoltz’s Keith is basically a male version of Molly Ringwald’s Andie – falling for the popular girl in the high school (Lea Thompson’s Amanda) while Keith’s tomboy-ish best friend, Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson) has been secretly harboring a crush on him. Hughes, who wrote the screenplay, does a good job as usual exploring unfulfilled love while grounding the story with substantial emotional and dramatic depth. Director Howard Deutch drew great performances from all the principal cast, including Stoltz, Thompson, and Masterson. Ironically, Stoltz and Thompson had acted together before in Back to the Future, only for the lead actor to be replaced by Michael J. Fox after five weeks of filming.
Dutch (1991)
John Hughes certainly knew a thing or two about making a great Thanksgiving movie. That would be Planes, Trains and Automobiles, still one of the best festive comedies ever made, even by today’s standards. But Hughes also had another Thanksgiving movie, even though he’s not the director (that credit goes to Peter Faiman, best known for his work in Crocodile Dundee), but rather involved in the screenwriting and producing capacities. Like Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Dutch is also a mix of road movie and comedy-drama about two mismatched characters on a reluctant ride together back to hometown Chicago for Thanksgiving. Except instead of New York, the story centers on the titular Dutch Dooley (Ed O’Neill) travelling from Georgia with a… boy named Doyle (Ethan Embry, but credited as Ethan Randall in this movie). The latter turns out to be Dutch’s girlfriend’s (JoBeth Williams’ Natalie) son from her wealthy ex-husband (a typically snotty Christopher McDonald).
Not surprisingly, Dutch and Doyle don’t get along with each other very well, allowing Hughes to explore the love-hate dynamic between these characters’ contrasting personalities for comedic situations, along with emotional and dramatic weights. O’Neill’s Dutch is a cynical working-class individual but with a heart of gold beneath his tough-guy exterior, while Randall’s Doyle is a rude and spoiled kid. Both actors play off each other well, and it’s hard not to root for their journey of misadventures. Too bad Dutch failed to make a splash at the box office, grossing only $4.6 million on a $17 million budget. It’s no Planes, Trains and Automobiles, but Dutch is no slouch either, and is one of the best underrated John Hughes movies.
She’s Having a Baby (1988)
The transition into adulthood can be overwhelming, and it can happen to anyone who goes through this phase. John Hughes used this relatable scenario to his advantage in She’s Having a Baby, which centers on a young newlywed couple, Jake (Kevin Bacon) and Kristy (Elizabeth McGovern), as they face the reality of married life. The movie is mostly told from Jake’s perspective, who finds himself drowned by the thought of responsibilities and managing expectations through a series of what-if and imaginary dream sequences.
Hughes highlights these recurring moments not only as an added levity but also as both internal and psychological insights into what’s going on in Jake’s mind to explore the character’s underlying anxiety and, above all, the fear of commitment. Kevin Bacon successfully captures his character’s insecurity and uncertainty throughout the movie, covering everything from his marriage to his career, where he’s been longing to fulfill his ambition to write a novel rather than working in the ad agency. His somewhat immature role contrasts well with Elizabeth McGovern playing Jake’s wife in a more grounded manner, making their on-screen dynamic feel both funny and relevant. She’s Having a Baby is also worth sticking around during the end credits, thanks to the celebrity cameo-heavy appearances.
Reach the Rock (1998)
This forgotten dramedy from producer and writer John Hughes came and gone without fanfare, taking in a measly $4,960 at the box office after a very limited theatrical run in the States. Interestingly, Reach the Rock has the feel and look of how a spiritual sequel to The Breakfast Club might be, except the tone is more internalized and reflective. Set in the quiet (fictional) small town of Shermerville, Illinois, a young man named Robin (Alessandro Nivola) vandalizes a hardware store in the middle of the night before he gets himself arrested by Deputy Ernie (Bruce Norris) and is brought back to the station, where Sheriff Quinn (William Sadler) locks him in a cell.
What follows next is a series of Breakfast Club-like scenarios, mixing the familiar teen angst with prank-heavy moments that Robin’s rebellious action echoes Judd Nelson’s John Bender in that 1985 coming-of-age dramedy classic. William Ryan, previously an assistant to John Hughes for movies like Home Alone and Curly Sue, directed his only feature so far, but does a good job bringing out the best in Nivola, Sadler, and Norris. The latter mainly served as a lighthearted comic relief, playing a deputy who often finds himself being distracted each time he tries to engage in a sex-related activity with his lover, Donna (Karen Sillas).
Mr. Mom (1983)
Stan Dragoti-directed and John Hughes-written Mr. Mom may have been a major box-office success, grossing $64.8 million on a $5 million budget. And yet, this 1983 comedy was often overlooked when compared to Hughes’ much-celebrated teen dramedies during his heyday in the 80s. Looking back at Mr. Mom, this movie is best remembered for showcasing pre-Batman fame Michael Keaton, who lets loose playing a stay-at-home father who’s out of a job, forcing him to endure everyday household chores and take care of the kids while his wife (Teri Garr) is working instead.
It’s worth noting that how people perceived stay-at-home dads in the 80s is vastly different from today’s socially acceptable era. So, Mr. Mom is kind of ahead of its time, long before the normalization of stay-at-home dads was a common sight. It was this then-unique angle that helped to elevate Hughes’ screenplay, exploring both the funny and sometimes dramatic side of how a career-minded patriarch (Keaton’s Jack is a long-time engineer working for the automobile company) is coping with a different kind of responsibilities. This leads to some of the movie’s funniest yet relatable moments, such as Jack having trouble shopping for groceries in the supermarket with his kids together.
Curly Sue (1991)
Curly Sue marked the last time John Hughes directed a feature before he moved on to writing and producing films. It’s a shame his last directorial effort received poor critical reception, and the movie could only muster a less-than-convincing $33.7 million on a $25 million budget. Sure, Curly Sue tends to be overly sentimental but it’s hard to deny his earnest approach in drawing resonant emotions between the surrogate father-and-daughter dynamic from Bill Dancer (James Belushi) and the seven-year-old Curly Sue (Alisan Porter).
Hughes explores class inequality, mixing slapstick and genial humor with heartfelt moments as the story follows Bill and Curly, the homeless duo using their con-artist approach to scam people for food. They somehow hit the jackpot when they successfully con Grey Ellison (Kelly Lynch), who is a wealthy divorce lawyer. The movie is blessed with enough cutesy charm, thanks to the adorable and wise-beyond-her-years Alisan Porter playing the cheeky titular character.
The Great Outdoors (1988)
John Hughes, who wrote this 1988 summer vacation comedy, sure loves to explore mismatched characters. And here, we have John Candy and Dan Aykroyd in The Great Outdoors. The story follows Chet (Candy), who is supposed to have a fun vacation with his family – wife Connie (Stephanie Faracy) and sons Buck (Chris Young) and Benny (Ian Giatti) – before they find themselves dealing with Chet’s obnoxious brother-in-law Roman (Aykroyd) and his family.
The pairing of Candy and Aykroyd adds plenty of comedic flair, with memorable scenes like the Old ’96er steak challenge and the climactic third-act encounter with the angry “bald-headed” bear. Howard Deutch, who is no stranger to directing Hughes’ screenplays, including Pretty in Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful, has a field day ramping up the chaotic tone of these two incompatible families while balancing the huge gag moments with relatable themes of family bonding and male pride.
What are your favourite John Hughes movies? Let us know on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
Casey Chong
