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* TheUnreveal: [[spoiler: Did the kids remain friends, or did they drift back into their respective cliques when they had to go back to school? The movie ends as they're going home after detention, leaving the question open-ended.]]
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* HeroicSacrifice: Bender draws the attention of Vernon after the Club runs into a dead-end during their hallway jaunt, allowing the other four to get back to the library undetected.
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''The Breakfast Club'' was a 1985 film written and directed by the late JohnHughes, a legend in the teen genre. The five principal actors in the film (MollyRingwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Emilio Estevez, JuddNelson and Ally Sheedy) became part of the "BratPack", a group of actors whose careers in the 1980s revolved around playing teens in popular movies with each other. This group also included Rob Lowe, Andrew [=McCarthy=] and DemiMoore.
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''The Breakfast Club'' was a 1985 film written and directed by the late JohnHughes, Creator/JohnHughes, a legend in the teen genre. The five principal actors in the film (MollyRingwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Emilio Estevez, JuddNelson and Ally Sheedy) became part of the "BratPack", a group of actors whose careers in the 1980s revolved around playing teens in popular movies with each other. This group also included Rob Lowe, Andrew [=McCarthy=] and DemiMoore.
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* EnforcedMethodActing: Judd Nelson remained in-character between shooting, and frequently taunted MollyRingwald to the point of tears. JohnHughes was on the verge of firing him, when Paul Gleason, ironically playing Principal Vernon, intevened on his behalf.
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* EnforcedMethodActing: Judd Nelson remained in-character between shooting, and frequently taunted MollyRingwald to the point of tears. JohnHughes Creator/JohnHughes was on the verge of firing him, when Paul Gleason, ironically playing Principal Vernon, intevened on his behalf.
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* WretchedHive: Shermer. Freaking. High.
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Complete Monster is YMMV. I doubt that the parents are mean to their kids just for the sake of being mean, and we don\'t know enough about them anyway.
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* BlackAndGrayMorality: The parents of the Club are [[CompleteMonster downright]] [[SmugSnake bad]] [[ForTheEvulz people]], but the Club themselves and arguably even Carl and Vernon operate in lighter shades, even if they are [[UnderStatement a little screwy]].
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* BlackAndGrayMorality: The parents of the Club are [[CompleteMonster downright]] [[SmugSnake bad]] [[ForTheEvulz people]], downright bad people, but the Club themselves and arguably even Carl and Vernon operate in lighter shades, even if they are [[UnderStatement a little screwy]].
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No, not everyone. How is Brian a jerk? Or Allison?
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** For that matter, ''everyone in the film'', given the CrapsackWorld setting.
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that trope was redefined
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* HumansAreBastards: A major theme of the film. See Allison's quote in the GrowingUpSucks example.
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In what way? The characters are sympathetic despite their flaws, and the ending is happy, or at the very least bittersweet.
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* CrapsackWorld: Ohoho, yes.
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How in the world is this movie cynical? It\'s about the characters overcoming their differences and prejudices, and becoming friends despite their vastly different backgrounds. It\'s idealistic.
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* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: For a John Hughes movie, it is ''ridiculously cynical.''
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* WretchedHive: Shermer. Freaking. High.
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* EducationMama: Brian's parents. [[ItGotWorse It gets worse.]]
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* EducationMama: Brian's parents. [[ItGotWorse It gets worse.]]parents are a '''cruel''' decontruction. Worst of all, it's implied its not even for his benefit.
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* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: For a John Hughes movie, it is ''ridiculously cynical.''
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Brian\'s parents are almost certainly not pushing him that hard for the Evulz, but because they want him to be a huge success. They\'d probably be horrified if they found out he was genuinely suicidal over his one failing grade
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* ForTheEvulz: The only conceivable reason why the Johnsons are pressuring Brian so much.
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* ForTheEvulz: The only conceivable reason why the Johnsons are pressuring Brian so much.
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* BlackAndGrayMorality
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* BlackAndGrayMoralityBlackAndGrayMorality: The parents of the Club are [[CompleteMonster downright]] [[SmugSnake bad]] [[ForTheEvulz people]], but the Club themselves and arguably even Carl and Vernon operate in lighter shades, even if they are [[UnderStatement a little screwy]].
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* CrapsackWorld: Basically, John Hughes took Shermer and turned it into Detroit.
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* CrapsackWorld: Basically, John Hughes took Shermer and turned it into Detroit.Ohoho, yes.
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* HoYay: One ''brief'' moment, between Bender and Andrew.
-->'''Bender:''' You know, you're kinda sexy when you're angry.
-->'''Bender:''' You know, you're kinda sexy when you're angry.
