Just another eighties movie.

My friend Brittany accidentally left the movie Some Kind Of Wonderful in my car, and after three weeks of staring at the cover, I began to wonder what it was about. It showed Mary Stuart Masterson and Lea Thompson on either side of Eric Stoltz. All three of them have a very serious expression on their faces, and I couldn't help but try to figure out who was supposed to be in love with who. http://imdb.com/media/rm3750728192/tt0094006

Yesterday, I left school at the beginning of second hour because I had a pounding headache. I got home, and was doing a quick trash pick-up from the floor of my car when I spotted Some Kind Of Wonderful sandwiched between an old coffee mug and my umbrella. I decided that I would watch it while I recuperated from my traumatic illness.

This movie struck me as the stereotypical eighties movie. The beginning has Mary Stuart Masterson as Watts playing the drums to some, well, stereotypical eighties music. Then it goes on to show the attractive (ahem) but misunderstood Eric Stoltz, aka Keith, who likes art, and would rather go to art school than college, much to the dismay of his father. (Yes, can't have this type of movie without a disapproving father) He and Watts are and have been best friends for many years, and while he complains of his father's sternness, Watts reminds him that he's lucky to have a father at all.

Later you find out that Keith has a slight crush on the extremely popular, way out of his league Amanda Jones. (Cue the Rolling Stones) She's dating an older guy and Keith's a loser. End of story. When he asks Watts about Amanda Jones, she simply says she's shallow and wouldn't give Keith the time of day.

Through a series of Amanda walking up on her skeezy boyfriend Hardy with other girls about three times, she dumps him, and Keith takes the opportunity to ask her out. She accepts, though only to make Hardy jealous.

After a while of Watts talking badly about Amanda and making it extremely obvious that she too likes (loves?) Keith, he goes out on the date with her. He spends all the money he's ever earned on taking her to a fancy restaurant and buying her some diamond stud earrings that Watts helped him pick out. They go to the museum and then sit on a huge stage and talk. Then they go to a party at Hardy's house, where he's waiting to beat Keith up, and Keith knows it. But once they get there, Keith's friend Duncan (who he met in detention after he purposely got sent there because he thought Amanda Jones would be there) steps in and tells Hardy not to touch him.

So then, of course, Amanda Jones slaps the now helpless and cowering Hardy, and she and Keith walk out. Amanda has of course had a change of heart and actually likes Keith back, as you can see by their escalating chemistry onscreen.... At this point in the movie I was wondering if maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't end happily.

But I had wondered too soon. As soon as they step out the door, Keith sees Watts, who'd been driving them around in a nice car all night. He remembers kissing her earlier that day (she'd told him he needed to practice for Amanda Jones) and a look of....confused love....crosses his face. Amanda Jones, being the deep and understanding girl that she is, immediately assesses the dilemma, and takes out her diamond studs. She gives them to him, saying "Remember how before I said that I'd rather be with someone for the wrong reasons than alone for the right? It's going to feel good to be right." (or something intellectual like that)

With that, Keith takes off after Watts, who'd begun to walk down the street with tears streaming down her face. He catches up with her, and they kiss etc. Then he gives her the earrings and she says how she wanted him to give them to her....she kind of had a feeling he would....she hoped he would...the end.

And that was the movie. Though it held my interest in my feeble state, I wouldn't give it five stars. It was stereotypical, predictable, and I wasn't a huge fan of the cast. None of them were particularly attractive.

The dialogue was nothing special, but I did sort of like the storyline. I am a fan of the best friends since childhood relationships. The outfits and music are awesome if you want to be transported to the wonderful world of 1987.

This movie's good for a day home sick or a movie night full of other eighties movies, but all in all, it's not one I'd adamantly recommend.