PRETTY IN PINK is classic.

At my age, people would ask, "If you were born in 1988, how come you love Brat pack films?". Obviously, they find my interest for old school teen flicks weird. Im still a mere zygote when John Hughes films graced the cinemas. :)I guess my answer to that is this: these films are CLASSIC. Take my super favorite, Pretty in Pink.

I guess when one get to watch this, or coincidentally catch it over at HBO, they would say it is just a typical coming-of-age movie about a girl struggling with her high class suburban high school, dealing with everyday teen troubles: fitting in, getting noticed by boys and creating her own persona along the way.

HERE'S A QUICK BUT COMPLETE PLOT OF THE FILM:

Andie Walsh (Molly Ringwald) , a poor, smart but fashion-conscious girl who has a crush on one of the preppy rich boys in her school, Blane McDonough(Andrew McCarthy). When Andie and Blane try to get together, they encounter resistance from their respective social circles.

Andie lives on "the wrong side of the tracks" with her unemployed dad (Harry Stanton) who is struggling with depression after Andie's mother abandoned the family some years before. Andie spends a lot of energy trying to help him to get a job. As they have very little money, Andie buys clothes which are from the thrift store and uses her sewing and fashion skills to create unique outifts for herself. She drives an old, beat-up, dusty rose-colored lowlight Karmann Gia Her best friend is Duckie Dale(Jon Cryer). Duckie has intense feelings for Andie, but plays it off as a joke in front of her. In school, she and Duckie are harassed by friends of Blane, the so-called "richie" kids Benny (Kate Vernon) and Steff (James Spader). Steff is attracted to Andie as well, but she knows he's only after sex.

Andie works at TRAX, a New Wave store in the neighborhood of Chinatown Chicago, managed by her older friend and mentor Iona (Annie Potts) , whose quirky and unconventional dress sense is more influenced by her personal tastes than by her age group, and moans about her newly single life. Iona advises Andie to go to her senior prom despite not having a date. Blane and Andie talk for a brief moment as Blane buys an album (swoon,swoon,swoon!). She indirectly discusses him with her friends at the local club, CATS.

Soon, Blane makes his move via chatting in the computer lab and Andie is smitten ( as I am. been squealing the whole time this was on!) Blane ventures out to the area at school where the punks, metalheads and New Wavers hang out during lunch and after classes, and asks Andie on a date. Steff begins questioning why his best friend "was conversing with a mutant," but Blane brushes him off.

On the Friday night of the date, Andie waits for Blane at TRAX, but he is late. Duckie arrives instead, only to find Andie upset because she thinks she's been stood up. When Blane finally arrives, Duckie and Andie argue. Duckie tries to convince her that Blane will only hurt her. After a few harsh words, Duckie storms out, and Andie goes on her date.

First, Blane suggests going to a party Steff is throwing. But the party isn't exactly what Blane expected, and Andie is treated poorly by everyone, including a drunk Steff and Benny. Andie, in turn, suggests going to CATS, where they discover Iona sitting with Duckie. Duckie is immediately hostile toward Blane, and as he and Andie start walking out of the club, Duckie kisses a startled Iona.

Blane offers to take Andie home:

Blaine: What is wrong?

Andie: I dont want you to take me home because I don't want you to see where i live!

However, he drops her off there and they kiss (one of the most romantic kiss on the big screen, according to my honestly weird opinion, the neck and face grabbing are so real, non melodramatic but sensual, God f$#% Andrew for being so hot!) after he asks Andie to the prom The next day, Andie visits Iona in her loft. Iona begins reminiscing about her own prom, donning her old pink prom dress and beehive hair do.

At home, Andie's father surprises her with a pink dress he bought for her at the thrift shop. Questioning how he was able to afford it, Andie discovers he has been faking going to a full-time job. The two begin to fight until her father breaks down, obviously still bitter and depressed about his wife having left him. Andie responds by comforting him and they make up but she, too, is affected by the abandonment of her mother.

Meanwhile Blane, pressured by Steff, begins distancing himself from Andie. He avoids her at school and doesn't return her calls. She finally confronts him. He claims that he had asked someone else to go to the prom with him before he'd asked her, but had forgotten. Best part of this is Andie's outburst--

Andie: Just admit it! You don't want to be seen with me! You're embarrassed to be seen with me!

Andie runs away, heartbroken. Duckie overhears Steff trashing Andie and they end up fighting in the hallway. Teachers stop the fight, and Duckie runs out.

Andie finds Iona preparing for a date with a yuppie dressing like a normal adult for a change. Iona is already thinking about marriage. At first she is too wrapped up in her new romance to notice that Andie is upset. But her newly found happiness inspires Andie and she goes home with her friend's old dress and creates a new pink dress in which she decides to attend the prom to quoting Andie; "I'll show them they didn't break me."

When she gets to the prom she has second thoughts about braving the crowd on her own. Just as it looks like she may back out, she sees Duckie, also dressed up. They walk into the ballroom hand in hand. Steff snickers and begins trashing Andie and Duckie again, only to be finally told off by the normally passive Blane, who says that Andie could never be bought.

Blaine: She thinks your shit. And deep inside you know she's right

Blane shakes Duckie's hand and talks to Andie

Blaine: I have always believed in you, I just didn't believe in me. I'll always love you no matter what.

Blaine then leaves the prom. Duckie concedes that she was right, "He's not like the others" and advises Andie to go after him. After Andie leaves, a blonde girl (Kristy Swanson) notices Duckie and silently invites him to go over and dance with her.

Outside of the prom, Andie catches up with Blane in the parking lot just before he gets to his car and they kiss.

********

It's pretty simple why i love the film. The characters may be painstakingly ordinary but they are perfect mirrors of teens struggling to go through young age. Plus, it is the fact the teenage woes will remain one of the most erratic subjects ever.

Pretty in Pink is a great hip romance comedy. It's about love across class lines, friendship, individuality and the evil nature of rich kids in crisp shirts.

And I can't get over Andrew McCarthy's smile :D--one of the million reasons why Pretty in Pink rocks.