Attack of the B's!

Some Kind of Wonderful (1987), Howard Deutch

Nerdy, artsy boy falls for popular girl who is actually poor, while not noticing that his hot but tomboyish best friend is in love with him. There are some rich asshole dudes and some skinheads. All that really matters about this movie is the kiss you see below, which is possibly my favorite movie kiss of all time.

This movie has been a favorite of mine since my preteen years. I will always be a sucker for movies where best friends fall in love. I used to watch it incessantly on TBS and even videotaped it at one point, making sure not to record any of the commercials. Oh, the 90s.

Some Kind of Wonderful was written by John Hughes, who also wrote the incredibly similar Pretty in Pink just one year prior. In my most humble of opinions, I think that Some Kind of Wonderful is actually the superior film. I believe it has the ending that Pretty in Pink absolutely should have had. (I mean seriously, who would ever pick Andrew McCarthy over Jon Cryer? Idiots!!!) I also think that Andie and her friends were a forced cool in PiP, whereas in SKoW the characters of Watts and Keith seem a bit more realistically cool. Like, I would hang out with them if they lived in Cleveland. But especially Watts, cause she seems like my kinda girl.

There are a few parts of this movie that make no sense to me, such as: at what point does Keith fall in love with Watts? When Amanda tells him to? Why does Watts accept the earrings? Isn't that kind of against her character? And why in god's name did Keith even waste his college money to buy them in the first place? Serious creepazoid!! (And wow, four years of college must've been cheap back in 1987...)

All peculiar behavior aside, this is a great fluff movie. There is just something about John Hughes movies that makes any plot hole, or horrible performance (I'M LOOKING AT YOU, ANDREW McCARTHY...) , or poor fashion choice overlook-able. These movies are intended to make you feel all warm and fuzzy, like you can get the girl even if you're a nerd, the popular guy does notice you, and that asshole that torments you at school will get his ass kicked by a skinhead! If only we all could've gone to Shermer High.

Grade: A