---
title: "The Breakfast Club"
year: 1985
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-breakfast-club"
fi1m_id: "the-breakfast-club"
imdb_id: "tt0088847"
tmdb_id: 2108
wikidata_id: "Q499152"
fi1m_score: 75
critics_score: 56
critics_reviews: 14
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:13.572400+00:00"
region: "HK"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Breakfast Club (1985)

Directed by John Hughes · 1h 38m · Comedy, Drama

## Identity

The Breakfast Club

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-breakfast-club
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** the-breakfast-club
- **IMDb ID:** tt0088847
- **TMDB ID:** 2108
- **Wikidata ID:** Q499152
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088847/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/2108, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q499152

**Fi1m score: 75** · Critics 56 from 14 reviews

*In a sentence:* Molly Ringwald makes listening to teenage boys look like skilled work

> John Hughes’ detention comedy earns our affection through Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall, who make the school stereotypes worth hearing out. It is funny and perceptive, though Hughes lets the complaints about parents go largely unchallenged.

## Synopsis

Five teenagers from different school cliques spend a Saturday in detention. Andrew Clark (Emilio Estevez), John Bender (Judd Nelson), Claire Standish (Molly Ringwald), Brian Johnson (Anthony Michael Hall) and Allison Reynolds (Ally Sheedy) face a day together. They bring their assumptions about one another into a conversation about status, authority and home life. John Hughes writes and directs this comedy-drama about teenagers whose parents and classmates each have ideas about who they are supposed to be, and whose own accounts are rather harder to pin down.

## Review

*The Breakfast Club* is good company for a film about people who would rather be elsewhere. John Hughes puts five teenagers in Saturday detention and lets their conversation carry a 98-minute comedy-drama. The performances and the ear for teenage talk make it worth an evening, though Hughes is too quick to agree with his characters about their troubles. He takes their unhappiness seriously, sometimes beyond what the writing can support.

Hughes starts with school types so familiar that the actors have some work to do before we are willing to hear them out. Judd Nelson’s aggression gets the conversation moving, and Emilio Estevez gives the quarrelling a credible competitive edge. Ally Sheedy helps keep the group awkward enough to resist instant cosiness. These performances can be broad, but the sense that everyone is checking their place in the school pecking order is convincing.

Hall and Ringwald are more persuasive still. Hall gives Brian the anxious concentration of someone trying to get even a personal conversation right, while Ringwald makes Claire’s guardedness understandable without making it especially attractive. We were moved by Hall during the talk about parents, because he makes the effort to satisfy adults look exhausting. Ringwald is particularly good at listening without letting us assume that listening means agreement.

John W. Corso’s production design gives the pupils a shared school space that makes their determination to remain separate look faintly absurd. Thomas Del Ruth’s photography keeps our attention on the faces, which matters when so much depends on how a remark is received. Dede Allen’s editing gives the exchanges enough rhythm to sustain the single setting, although several arguments could still be shorter. Keith Forsey’s music pushes the emotion harder than we need when the actors have already made it clear.

The chief weakness is Hughes’ willingness to make parents answer for almost everything. The complaints are often credible, but he gives them so much room that the conversation starts repeating itself instead of finding something else to ask. Nelson’s forcefulness becomes tiring here, particularly when volume is allowed to do the work of persuasion. A little more scepticism from the writer would have helped the quieter performances, which already suggest that these teenagers cannot always see themselves clearly.

Teenage comedy does not always leave much room for unhappiness that cannot be cleared away by the next joke. Hughes lets embarrassment and resentment linger, and that patience is welcome even when a speech runs long. His faith in the group finding common ground is harder to accept, because some of the personalities he has drawn seem too firmly opposed for such easy understanding. The writing is most convincing when an exchange stays uncomfortable.

There is enough wit and recognisable hurt to forgive the passages that sound like prepared speeches. The pleasure is in watching the cast complicate people whom the script initially makes so easy to identify. Give it an evening for Hall and Ringwald, with some patience for Hughes when he insists on explaining what they have already shown.