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** Richard Vernon, of course. He starts hinting at JerkAssWoobie status as the day wears on, particularly during his conversation with Carl.
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** Richard Vernon, of course. He starts hinting at JerkAssWoobie status as the day wears on, particularly during his conversation with Carl.
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* CrapsackWorld
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* CrapsackWorldCrapsackWorld: Basically, John Hughes took Shermer and turned it into Detroit.
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* HumansAreBastards: A major theme of the film. See Allison's quote in the GrowingUpSucks example.
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** For that matter, ''everyone in the film'', given the rampant DarknessInducedAudienceApathy.
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** For that matter, ''everyone in the film'', given the rampant DarknessInducedAudienceApathy.CrapsackWorld setting.
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** For that matter, ''everyone in the film'', given the rampant DarknessInducedAudienceApathy.
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** The parents of the kids we see have such '''thoroughly unpleasant''' personalities and demeanors that it leaves one to wonder just [[FridgeHorror how bad things are behind the scenes.]]
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** The parents of the kids we see have such '''thoroughly unpleasant''' personalities and demeanors that it leaves one to wonder just [[FridgeHorror how bad things are behind the scenes.]]demeanors. It's a miracle they haven't been put in their places.
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** The parents of the kids we see have such '''thoroughly unpleasant''' personalities and demeanors that it leaves one to wonder just [[FridgeHorror how bad things are behind the scenes.]]
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** Allison, the [[LonersAreFreaks crazy loner]], intentionally acts crazy and theatric in order to [[AttentionWhore get attention]], something her parents don't give her. She doesn't bother to hide her blatant thefts and eccentricities, and her withdrawn persona is actually just a ploy to get people to give her more attention.
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* NotSoDifferent: The five students slowly come to realize this about each other over the course of the movie. Andy's rant about his obsessive and borderline abusive and father makes Brian cry and Bender remark that their fathers should get together and go bowling.
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* NotSoDifferent: The five students slowly come to realize this about each other over the course of the movie. Andy's rant about his obsessive and borderline abusive and father makes Brian cry and Bender remark that their fathers should get together and go bowling.
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** The rest of the students are suitably horrified to learn that Brian is in detention for [[spoiler: bringing a gun to school. When he learns it was a flare-gun that went off in Brian's locker]], Andy start laughing. He stops when Brian insists it isn't funny, but then starts laughing again. Brian then admits it is a little funny.
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** The rest of the students are suitably horrified to learn that Brian is in detention for [[spoiler: bringing a gun to school. When he learns it was a flare-gun that went off in Brian's locker]], Andy start starts laughing. He stops when Brian insists it isn't funny, but then starts laughing again. Brian then admits it is a little funny.
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** Around the middle of the movie Allison turns into something like this. She but's in at every conversation with something SHE has done or is about her. Even if it does not fit the conversation at all.
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** Around the middle of the movie Allison turns into something like this. She but's butts in at every conversation with something SHE has done or is about her. Even if it does not fit the conversation at all.
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** Around the middle of the movie Allison turns into something like this. She but's in at every conversation with something SHE has done or is about her. Even if it does not fit the conversation at all.
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* CrazyConsumption: Allison lets her soda spill out, and licks it off the table. Then she throws away the baloney from her sandwich, and replaces it with Pixy Stix and Cap'n Crunch cereal.
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* CrazyConsumption: Allison lets her soda spill out, and licks it off the table. Then she throws away the baloney from her sandwich, and replaces it with Pixy Stix (powdered candy) and Cap'n Crunch cereal.
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** They also have a variation of the trope -- their lunches represent their parents (who packed them) as much as it does the kids. Claire has expensive Japanese food that working-class Bender has never even heard of; Andy has a massive lunch loaded with carbs; Brian has a typical "mama's boy" lunch complete with crustless PB&J; Allison (whose parents "ignore her") ditches the baloney they put in her sandwich to make herself a sugar and Cap'n Crunch sandwich on Wonder Bread; and Bender, who neither brought a lunch or was made one by his parents, makes out like he's going to forcibly share Brian's, although he doesn't in the end.
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** They also have a variation of the trope -- their lunches represent their parents (who packed them) as much as it does the kids. Claire has expensive Japanese food that working-class Bender has never even heard of; Andy has a massive lunch loaded with carbs; Brian has a typical "mama's boy" lunch complete with crustless PB&J; Allison (whose parents "ignore her") ditches the baloney they put in her sandwich to make herself a sugar Pixy Stix and Cap'n Crunch sandwich on Wonder Bread; and Bender, who neither brought a lunch or was made one by his parents, makes out like he's going to forcibly share Brian's, although he doesn't in the end.
