A young tomboy, Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson), finds her feelings for her best friend, Keith (Eric Stoltz), run deeper than just friendship when he gets a date with the most popular girl in school, Amanda, (Lea Thompson). Unfortunately, the girl’s old boyfriend, Hardy (Craig Scheffer), who is from the rich section of town, is unable to let go of her, and plans to get back at Keith.After dominating the teen-movie genre for the bulk of the 1980s, writer-producer (and sometimes director) John Hughes proved that he had at least one good movie left in him before squandering his talent on lame comedies throughout the 1990s. Like The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful treated its teenaged characters like real people with real feelings, hopes, fears, and desire. Mary Stuart Masterson gives a great performance as a tomboy drummer named Watts who’s secretly in love with her best friend, Keith (Eric Stoltz), an aspiring artist who is oblivious to her affection because he’s got a crush on Amanda (Lea Thompson), the popular high school beauty. Watts will even go so far as to chauffeur a date for Keith and Amanda, if only to prove–after a lot of patient, emotional anguish–that she’s better for Keith than Amanda could ever be. The movie’s drama comes from Keith’s gradual realization that there’s more to love than surface attraction, and Hughes gets extra mileage out of the romantic confusion by allowing Thompson’s character to be more than a shallow campus cutie. All three of the leads are good fits in their roles, and this was one of the few teen films of the ’80s to add genuine depth to its mainstream appeal. It’s one of the few John Hughes movies to stand the test of time. –Jeff Shannon
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March 12, 2008
#1
I just don’t get this movie. Lea Thompson looks appetizing as Amanda Jones and for some reason dumps super cool rich kid Hardy Jens to go out with some dork who is friends with a drummer that looks like she digs chicks. Hardy Jens is pretty much me in high school, but with more money. I wasn’t rich in high school, but I was incredibly good looking and carried myself with a quiet confidence that some called arrogance. In the real world, Lea Thompson would never have left me for a poor tool that likes to draw tippy the turtle. The only turtle she would have wanted to see was the giant tortuss in my pants. This movie is such a joke in that this isn’t how the real world works. I’m sure some girl in Wisconsin loves this movie thinking that romance is alive and well. I hate to break the news, but hot girls like guys like me, JAbs,Kroll and Burns. They don’t dig kids that are art geeks. At the end, the art tool ends up with the drummer chick while Hardy Jens keeps having the best pary. They don’t show it, but Hardy Jens probably hooked up with a couple of chicks at the party. I totally understand Hardy Jens. It’s hard to have to deal with people that are so far beneath where you are at. Hardy Jens was doing Amanda Jones a favor by dating her. Have you ever heard of great players bringing teammates up to their level. That’s what Hardy Jens did for those around him. He brought them up to his level. I think people caught up in this movie miss that fact that popular, good looking people need to surround themselves with others like them. It keeps balance. People need to rewatch this movie and understand that Hardy Jens is all that is right with popular people and this movie is just not possible in real life.
March 13, 2008
#2
The saving grace to SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL are the performances by the three lead actors: Eric Stolz, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Lea Thompson, especially Masterson. There isn’t much in this script that hasn’t been done before, and yet these three very young performers really pulled something out of it. Otherwise, this is another typical Hughes film filled with teenagers who are vain and self-important until something that SEEMS significant enters their lives. I know I’m in the minority here, and I’m probably just too old, but I would feel so insulted if I were a teenager watching any of Hughes’ films. (Go ahead, let me have all your “Not Helpful” votes)
March 13, 2008
#3
This came out of a Hollywood era when movies for teens were just beginning to be the rage. You can see there is still a very conservative ‘Leave it to Beaverish’ quality here, especially in the stiff acting by the parents. Also, it’s filmed with a glow filter over the lens, giving a kind of hazyish quality, very weird. They only used to do that for aging female stars to hide the wrinkles. The 80s soundtrack is still wonderfully evocative, however.
March 13, 2008
#4
I love this cult film but I was very disappointed to realize that the original French version disappeared. I’m so upset because I was waiting for this release with impatient and the result is a crappy French version.
The first French version was very faithfull to the film because Watts is Watts but here, Watts is called “Sharleen”. It’s very stupid and the new dialogues are not so strong in style and humour.
To sum up, it’s a good film but I hate the new French version very bad in the DVD
March 13, 2008
#5
I do not know what is is about this movie…it casts some type of strange hypnotic spell over me!
The plot is a recycle of numerous other “get the girl even know she’s to good for you” yet I find the story invigorating. Its just about a every day, un popular kid (Eric Stolz) from a family of humble finances who gets the courage to ask the most popular and cutest girl out on a date. He wants to impress her to show that he is good enough for her.
The characters are all wooden stereotypes with no development yet I root and hiss at them
The soundtrack is soooooo 1980′s yet the songs make me move and gyrate, especially the new wave-ish “Falling in Love”
The ending is anti-climatic yet there is a certain charm to the “what the heck” attitude about the movie…like it does not need any type of climax.
One of the reasons this movie works is b/c of the actors. Eric Stolz was way too nice of a guy, he never conveyed what he was feeling, yet you want him to succeed. He is immensely likeable.
Craig sheffer makes a great smarmy rich kid villain.
Mary Ann Stuartson was unbelievable in her role yet she still had a lot of charisma.
Lea Thompson plays, what essentially was for the world of the movie, the most beautiful girl in the high school yet she’s not that cute (go figure)
The supporting cast added good comic relief especially the blue collar Dad, social status concerning sister.
In summary, this movie makes a perfect guilty pleasure. John Hughes was a master of his craft in creating the teen angst film. His characters never were invloved in life threatening issues…justteh day to day tribulations of being a teenager.
I can rip this movie over and over again yet I have also watched it numerous times. It grows on you.
I give it a (delayed) thumbs up. The flick gets better with each viewing.