Plot: What’s it about?
Here we are again, another John Hughes movie that was written and produced by him as well. Howard Deutch (Pretty in Pink) is back directing, but the name of the game is the same. Sure the actors are different, but after watching some of his movies you start to realize that they’re dated and corny, but also about the pains of growing up. Some Kind of Wonderful has a lot of the same messages that Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club do. Hughes seems very concerned with the difference in classes (both social and financial) with then modern-day teens. Judd Nelson’s character of John Bender in The Breakfast Club and Molly Ringwald’s character of Andie in Pretty in Pink almost mirror the character of Eric Stoltz’s Keith Nelson in this film. So while the characters are different, the messages are the same. Then again, it’s all a matter of opinion.
Keith Nelson (Eric Stoltz) is a dreamer, an artist and (most importantly) a teenager. His father (John Ashton) wants the traditional experience for his son, including college and a good job afterwords. Keith, being the rather artistic type, has ideas of his own and isn’t too happy about having his father plan out his life for him. He’s got a crush on the most popular/good-looking girl in high school, Amanda Jones (Lea Thompson) who is dating a rich, smug jerk. Keith’s best friend is Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson), who looks and acts like a tomboy but deep down really cares about her friend and wants what is best for him, even if that means putting her feelings for him aside. Keith’s feelings for Amanda do run deep and he even crafts a song for her (which can be heard multiple times throughout the film). In the end, the separation between the classes may or may not stand in the way of Keith’s feelings for Amanda.
Some Kind of Wonderful fits perfectly into the John Hughes mold of teen adolescant films. The characters are real, believable and even more so we have all been there. Granted, in the film they’re being played by actors but there’s not one of us out there that hasn’t had some unattainable attraction for someone better-looking or who has more money than us. Hughes plays with that and knows that it’s a universal message. By the time Pretty in Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful came around, we were inching into the 90’s. Gone were the days of Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club and even though Ferris Bueller’s Day Off came from the same mind, it has a rather lasting impression that will likely be viewed and remembered fifty years from now. Rent this DVD before you buy, but if you’ve never seen it then you might be in for a good ride.
Video: How does it look?
About the best thing that can be said for this disc is that now, for the first time, we can see the movie in it’s original 1.85:1 aspect ratio.á While the film has never looked better, it still doesn’t look that great.á There are some scenes in the anamorphic image that look downright terrible and the whole presentation seems to have a real soft tone to it.á A bit of edge enhancement also lends to the fact that this was a very low budget film from over 15 years ago.á Still, colors are warm and natural and the new transfer is a major improvement over any VHS edition that you might have lying around.á For all of its shortcomings, Some Kind of Wonderful looks ok at best, but us die hard fans won’t really mind.
Audio: How does it sound?
Paramount usually tries their best to remix the titles into a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix.á That’s the case here, too.á The track has some stereotypical “80’s” music in it, complete with synthesizer and all.á Dialogue is a bit raspy at times, but I think it’s a fault of the original recording and not that of the audio on the disc.á On the whole, it serves its purpose and nothing more.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc has no supplemental materials.