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* BlackAndGrayMorality
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* CrapsackWorld
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[[quoteright:302:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/600full-the-breakfast-club-poster_5072.jpg]]
->'''Brian Johnson: '''Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong, but we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us ... in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is [[{{Nerd}} a brain]] ...\\
'''Andrew Clark: '''... [[JerkJock an athlete]] ...\\
'''Allison Reynolds: '''... [[LonersAreFreaks a basket case]] ...\\
'''Claire Standish: '''... [[AlphaBitch a princess]] ...\\
'''John Bender: '''... and [[{{Delinquents}} a criminal]].\\
'''Brian Johnson:''' Does that answer your question? ... Sincerely yours, [[TitleDrop the Breakfast Club]].
One of the most defining teen movies, it came to represent the genre and launch the careers of its stars, leading to the BratPack. ''The Breakfast Club'' follows the journey of [[FiveManBand five teenagers]] who have all landed themselves a Saturday detention. The main characters are characterized by their cliques, harassed by angry principal Richard "Dick" Vernon, and aided by Carl, the friendly neighborhood janitor.
''The Breakfast Club'' was a 1985 film written and directed by the late JohnHughes, a legend in the teen genre. The five principal actors in the film (MollyRingwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Emilio Estevez, JuddNelson and Ally Sheedy) became part of the "BratPack", a group of actors whose careers in the 1980s revolved around playing teens in popular movies with each other. This group also included Rob Lowe, Andrew [=McCarthy=] and DemiMoore.
----
!!This film provides examples of:
* AbusiveParents: All of the characters' parents are abusive in different ways. Bender's father is the "traditionally" abusive dad who beats his wife and son, [[EducationMama Brian's parents set such high standards]] that it drives him [[spoiler: to potentially [[DrivenToSuicide attempt suicide]] (or [[AxesAtSchool whatever else he had planned]]) with the FlareGun]], [[ParentalNeglect Allison's]] completely ignore her, [[ParentalNeglect Claire's]] are about to get divorced and use her to get back at each other, and [[StageMom Andy's father tells him that winning is everything]] and that if he doesn't win, he's nothing.
* ActuallyPrettyFunny:
** At the beginning of the movie, Andy and Bender can't stand each other, but Andy still cracks up when Bender asks Vernon "Does Barry Manilow know you raid his wardrobe?"
** The rest of the students are suitably horrified to learn that Brian is in detention for [[spoiler: bringing a gun to school. When he learns it was a flare-gun that went off in Brian's locker]], Andy start laughing. He stops when Brian insists it isn't funny, but then starts laughing again. Brian then admits it is a little funny.
** Similarly, everyone laughs at why Allison is there. [[spoiler:She just didn't have anything better to do.]]
* AirVentPassageway: Bender goes through the ceiling to get in and out of the closet.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Claire toward Bender.
* AlmightyJanitor: Carl.
* AlphaBitch: Deconstructed with Claire.
* AngryDance: Andrew... oddly enough, his reaction to getting stoned.
* {{Angst}}
* AttentionWhore: Bender. He's always insulting somebody (whether it be the principal, the janitor or his peers), and it's obviously for attention. There's also his thorough, speculative impression of Brian's household, and the way he announces it out of nowhere without being asked and just assumes (correctly) they'll all watch.
* AxesAtSchool: [[spoiler:Brian's FlareGun.]]
* TheBGrade: Brian gets a low mark in shop class, meaning he can't get the perfect A's he was striving for.
* BerserkButton: Andy presses Bender's when he accuses him of lying about his abusive home life.
* BigEater: Andy.
* BigManOnCampus: Andy.
* BreakfastClub: [[TropeNamer Obviously]].
* BookDumb: Bender is unusually articulate and comes off as quite intelligent, despite his school trouble.
* CerebusCallback: Brian talking about how he failed shop because he couldn't make a ceramic elephant, which leads into a bit of joking on the part of the others. A few minutes later when the entire discussion has gone a bit more dramatic, Brian reveals [[spoiler:he brought a gun to school because he couldn't get the elephant to work, implying he wanted to kill himself]]. It gets subverted when they all end up laughing about it anyway.
* CloudCuckooLander: Allison.
* ColonelBogeyMarch: Whistled by the kids.
* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: The kids' clothes are all a different color; red for Bender, blue for Andy, pink for Claire, green for Brian, and black for Allison. Bender's color is clearer when he removes his jacket, Andy's only gets ''bluer'' when he takes off his, and Allison's changes to white after Claire gives her her makeover.
* CrazyConsumption: Allison lets her soda spill out, and licks it off the table. Then she throws away the baloney from her sandwich, and replaces it with Pixy Stix and Cap'n Crunch cereal.
