The Brat Pack were the darlings of the 80s. But who were they? There were a lot of young players who could be on the list. Just about every star in the ’80s was accused of being a member of the pack at one time or another. Here’s a list of the 10 best “Brat Pack” movies, with a bunch.
Sixteen Candles, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, John and John Cusack. Maybe the Cusacks dropped out. John plays one of the geeks who want to see Molly Ringwald’s panties. A young girl with a large medical instrument around her neck. Samantha (Molly Ringwald) has a machine on Jake, and Jake has a machine on her. They both think he hates the other. It’s Samantha’s birthday and everyone has forgotten that her sister got married to the “Graasy Bohunk”. Farmer Ted (Anthony Michael Hall) just wants to see Samantha’s panties. Gedde Watanabe is hilarious as foreign exchange student Long Duk Dong. It all ends with one wish and someone finally remembers Samantha’s birthday.
Pretty in Pink—Starring Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer, James Spader, Andrew McCarthy. Probably everyone has seen this by now, even the kids who weren’t born when it came out. Molly Ringwald is Andie, unhappy with the wrong track. Her friend, Duckie (Jon Cryer) has a desperate plot on her. Andrew McCarthy is Blane, a rich boy who is sought after by Andie. James Spader is Steff, the skinny rich boy who loves Andie. He can’t have her, so he sabotages Blane and Andie’s relationship. Check out Andrew Dice Clay’s cameo as the doorman. Jon Cryer later went on to co-star with Charlie Sheen in Two and a Half Men. Annie Potts as a wacky record store owner is not to be missed.
Lunch Club–Antarium Emilio Estevez, Antonio Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Refer Sheedy. The definitive Brat Pack movie. While one can argue about the other members of the Brat Pack, the 5 kids in this movie were on everyone’s list. Partner Sheedy is as cute as a gothic girl, but then she gets a makeover from Molly Ringwald and ends up wearing pink with bows in her hair. A cool and independent girl becomes a clone of the people who put her down. This was a common theme in the 80s.
St. Elmo Fire — Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy. Almost all of the Brat Pack agreed one last time for a movie about growing up and wondering what to do after college.
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Less Than Zero– Andrew McCarthy, Jami Gertz, Robert Downey Jr., James Spader. Spader sweats oily malice like coke dealer and gigolo Rip. It puts Robert Downey Jr. on the streets as a male prostitute. Lots of drugs, fast cars, loud music and sex in this movie set in LA.
Bad Boys — Sheedy’s partner, Sean Penn, is not a Martin Lawrence buddy movie from 1995. This is often forgotten. Juvenile-delinquency stars young Sean Penn as a delinquent brother who runs a race. From there he must fight for prison. Don’t miss Clancy Brown as an evil inmate named Viking Lofgren.
Johnny Be Goode– This is notable because it is so bad. After being such a beloved geek in so many movies, Anthony Michael Hall gets his gym and juice in and returns as a much more muscular geek. Johnny (Anthony Michael Hall) is the college football bowl in the corrected region. Johnny and his buddy Leo (Robert Downey Jr.) take advantage of the situation, traveling across the country on “school” money. Check out Uma Thurman and Jennifer Tilly in six roles.
Strangers– Starring C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Cruise. Probably the first time in the Brat Pack movies. It is told of a group of fat men fighting a group of wealthy captives called the Socs (short for Socials). Patrick Swayze was too old for the beast, but he was in a lot of the same movie, mostly in the role of a wise old man. C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio and Matt Dillon were hot on the wrong bench. There are never full members on the run, but some of the team. They were still fine actors. Don’t miss Tom Cruise in an early role.
Red Dawn— Starring Charlie Sheen, Patrick Swayze, Lea Thompson, C. Thomas Howell, and Jennifer Grey. Many of the Brat Packers don’t notice this movie stars. It’s about high school kids in the Midwest who become guerrillas when the Commies invade. It has Charlie Sheen and Lea Thompson, but it also has a lot of supporting cast members, Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, and Jennifer Grey. Watch the commies fight. Wolverines!
Young Ropes – Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherland, and Lou Diamond Phillips. Emilio Estevez is Billy Kidd, the hot-headed guy who gets everyone into trouble, and I mean dead trouble. Billy and the other young Cannons are captured by a rancher who acts as a father figure to them. When he kills, they are avenged.
