steven@ism780 (03/04/86)
PRETTY IN PINK Starring Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer and Andrew McCarthy. Also starring Harry Dean Stanton, Annie Potts and James Spader. Directed by Howard Deutch. Written by John Hughes. Produced by Lauren Shuler. Photographed by Tak Fujimoto. Production Designed by John W. Corso. Edited by Richard Marks. Music by Michael Gore. Music Supervision by David Anderle. Costume Design by Marilyn Vance. From Paramount Pictures (1986). Is this a movie that deals with serious, weighty concerns? Well, if teenage love is serious, then you're damn tooting this is a serious movie. High school senior Andie (Molly Ringwald) comes from the wrong side of the tracks. When rich kid Blane (Andrew McCarthy, drawing squeals of approval from the female portion of the audience) takes an interest in her, the couple must deal with friends who react with hurt (Jon Cryer) or with cliquish snobbery (James Spader). It all comes to a head at, of course, the Senior Prom. It's billed as a "John Hughes film". And indeed, it inhabits the Chicago upper and lower middle-class adolescent milieu familiar to viewers of "Sixteen Candles" and "The Breakfast Club". This time out, the story is more structured, the attitude less jokey and the adults more sympathetic types. It could have used a little more plot complications. Deutch's low-key direction of what is basically a people picture is an asset; had John Hughes directed, I think we'd seen a more uncontrolled, more slapstick piece. Some excellent performances (Ringwald, Cryer, Potts and 'specially Ol' Harry Dean) give the characters more depth than is apparent in the dialogue and situations. Guess that's why they pay them the big bucks. I'm still trying to master the Andrew McCarthy half-curled lip smile, you know, so I can look "shy but real sensitive". Three stars out of four.