* DawsonCasting: Judd Nelson was 24 at the time, and Ally Sheedy and Emilio Estevez were both 22. Averted with Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall, both 16 at the time.
* DeadpanSnarker: Bender. Andy and Brian develop snarkiness as well but not nearly to the degree of Bender.
* DeanBitterman: Principal Vernon.
* DeconstructedTrope: This film takes a very good look at what many of the "stock" characters of teen movies would be like if they existed in real life, and what their real motivations would be like.
** Andy, the JerkJock, only [[JerkassFacade behaves that way]] in order to fit in with the rest of the team and to impress his father, who raised him on stories of how he acted like that back when he was in school. He wishes that, one day, he'd get injured so that he wouldn't have to wrestle again, and thus never have to worry about [[WellDoneSonGuy living up to Dad's expectations]].
** Claire, the AlphaBitch, is a Type A StepfordSmiler who feels that her life is empty, and that her parents only use her as a tool in their endless arguments. And she's hardly the "queen bee" -- in fact, it's peer pressure that essentially molded her into the snobbish bitch that she is, and she feels miserably forced into it.
** Brian, the {{Nerd}}, hates how [[EducationMama his parents]] have destroyed his social life by pushing him so hard to succeed, and is so obsessed with his grades that [[spoiler:he [[DrivenToSuicide tries to kill himself]] (or [[AxesAtSchool worse]])]] after getting [[TheBGrade an F in shop class]]. [[InsufferableGenius His attitude]] is also little better than that of the "popular" kids that he hates, as shown when he talks about how he took shop class because he thought it was an easy A that only "losers" like Bender took (as opposed to his advanced math classes).
** Bender, the [[TeensAreMonsters juvenile delinquent]], is like that not because he's a bad person, but as a result of his tough, working-class upbringing and his [[AbusiveParents abusive father]], both of which have taught him that violence is an acceptable solution to problems. His {{badass}} image is also [[MilesGloriosus easily disarmed by Andy]], even though he's armed with a knife.
* DrinkOrder:
** Playing the trope as straight as can be, all five characters have Coke with their lunch.
** They also have a variation of the trope -- their lunches represent their parents (who packed them) as much as it does the kids. Claire has expensive Japanese food that working-class Bender has never even heard of; Andy has a massive lunch loaded with carbs; Brian has a typical "mama's boy" lunch complete with crustless PB&J; Allison (whose parents "ignore her") ditches the baloney they put in her sandwich to make herself a sugar and Cap'n Crunch sandwich on Wonder Bread; and Bender, who neither brought a lunch or was made one by his parents, makes out like he's going to forcibly share Brian's, although he doesn't in the end.
* DoWrongRight: Andrew's father in the beginning chastises him for getting caught after screwing up, not for screwing up.
* DysfunctionJunction
* EducationMama: Brian's parents. [[ItGotWorse It gets worse.]]
* EnemyEatsYourLunch: Bender to Brian: ''"So, what are we having for lunch?"''
* EnforcedMethodActing: Judd Nelson remained in-character between shooting, and frequently taunted MollyRingwald to the point of tears. JohnHughes was on the verge of firing him, when Paul Gleason, ironically playing Principal Vernon, intevened on his behalf.
* ExtremelyShortTimespan: The movie takes place over a single day.
* FemaleGaze: While Andy is having an internal conflict about whether to smoke weed or not, the camera is shot from Allison's perspective, who is gazing at his back and, later, when the camera doesn't move, at his crotch.
* FootFocus: In the uncut version of the movie, the only copy of which was on a VHS tape lost after John Hughes' death, the part where Allison notes that she can "write with her toes" was followed with Ally Sheedy actually writing with her toes, completely filmed.
* ForeignQueasine: Claire's lunch consists of what she calls sushi (actually, it's sashimi, but that common mistake is beside the point). Bender is a bit put off by the thought of eating raw fish.
--> '''John Bender''': You won't accept a guy's tongue in your mouth, and you're gonna eat ''that?''
* FreezeFrameBonus: According to a picture on the wall, ''Carl'' was "Man of the Year" for the class of '69.
* FreudianExcuse: All the kids have this. A major theme in the movie is how adults can shape their kids for better or worse, intentionally or not. Bender grew up learning how to be tough because his dad beats him (he got burned with a cigar for spilling paint in the garage), Andrew is driven to compete and bullies another kid because his dad is always pushing him and going off on the wild things he did as a teen, Allison acts like she's nuts because her parents ignore her, Brian is a socially-inept nerd because his parents are always forcing him to study, and Claire is a shallow popular girl because she feels empty inside due to her parents using her as a tool.