*Fi1m score 75, published 15 September 2026.*

## Straight answers

**Is The Breakfast Club worth watching?**

*The Breakfast Club* is worth watching for the performances of Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall, and we scored it 75. John Hughes has a good ear for teenage talk and lets embarrassment and resentment linger, though he agrees too readily with his characters' complaints about their parents. Give it an evening if you have patience for a speech that runs long.

**How long is The Breakfast Club, and what is it rated?**

*The Breakfast Club* runs 1h 38m. It is a comedy and drama film.

**Where can I watch The Breakfast Club in Hong Kong?**

*The Breakfast Club* is not on any streaming or rental service in Hong Kong at the moment. It is available in 32 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is The Breakfast Club, and is it suitable for children?**

*The Breakfast Club* is a 15 in the UK and rated R in the US, so it is not for children. There is no frightening material: the film is five teenagers talking in a school library, and the certificate reflects the language and the frank discussion of home life rather than violence. Older teenagers are its natural audience.

**How does The Breakfast Club compare to Dazed and Confused?**

*The Breakfast Club* is the more confined of the two, and the more insistent on explaining what its cast has already shown, while [*Dazed and Confused*](https://film.one/film/dazed-and-confused) observes the same school hierarchies and casual cruelties with more room to wander. Linklater's film is the warmer and looser; Hughes' gives you better individual performances, particularly Hall and Ringwald. Choose Hughes for a single sustained conversation, Linklater for an ensemble and a soundtrack.

**What should I watch after The Breakfast Club?**

After *The Breakfast Club*, try [*Dazed and Confused*](https://film.one/film/dazed-and-confused) (1993, Fi1m 86): School hierarchies and casual cruelties, observed with more space to wander and less explaining. Then [*Rebel Without a Cause*](https://film.one/film/rebel-without-a-cause) (1955, Fi1m 84): Teenage anger and parental bewilderment, played with a dangerous lack of restraint.

