Discussion

Ashtyn (They/Them) So here’s my take: at first, I though the movie would be a high school comedy about a group of teens stuck in detention, maybe even working together to escape. Of course, this assumption was wrong. This movie ended up becoming so much more than that. I loved the depth this movie gave to the characters. It made them feel less flat and more relatable, but most of all, it made them feel real. Like maybe you’d pass them in the hallway. Like maybe they were a friend or acquaintance. They all had very real issues that can effect anyone anywhere. Despite what the characters projected outside of themselves, inside, they were just kids who’ve been pushed too far. Take Anthony, the so called ‘jock’. His father pressured him to be the best, to always win. He told Anthony he wouldn’t tolerate losers. Unfortunately, like all the rest, this is a very real scenario that can happen. When he said he wish his knees would cave, I knew how he felt. His knees buckling under the pressure. He figured that if he’d succumb to the pressure and break, his dad wouldn’t see him anymore—he wouldn’t reflect all these expectations on to Anthony. That was what Anthony described as his ‘freedom’, and it’s heartbreaking. Then there’s Brian, who is constantly put under these high standards by his parents who practically threaten him to have good grades. Every student can (somewhat) relate to Brian. Maintaining grades aren’t easy, and sometimes one “F” can seem like the end of the world. I know I’ve felt this way—it’s the perfectionist in me. He thought his only escape was suicide. Again, this is a very real issue. Teen suicides aren’t uncommon. In fact, they happen all over the world every couple of seconds. School can be a lot, and some people resort to extreme measures as a way of getting out. It’s such a tragic occurrence that happens all too often and much too frequently. Now look at Claire. She seemingly has it all. However, people who have these “perfect lives” aren’t always perfect themselves. Claire’s parents are apparently always contradicting one another. Claire feels as though her parents use her as an excuse to get back at each other. In her eyes, they don’t really see her, but rather her value as evidence. Nothing more. I was really sad to see how John treated her throughout the movie. He actively antagonized her because she was the ‘Princess of the school’, or your stereotypical mean girl. John saw her as everything he didn’t have. Anyway, I felt that a lot of the heat pushed onto her was unjustified. She was constantly harassed about being a virgin or being rich. However, this also fits into issues that are presented today, where many kids play into these stereotypes, judging people who they don’t even know just based on surface level information. It’s saddening. But what about John himself? Well, obviously he had a toxic home life. His father was abusive, and he likely didn’t want to become anything like the man. He was a very flawed character, but in reality, he was just broken. A broken boy in a broken home. He didn’t grow up with a positive father figure or a great family in general, so it’s no wonder he doesn’t know how to act. He acts against his parents out of spite and resentment. Finally, there’s Allison, the “weirdo” of the group. At first, they avoided her due to her strange behavior, but they did make attempts to connect with her. But without any real information, they assumed she was just weird like everyone said she was. In reality, she was attention depraved. Her parents didn’t pay attention to her, so she had to resort to strange actions and habits to try and gain that attention, to no avail. All of these characters are flawed, but that’s what makes them so realistic, so human. Because they are. Humans are flawed, they make mistakes time and time again. Some can be violent and volatile whilst others can be soft and kind. Many kids with family issues or struggles with mental health are often look over and labeled as something they’re not. In the end, the kids address this in their essay, in which they say that adults will only see them as the easy and convenient labels they are given: the Princess/mean girl, the brains/nerd, the convict/criminal, the athlete/jock, and the weirdo/loner. They will never be seen as anything more than their labels, and most of the time nowadays, this is painfully true. Some people are unable to see past certain barriers such as ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, culture, race, (etc.) and many suffer because of this. People assume things based on opinions, but not fact. They only skim the surface level before making their conclusions. It’s a very shallow way of thinking that is all too common. It’s just frustrating. Take the teacher for example. He abuses his power over the students, asserting himself as this authority figure and antagonizing the kids. It’s just so completely wrong. He makes assumptions about them without actually knowing them. To him, Anthony is just some star wrestler, Claire is just some diva with an attitude, John is a criminal who has no future, Allison is disrespectful and somewhat psychotic, and Brian is foul-mouthed (despite the fact that he never used a disrespectful tone). He never explored the layers to these characters. He doesn’t know Anthony is so overcome by pressure. He doesn’t know Claire is right in the middle of her parents’ arguments. He doesn’t know Allison has been neglected. He doesn’t know Brian has considered suicide. He doesn’t know John has been abused physically and emotionally. He doesn’t know them, not one bit, nor did he bother to learn about them in any way. He didn’t want to put in the time or effort, just as the Janitor had said. This movie, despite its age, is still very modern and relevant. Many kids struggle with the issues that the characters do, and many schools neglect their students needs and subject them to unfair treatment. This movie is a reminder that, despite the decades that have past, changes still need to be made. Nothing has changed. This is my interpretation of this movie, and I know it’s very long and detailed, but I think it’s important to know just how many topics within this film are still relevant in this modern time.

Rob Paul It invented the tropes. And no one has ever been as beautiful as Molly Ringwald is in this movie.

Mommy In Color TV What I loved is how they foind a camaraderie with each other. Sure, it was about miserable their parents wwre making them, but it made them see that what they initially thought about each other was wrong.