* GirlfriendInCanada: Brian claims to have a girlfriend living up in Niagara Falls.
* GrowingUpSucks
--> '''Allison:''' When you grow up, your heart dies.
* HollywoodDressCode: slightly averted, Brian does not wear glasses to signal that he is a nerd, and Bender does not wear a leather jacket. It has been mentioned on the [=DVD=] they wanted the character to have some originality from their cliques.
* HoYay: One ''brief'' moment, between Bender and Andrew.
-->'''Bender:''' You know, you're kinda sexy when you're angry.
* IAmWhatIAm: Claire, Andrew and Brian do it publicly; Allison confesses privately to Andrew; and Bender hides the specifics from the characters, but the audience can easily figure out his situation.
* IHitYouYouHitTheGround: "Two hits: Me hitting you, you hitting the floor."
* IneffectualLoner: Bender.
* IronicEcho:
** Early on in the film, Andrew tells Bender, "You don't even count. You could disappear forever, and it wouldn't make any difference. You might as well not even exist at this school." Later on, when Andrew yells at Bender for his SarcasticClapping reaction to Claire's lipstick trick, John replies with "What do you care what I think, anyway? I don't even count ... right? I could disappear forever and it wouldn't make any difference. I might as well not even exist at this school, ''remember?''"
** "Do I stutter?" also fits this trope.
* JerkAss:
** Richard Vernon, of course. He starts hinting at JerkAssWoobie status as the day wears on, particularly during his conversation with Carl.
** John Bender also easily qualifies, but down deep, he's a JerkWithAHeartOfGold, once you get beneath the antisocial cynicism of a physically abused kid.
* JerkJock: Deconstructed through Andy. He feels like he has to be an asshole and a bully to the weaker students because his father expects that behavior out of him. When he plays a humiliating and painful prank on another kid, he feels terrible about it afterward, but his dad is only upset that he got caught.
* LastNameBasis: See how everyone keeps saying "Bender" rather than "John"?
* [[LockedInARoom Locked In A Schoolroom]]
* LonersAreFreaks: Allison.
* TheMakeover: Used for Allison.
* MeaningfulName: Vernon's first name is "Dick".
* MoodWhiplash: After a TearJerker of a story told by Brian about [[spoiler:bringing a gun to school]], the revelation that [[spoiler:it was a flare gun and that it went off in his locker]] gets everybody laughing.
* MilesGloriosus: Bender. He puts out an image of toughness but Andy is able to take him down with ease. Even when Bender pulls a knife and casually talks about killing Andy, he's slowly backing away from the fight. Confirmed when Principal Vernon challenges Bender to a fight.
* MonochromeCasting
* NotSoDifferent: The five students slowly come to realize this about each other over the course of the movie. Andy's rant about his obsessive and borderline abusive and father makes Brian cry and Bender remark that their fathers should get together and go bowling.
* OrphanedPunchline: [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] with Bender's "naked lady" joke. (It doesn't have a punchline, [[ThrowItIn Judd Nelson ad-libbed it]]).
* PantyShot: Shoved right in your face, too.
* PityingPerversion: Claire's drama partially stems from the fact that[[spoiler: her friends force her to be unkind to the unpopular kids]]
* PrecisionFStrike: Brian's response to Claire about social pressure.
* RuleOfSymbolism: This film is almost entirely dialogue. It takes place in a Library. Libraries are collections of words - just like dialogue. But you won't percieve any of the words in a Library unless you seek them out - like the Character's thoughts.
* SarcasticClapping: "That was great, Claire. My image of you is totally ''blown''."
* SelfProclaimedLiar: Allison.
* SheCleansUpNicely: Brian's reaction to Allison's makeover.
* SixStudentClique: Minus the sixth student, but it's really close.
** The Head: Bender
** The Muscle: Andy
** The Quirk/The Smart One: Brian
** The Pretty One: Claire
** The Wild One: Allison
* SlapSlapKiss: Claire and Bender.
* StageMom: Andrew's dad was a male example.
--> '''Andrew:''' (imitating his dad): "Andrew, you've got to be NUMBER ONE! I won't tolerate any losers in this family! WIN, WIN, WIN!" (cries)
* StickyFingers: Allison.
* SweetTooth: Allison. Mmm, pixie stick sandwiches...
* ThrowItIn: John Hughes told Judd Nelson to make up something off the top of his head for when he was in the air vent. Naked blonde walks into a bar...
* UptownGirl: Claire and Bender.
* WeNeedADistraction:
** Bender's presence in the library getting hidden from Vernon by the other kids via redirecting questions and obnoxious coughing.
** Earlier, Bender provides a distraction so the rest of the group can get back to the library without Vernon noticing them.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Andy.
