Sixteen Candles (1984) [DVD]

Teen angst abounds in this classic comedy written and directed by John Hughes. Samantha Baker's Molly Ringwald 16th birthday should be perfect and memorable. Unfortunately her whole family is preoc... more

Teen angst abounds in this classic comedy written and directed by John Hughes. Samantha Baker's Molly Ringwald 16th birthday should be perfect and memorable. Unfortunately her whole family is preoccupied with her sister's impending wedding and completely forgets Samantha's big day. To add insult to injury the school geek Anthony Michael Hall won't stop hitting on her she has to bring a foreign exchange student Gedde Watanabe with her to the school dance her visiting grandparents have taken over her bedroom and she's sure that the boy of her dreams Michael Schoeffling doesn't know that she exists. Hughes's script captures the range of teenage emotions from embarrassment to peer pressure to the pangs of puppy love with humor and honesty. Hall is memorable as the Geek and Schoeffling is perfect as the boy of Sam's dreams. A young John Cusack makes his second feature-film appearance as the geek's friend Bryce while sister Joan Cusack appears as Geek Girl 1. Ringwald's reign as the queen of 1980s teen flicks began less