Wednesday, June 4, 2008

You Break His Heart, I Break Your Face

Alright folks, it's time to revisit the best movie of the 80s. Yes, you may think that "Pretty in Pink" (hello Duckie!) or "Say Anything" (hello boombox above the head!) should be listed here, and they are definitely in the running...but after careful, late night, painkiller induced ponderings, I have come to the professional conclusion that " Some Kind of Wonderful" takes the cherished trophy.

Don't remember it? Let me refresh your memory....


Keith is a warm hearted teenager from the wrong side of town. His best friend is a tomboy named Watts who is secretly in love with him. Keith is smitten with Amanda Jones. She is the prettiest most popular girl in school, who is also from the wrong side of town. Amanda dates Hardy Jenns, a very popular and very rich teenager who looks like he is 35 and plays on Miami Vice.

The Plot thickens-- Keith asks Amanda out the night she dumps Hardy for cheating on her. Amanda agrees to go out with Keith, but is then told if she goes out with him she will no longer be popular or have friends. (this was so how it was at my high school, man Kaysville is a rough hood.)

The plot thickens more....Hardy (remember, rich 35 year old pretending to be in high school) invites Keith and Amanda to a party at his house on the night they are supposed to have their date. Meanwhile Hardy is planning to beat Keith up at the party and make Amanda beg to be his girlfriend again.

But the jokes on Hardy! Keith takes the high road and let's his tough friends he met in detention beat Hardy up instead. Then he realizes that he doesn't really love Amanda, he loves Watts....his faithful, drum playing tomboy friend.

Thus he runs out of the party, down the street, finds the crying Watts, gives her the diamond earrings he spend all of his college money on (and which he gave to Amanda first, but she gave them back and realized that being an independent girl was a good thing)....and if you aren't lost already....Keith then tells Watts, as she is putting on the earrings, that "you look good wearing my future."


Phew...what a story. And the best part? It has the best on screen kiss ever! I have a top five list for onscreen kisses and this is one of them. Look at Watts work her feminine wiles ( I have so tried this with guy friends, and it has never worked, I think it's because I lack the leather gloves?) AND why Keith doesn't figure out right then and there that they should be together is beyond my understanding.


And....finally....that's right...some good ole movie quotes!!! You love em, you know em, you dig em.


Keith Nelson: You can't tell a book by its cover.
Watts: No, but you can tell how much it's gonna cost you.
Keith Nelson: Wow, I never knew you were so deep.
Watts: You want shallow, call Amanda Jones.


Watts: It must be a drag to be a slave to the male sex drive.
Keith: It's not just sex.
Watts: Oh, you want to start a book club with her?


Keith Nelson: I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was so hard on you.
Watts: Me too.
Keith Nelson: You always hurt the ones you love.
Watts: So when are you going to beat the shit out of Amanda Jones?

Keith: Well, I like art, I work in a gas station, my best friend is a tomboy. These things don't fly too well in the American high school.


AND FINALLY---

Watts: You break his heart, I break your face.

6 comments:

HWHL said...

Whatever happened to these two actors? I never see them in anything anymore.

I especially loved Mary Stuart Masterson. Remember Benny & Joon? I LOVED that movie. I taped it off cable.... I still have the dusty old VHS tape somewhere.... along with all my old cassettes. :-)

Long live the 80's!!

PS: A bit of trivia - my freshman roommate at NYU was good friends with Eric Stolz, back in the day.... (23 years ago now. Oy vey, getting old....) :-)

Stina said...

It looks like you are getting the most out of your recuperation period! I love it!! I have never heard of this movie before but enjoyed watching the clip.

I want to hear what the other top 4 best movie kisses are! It would be awesome if you could find You Tube clips of those too! (Why am I such a teenager?)

Sugar Jones said...

Benny and Joon!!! Love that movie! But I can not believe Princess Bride didn't make the list. Remember, it was "the most pure" kiss that left all other kisses ("since the invention of the kiss") behind??? It was a sweet, simple kiss. Not a heated moment... just sweet. Watching Wesley gently pull Princess Buttercup towards him as the sun is rising beyond the hills... aaaahhh...

Oh boy. I think I need to go on a date soon.

Unknown said...

HWHL: I saw MSM on Broadway in a musical with John Stamos about three years ago. She looked so feminine and lovely, and she can sing! That's awesome, NYU, as I found out, is a great place to meet people who will be famous. I went there, maybe that means the long sought for fame and recognition will be coming my way?!

Stop laughing!


Sugar, you are right! It was shameful of me to leave out the Princess Bride! I love that kiss, and my nickname in high school WAS Buttercup....we had the same hair thing going on.....I can't believe I left it out!


And yes, we should make dating goals! This needs to be a summer of love for us two single gals!

Ninny Beth said...

OH MY GOSH!!! do you KNOW how much I loved this movie in HS????? I think I watched it four hundred times and rewound this part about 4oo times. BECAUSE, didn't we all hope some dumb ass boy would figure it out like keith? I also have a deep and abiding love of the survivor song, that one that goes "You were with me all the time!!!"

This movie is responsible for my continuing love of eric stolz, red heads and butt chins. mmmmmm....

Hey, It's Ansley said...

The first time I saw this movie I loved it. The second time I saw it, I hated it, thought he was a psycho stalker, and no impressionable girl should be allowed to see it. And then at some point, I got smart enough to realize it's just what it's supposed to be, an over-the-top, dreamy teen movie. Yes, it's crazy that Keith spends all his money on the earrings but if he didn't he could never say, "You look good wearing my future." And aren't we all the better for that line. Well that and the amazing "practice" kiss, complete with the train screeching to a halt sound effects.