* YeahShot: Bender, at the end.
----
->'''Brian Johnson: '''Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong, but we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us ... in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is [[{{Nerd}} a brain]] ...\\
'''Andrew Clark: '''... [[JerkJock an athlete]] ...\\
'''Allison Reynolds: '''... [[LonersAreFreaks a basket case]] ...\\
'''Claire Standish: '''... [[AlphaBitch a princess]] ...\\
'''John Bender: '''... and [[{{Delinquents}} a criminal]].\\
'''Brian Johnson:''' Does that answer your question? ... Sincerely yours, [[TitleDrop the Breakfast Club]].
One of the most defining teen movies, it came to represent the genre and launch the careers of its stars, leading to the BratPack. ''The Breakfast Club'' follows the journey of [[FiveManBand five teenagers]] who have all landed themselves a Saturday detention. The main characters are characterized by their cliques, harassed by angry principal Richard "Dick" Vernon, and aided by Carl, the friendly neighborhood janitor.
''The Breakfast Club'' was a 1985 film written and directed by the late JohnHughes, a legend in the teen genre. The five principal actors in the film (MollyRingwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Emilio Estevez, JuddNelson and Ally Sheedy) became part of the "BratPack", a group of actors whose careers in the 1980s revolved around playing teens in popular movies with each other. This group also included Rob Lowe, Andrew [=McCarthy=] and DemiMoore.
----
!!This film provides examples of:
* AbusiveParents: All of the characters' parents are abusive in different ways. Bender's father is the "traditionally" abusive dad who beats his wife and son, [[EducationMama Brian's parents set such high standards]] that it drives him [[spoiler: to potentially [[DrivenToSuicide attempt suicide]] (or [[AxesAtSchool whatever else he had planned]]) with the FlareGun]], [[ParentalNeglect Allison's]] completely ignore her, [[ParentalNeglect Claire's]] are about to get divorced and use her to get back at each other, and [[StageMom Andy's father tells him that winning is everything]] and that if he doesn't win, he's nothing.
* ActuallyPrettyFunny:
** At the beginning of the movie, Andy and Bender can't stand each other, but Andy still cracks up when Bender asks Vernon "Does Barry Manilow know you raid his wardrobe?"
** The rest of the students are suitably horrified to learn that Brian is in detention for [[spoiler: bringing a gun to school. When he learns it was a flare-gun that went off in Brian's locker]], Andy start laughing. He stops when Brian insists it isn't funny, but then starts laughing again. Brian then admits it is a little funny.
** Similarly, everyone laughs at why Allison is there. [[spoiler:She just didn't have anything better to do.]]
* AirVentPassageway: Bender goes through the ceiling to get in and out of the closet.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Claire toward Bender.
* AlmightyJanitor: Carl.
* AlphaBitch: Deconstructed with Claire.
* AngryDance: Andrew... oddly enough, his reaction to getting stoned.
* {{Angst}}
* AttentionWhore: Bender. He's always insulting somebody (whether it be the principal, the janitor or his peers), and it's obviously for attention. There's also his thorough, speculative impression of Brian's household, and the way he announces it out of nowhere without being asked and just assumes (correctly) they'll all watch.
* AxesAtSchool: [[spoiler:Brian's FlareGun.]]
* TheBGrade: Brian gets a low mark in shop class, meaning he can't get the perfect A's he was striving for.
* BerserkButton: Andy presses Bender's when he accuses him of lying about his abusive home life.
* BigEater: Andy.
* BigManOnCampus: Andy.
* BreakfastClub: [[TropeNamer Obviously]].
* BookDumb: Bender is unusually articulate and comes off as quite intelligent, despite his school trouble.
* CerebusCallback: Brian talking about how he failed shop because he couldn't make a ceramic elephant, which leads into a bit of joking on the part of the others. A few minutes later when the entire discussion has gone a bit more dramatic, Brian reveals [[spoiler:he brought a gun to school because he couldn't get the elephant to work, implying he wanted to kill himself]]. It gets subverted when they all end up laughing about it anyway.
* CloudCuckooLander: Allison.
* ColonelBogeyMarch: Whistled by the kids.
* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: The kids' clothes are all a different color; red for Bender, blue for Andy, pink for Claire, green for Brian, and black for Allison. Bender's color is clearer when he removes his jacket, Andy's only gets ''bluer'' when he takes off his, and Allison's changes to white after Claire gives her her makeover.
* CrazyConsumption: Allison lets her soda spill out, and licks it off the table. Then she throws away the baloney from her sandwich, and replaces it with Pixy Stix and Cap'n Crunch cereal.
