Brats

This documentary hit me like a ton of bricks. The soundtrack, the movie scenes , seeing the guys. I was never able to describe why loved these movies so much but listening to the folks in the film explain why these films were so important to them 100% made me feel like they were speaking for me. To those that gave this film a negative review, it's obvious that you weren't around during those years. This documentary made me want to watch all those movies all over again for the first time. I feel sorry for this generation, you guys can't even spell nostalgia without expecting help from Google translate. Great film.

Like most Gen X, I grew up with the brat pack so this was an interesting look back at the actors and how the name originated.

A lot of the interviews become quite awkward as we see Andrew spend the entire documentary basically lamenting the brat label as though it ruined their lives. Emilio Estevez looks nothing short of uncomfortable as he stands there barely getting a word in other than politely nodding and agreeing.

Malcolm Gladwell's section was quite interesting as he offered some great insight into why the Breakfast Club was as popular as it was, pointing out how there was no social media at the time and the movie was one of the first to show 80s kids something they felt genuinely represented them, and how the idea of being brats was cool to them. The producer Lauren Shulee Donner adds to this idea, finally getting Andrew to see that Brat Pack was something seen as cool to teenagers, while Andrew seems to have spent his life being negatively defined by this term.

The idea was interesting. But the documentary sometimes took itself too seriously, and sometimes was too flippant. It could be overly harsh and other times too forgiving. It would have been good to hear how lives were specifically changed, but instead talked around what happened so no one would be labeled as bitter or brooding.

One poignant point was how movies had changed in the early/mid 80s to be youth oriented with movies about teenagers and played by younger actors. It created a swelling of new, young stars never seen to that degree before or since.

The focus was on a hit piece article by an envious reporter that labeled them "the brat pack." It was supposed to be article on what it was like hanging out with Emilio Estavez for a few days before it was morphed into a scathing denunciation of an entire group. The article was pretty sloppy in its writing and tried to tar and feather as many people as possible, including Nicholas Cage and Tom Cruise.

It changed the lives of all the actors. They stopped talking to each or seeing each other to distance themselves from the insinuation. But the damage was done. The label went "viral" before that was a term and for a group that was already getting older and would be looking for more adult roles, many found a wall they didn't expect and didn't know how to overcome.

Many of the actors most deeply immersed in the time weren't interviewed. Some in the documentary were barely on the outskirts. And again what was truly missing was the nitty gritty of how it impacted rather than hearing again and again versions of wow, that was really something and quite an experience. How did it feel to break contact? What was it like going to movie auditions after that? Had the public reaction change? How did it change their lives?

That was the part that was missing.

From an 80's kids perspective, there were so many young, cool actors that it's easy to lump dozens of people in the mix. Andrew really focuses on "The Breakfast Club" "St Elmo's Fire" and John Hughes creations in general. He really digs his fingers in the sand to find the root of his personal feelings towards the term and also commonalities from the other members. It's interesting to see the wide spectrum of perspectives from the (finger quotes) brats. Some were fine with it, some didn't even want to be included and McCarthy does well in making both points valid.

Documentary films have a specific formula to follow that can make it seem like, sort of, if you've seen one you've seen them all. This one is no different. It really just depends on is the subject matter interesting to you. If you were a kid at the time then yes, these people were rock stars. Ninety minutes feels a bit long, they could have trimmed the fat a bit more. All in all great walk down memory lane. I can almost smell the shopping mall food court, adjacent to the cinema where we dumped quarters into Donkey Kong. Good times.

Sadly, watching this, I felt bad for the young actors. It did not impact movie goers like it did the actors. I felt the documentary was about the fact that McCarthy let it hit him so hard that it affected his career. Watching the other actors talk about their experience wasn't the same. They were upset, but they moved on, in some ways by separating themselves from the group, which is sad.

As a journalism major I was taught to be truthful, but be thoughtful and kind in my approach. Don't leave a trail of bones to make a personal attack, unless you have the experience or talent of the person you're interviewing. You're job is to report the facts, not personal opinion, unless its an editorial, which should hold no weight. The man who wrote the article did not have the same training apparently, nor did the editor. Before you demolish people, talk to them all and walk a mile in their shoes.

I'm sorry to see how it affected them personally. I would have enjoyed seeing them together in more movies. As a child of the 80s we related to the characters. I wish Andrew peace and happiness and hope he finds his bliss.