### Reviews we read (14)

- **Empire**, Simon Crook (75/100, inferred): The critic acknowledges the film's confused and indulgent qualities but finds enough emotional truth and iconic status to make it the definitive 1980s teen movie. They single out the strong performances from Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall amid the archetypes. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/breakfast-club-review/)
- **Radio Times**, David Parkinson (70/100, inferred): One of the high-water marks of the 1980s Brat Pack cycle that has lost some freshness due to time and imitators, yet the chat-fest still rings true for many. The girls outshine the boys in bringing life to clichéd characters amid grievances and home truths. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-isnndk/the-breakfast-club/)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (70/100, inferred): The film isolates five teens in detention and lets them talk until they exchange truths and reach new understandings. It succeeds through its accurate ear for teenage speech and strong performances, especially Judd Nelson's aggressive character who breaks the silence. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-breakfast-club-1985)
- **The AV Club**, Gwen Ihnat (70/100, inferred): The piece celebrates the film's enduring resonance with multiple generations through its focus on teenage social barriers, parental pressures, and unlikely bonds formed in detention. It positions the film as Hughes' best for condensing themes of class, authority, and identity into one story, while noting some dated melodramatic elements. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-adolescent-angst-of-the-breakfast-club-still-resona-1798284131)
- **The New York Times**, Janet Maslin (70/100, inferred): John Hughes lets the five teen stereotypes challenge and confront each other like in Twelve Angry Men, leading to friendships and denunciations of parents. The film has a deadly self-importance but retains playfulness and excellent casting, with standout turns from Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1985/02/15/movies/john-hughes-s-breakfast-club.html)
- **The Guardian** (60/100, inferred): The critic notes that while The Breakfast Club was groundbreaking in its portrayal of teenagers, it has been diminished by imitators and has problematic elements like casual homophobia and a conservative ending that undermines its realism. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/feb/15/the-breakfast-club-at-40-the-teen-movie-blueprint-for-better-or-worse)
- **Los Angeles Times** (50/100, inferred): The original release review from the Los Angeles Times archives. [Read](https://documents.latimes.com/breakfast-club-l-times-review/)
- **The New Yorker**, Pauline Kael (40/100, inferred): The critic finds the film schematic and overly reliant on group-therapy clichés that blame adults for teenagers' problems, calling it wet and very white while acknowledging some talent in the dialogue and performances around the edges of the plot. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1985/04/08/coddled)
- **Slant Magazine**, Eric Henderson (30/100, inferred): The review finds the film dated and limited by its Reagan-era social pigeonholing of characters, with the makeover scene and collective essay underscoring regressive dynamics rather than true liberation. It praises the Criterion transfer's filmic look and extras like the commentary and documentary but notes the movie's tethering to its era prevents broader insight. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/the-breakfast-club/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Duane Byrge (30/100, inferred): The critic likens the film to the dull experience of detention itself, calling it tedious, predictable, and lacking enough entertainment value despite its one-set structure and stereotypical characters. Performances by Anthony Michael Hall and Molly Ringwald are praised as standout, along with some social insights from writer-director John Hughes. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/breakfast-club-thrs-1985-review-773357/)
- **Time Out**, WFJ (30/100, inferred): An iconic 80s movie weighed down by its own baggage, with five antipathetic teens in Saturday detention whose bonding feels unconvincing. The characters are overdrawn and punchable, the acting (save Ringwald and Hall) overplayed, and the script more smart-arse than smart. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-breakfast-club)
- **Variety**, Variety Staff (30/100, inferred): Five students from different cliques are forced into Saturday detention and quickly unite after realizing their parents are to blame for their issues. The film exemplifies Hollywood turning over significant art to the self-gratification of high-schoolers, with the brain rotting from such movies. [Read](https://variety.com/1984/film/reviews/the-breakfast-club-1200426442/)
- **The Wrap**, Mali Perl (90/100, inferred): The critic calls The Breakfast Club as close to perfection as possible among John Hughes films, praising its perfect cast, amazing lines, and ability to be sweet without losing its edge. She singles out the impact of Judd Nelson's performance and a key scene involving his character and Claire. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/legacy-john-hughes-lost-youth-5016/)
- **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (85/100, inferred): The critic praises John Hughes for realistically capturing teenage lives and launching a new generation of actors through a sharp script about five students in detention who discover their common ground. She singles out the film's deft exploration of teenage relationships, marked by cruelty yet underlying decency, for creating an optimistic portrait of the generation. [Read](http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-breakfast-club-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)

## Details

- **Director:** John Hughes
- **Director:** John Hughes
- **Writer:** John Hughes
- **Cinematography:** Thomas Del Ruth
- **Editor:** Dede Allen
- **Music:** Keith Forsey
- **Production design:** John W. Corso
- **Costume design:** Marilyn Vance
- **Producer:** John Hughes, Ned Tanen
- **Cast:** Emilio Estevez as Andrew Clark; Judd Nelson as John Bender; Molly Ringwald as Claire Standish; Anthony Michael Hall as Brian Johnson; Ally Sheedy as Allison Reynolds; Paul Gleason as Richard Vernon; John Kapelos as Carl; Perry Crawford as Allison's Father
- **Runtime:** 1h 38m
- **First release (the US):** 7 February 1985
- **Genres:** Comedy, Drama
- **Budget:** $1 million
- **Box office:** $52 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfhIcgGpWhs

## Where to watch in Hong Kong

Not streaming, renting or buying in Hong Kong at the last check.

Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, HU, IE, IN, IT, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Dazed and Confused* (1993), Fi1m 86: School hierarchies and casual cruelties, observed with more space to wander and less explaining. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/dazed-and-confused.md)
- *The Class* (2008): Its classroom arguments accommodate pupils who will not be neatly understood.
- *Linda Linda Linda* (2005): Four schoolgirls prepare a performance, with friendship developing through awkward pauses and practice.
- *Rocks* (2019): A girl’s school friendships face pressures that cannot be settled by talking.
- *Rebel Without a Cause* (1955), Fi1m 84: Teenage anger and parental bewilderment, played with a dangerous lack of restraint. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/rebel-without-a-cause.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-breakfast-club