* DawsonCasting: Judd Nelson was 24 at the time, and Ally Sheedy and Emilio Estevez were both 22. Averted with Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall, both 16 at the time.
* DeadpanSnarker: Bender. Andy and Brian develop snarkiness as well but not nearly to the degree of Bender.
* DeanBitterman: Principal Vernon.
* DeconstructedTrope: This film takes a very good look at what many of the "stock" characters of teen movies would be like if they existed in real life, and what their real motivations would be like.
** Andy, the JerkJock, only [[JerkassFacade behaves that way]] in order to fit in with the rest of the team and to impress his father, who raised him on stories of how he acted like that back when he was in school. He wishes that, one day, he'd get injured so that he wouldn't have to wrestle again, and thus never have to worry about [[WellDoneSonGuy living up to Dad's expectations]].
** Claire, the AlphaBitch, is a Type A StepfordSmiler who feels that her life is empty, and that her parents only use her as a tool in their endless arguments. And she's hardly the "queen bee" -- in fact, it's peer pressure that essentially molded her into the snobbish bitch that she is, and she feels miserably forced into it.
** Brian, the {{Nerd}}, hates how [[EducationMama his parents]] have destroyed his social life by pushing him so hard to succeed, and is so obsessed with his grades that [[spoiler:he [[DrivenToSuicide tries to kill himself]] (or [[AxesAtSchool worse]])]] after getting [[TheBGrade an F in shop class]]. [[InsufferableGenius His attitude]] is also little better than that of the "popular" kids that he hates, as shown when he talks about how he took shop class because he thought it was an easy A that only "losers" like Bender took (as opposed to his advanced math classes).
** Bender, the [[TeensAreMonsters juvenile delinquent]], is like that not because he's a bad person, but as a result of his tough, working-class upbringing and his [[AbusiveParents abusive father]], both of which have taught him that violence is an acceptable solution to problems. His {{badass}} image is also [[MilesGloriosus easily disarmed by Andy]], even though he's armed with a knife.
* DrinkOrder:
** Playing the trope as straight as can be, all five characters have Coke with their lunch.
** They also have a variation of the trope -- their lunches represent their parents (who packed them) as much as it does the kids. Claire has expensive Japanese food that working-class Bender has never even heard of; Andy has a massive lunch loaded with carbs; Brian has a typical "mama's boy" lunch complete with crustless PB&J; Allison (whose parents "ignore her") ditches the baloney they put in her sandwich to make herself a sugar and Cap'n Crunch sandwich on Wonder Bread; and Bender, who neither brought a lunch or was made one by his parents, makes out like he's going to forcibly share Brian's, although he doesn't in the end.
* DoWrongRight: Andrew's father in the beginning chastises him for getting caught after screwing up, not for screwing up.
* DysfunctionJunction
* EducationMama: Brian's parents. [[ItGotWorse It gets worse.]]
* EnemyEatsYourLunch: Bender to Brian: ''"So, what are we having for lunch?"''
* EnforcedMethodActing: Judd Nelson remained in-character between shooting, and frequently taunted MollyRingwald to the point of tears. JohnHughes was on the verge of firing him, when Paul Gleason, ironically playing Principal Vernon, intevened on his behalf.
* ExtremelyShortTimespan: The movie takes place over a single day.
* FemaleGaze: While Andy is having an internal conflict about whether to smoke weed or not, the camera is shot from Allison's perspective, who is gazing at his back and, later, when the camera doesn't move, at his crotch.
* FootFocus: In the uncut version of the movie, the only copy of which was on a VHS tape lost after John Hughes' death, the part where Allison notes that she can "write with her toes" was followed with Ally Sheedy actually writing with her toes, completely filmed.
* ForeignQueasine: Claire's lunch consists of what she calls sushi (actually, it's sashimi, but that common mistake is beside the point). Bender is a bit put off by the thought of eating raw fish.
--> '''John Bender''': You won't accept a guy's tongue in your mouth, and you're gonna eat ''that?''
* FreezeFrameBonus: According to a picture on the wall, ''Carl'' was "Man of the Year" for the class of '69.
* FreudianExcuse: All the kids have this. A major theme in the movie is how adults can shape their kids for better or worse, intentionally or not. Bender grew up learning how to be tough because his dad beats him (he got burned with a cigar for spilling paint in the garage), Andrew is driven to compete and bullies another kid because his dad is always pushing him and going off on the wild things he did as a teen, Allison acts like she's nuts because her parents ignore her, Brian is a socially-inept nerd because his parents are always forcing him to study, and Claire is a shallow popular girl because she feels empty inside due to her parents using her as a tool.
* GirlfriendInCanada: Brian claims to have a girlfriend living up in Niagara Falls.
