One of the Brat Pack classics, this one was written but not directed by the legendary John Hughes. Rather, Howard Deutsch is captaining this ship (still in the trade, mostly TV nowadays, notably True Blood). Classic 80s high school film which stars Molly Ringwald as Andie Walsh, a smart, hard working high school senior girl from the wrong side of the tracks. She works at a record store with Iona (Annie Potts) and her best friend is Duckie (John Cryer), who is madly in love with her, but plays it off for yucks (one of the classic defensive moves in dealing with pain). She also admires from afar Blaine (Andrew McCarthy), but dangit, he is a rich kid and the social pressure...oh, just awful. This is hammered home by a young pre Dr. Daniel Jackson/Blacklist/Utron James Spader (Steff), who, after being shot down by Andie, goes into a vile sour grapes mode and tries to pee in Blaine's pool, under the pretense of "friendship".
That is most of our players and most of the variables in play, and it proceeds in a fairly predictable path, sold mostly by the skill of our thespians, the 80s high school trappings, the real relatable humanity on display by most and a really, really good soundtrack.
In recent years, under the category of "some people have forgotten what it is like to be young and have too much time on their hands", the "friend zone" concept is now under fire by some in the feminist camp. Which is just weird. The rationale is the woman's humanity does not matter, only her as an object to be possessed, and "friendship" is the consolation prize. Further, that the woman is one more sexual conquest denied and that is what the bad name of the "friend zone" spins out from. So...it is bad. This, of course, is nonsense. Romance isn't just about lust. Because you can bone someone without feeling affectionate. You can lust for them physically without an ounce of tenderness. A crush is a combo of physical desire combined with a sense of wanting a deeper connection. It is even more painful when a friendship is indeed in place. The sense of being "friend zoned" is the knowledge that a big blastproof door has been slammed down on the most tender part of that longing.
That sucks. Even when not a teenager, though it doesn't happen as often in the later years.
What sucks even worse, though, is politically obsessed, agenda driven types who have forgotten their youth try to take something painful, yet exquisite about the experience and sully it with their spin, no doubt dressing up painful experiences of their own with an attempt to try to turn it into some kind of misguided social crusade.
Just stop it.
The "friend zone" sucks. But you deal with it. It isn't oppressing anyone.
Stop trying to suck the recognizable humanity, the sweet and sour out of the life experience.
Oh, and Pretty In Pink is a great film, with such great artists as the Psychedelic Furs.
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