* GrowingUpSucks
--> '''Allison:''' When you grow up, your heart dies.
* HollywoodDressCode: slightly averted, Brian does not wear glasses to signal that he is a nerd, and Bender does not wear a leather jacket. It has been mentioned on the [=DVD=] they wanted the character to have some originality from their cliques.
* HoYay: One ''brief'' moment, between Bender and Andrew.
-->'''Bender:''' You know, you're kinda sexy when you're angry.
* IAmWhatIAm: Claire, Andrew and Brian do it publicly; Allison confesses privately to Andrew; and Bender hides the specifics from the characters, but the audience can easily figure out his situation.
* IHitYouYouHitTheGround: "Two hits: Me hitting you, you hitting the floor."
* IneffectualLoner: Bender.
* IronicEcho:
** Early on in the film, Andrew tells Bender, "You don't even count. You could disappear forever, and it wouldn't make any difference. You might as well not even exist at this school." Later on, when Andrew yells at Bender for his SarcasticClapping reaction to Claire's lipstick trick, John replies with "What do you care what I think, anyway? I don't even count ... right? I could disappear forever and it wouldn't make any difference. I might as well not even exist at this school, ''remember?''"
** "Do I stutter?" also fits this trope.
* JerkAss:
** Richard Vernon, of course. He starts hinting at JerkAssWoobie status as the day wears on, particularly during his conversation with Carl.
** John Bender also easily qualifies, but down deep, he's a JerkWithAHeartOfGold, once you get beneath the antisocial cynicism of a physically abused kid.
* JerkJock: Deconstructed through Andy. He feels like he has to be an asshole and a bully to the weaker students because his father expects that behavior out of him. When he plays a humiliating and painful prank on another kid, he feels terrible about it afterward, but his dad is only upset that he got caught.
* LastNameBasis: See how everyone keeps saying "Bender" rather than "John"?
* [[LockedInARoom Locked In A Schoolroom]]
* LonersAreFreaks: Allison.
* TheMakeover: Used for Allison.
* MeaningfulName: Vernon's first name is "Dick".
* MoodWhiplash: After a TearJerker of a story told by Brian about [[spoiler:bringing a gun to school]], the revelation that [[spoiler:it was a flare gun and that it went off in his locker]] gets everybody laughing.
* MilesGloriosus: Bender. He puts out an image of toughness but Andy is able to take him down with ease. Even when Bender pulls a knife and casually talks about killing Andy, he's slowly backing away from the fight. Confirmed when Principal Vernon challenges Bender to a fight.
* MonochromeCasting
* NotSoDifferent: The five students slowly come to realize this about each other over the course of the movie. Andy's rant about his obsessive and borderline abusive and father makes Brian cry and Bender remark that their fathers should get together and go bowling.
* OrphanedPunchline: [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] with Bender's "naked lady" joke. (It doesn't have a punchline, [[ThrowItIn Judd Nelson ad-libbed it]]).
* PantyShot: Shoved right in your face, too.
* PityingPerversion: Claire's drama partially stems from the fact that[[spoiler: her friends force her to be unkind to the unpopular kids]]
* PrecisionFStrike: Brian's response to Claire about social pressure.
* RuleOfSymbolism: This film is almost entirely dialogue. It takes place in a Library. Libraries are collections of words - just like dialogue. But you won't percieve any of the words in a Library unless you seek them out - like the Character's thoughts.
* SarcasticClapping: "That was great, Claire. My image of you is totally ''blown''."
* SelfProclaimedLiar: Allison.
* SheCleansUpNicely: Brian's reaction to Allison's makeover.
* SixStudentClique: Minus the sixth student, but it's really close.
** The Head: Bender
** The Muscle: Andy
** The Quirk/The Smart One: Brian
** The Pretty One: Claire
** The Wild One: Allison
* SlapSlapKiss: Claire and Bender.
* StageMom: Andrew's dad was a male example.
--> '''Andrew:''' (imitating his dad): "Andrew, you've got to be NUMBER ONE! I won't tolerate any losers in this family! WIN, WIN, WIN!" (cries)
* StickyFingers: Allison.
* SweetTooth: Allison. Mmm, pixie stick sandwiches...
* ThrowItIn: John Hughes told Judd Nelson to make up something off the top of his head for when he was in the air vent. Naked blonde walks into a bar...
* UptownGirl: Claire and Bender.
* WeNeedADistraction:
** Bender's presence in the library getting hidden from Vernon by the other kids via redirecting questions and obnoxious coughing.
** Earlier, Bender provides a distraction so the rest of the group can get back to the library without Vernon noticing them.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Andy.
* YeahShot: Bender, at the end.
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