A girl's "sweet" sixteenth birthday is anything but special: her family forgets about it, and she suffers from every embarrassment possible.A girl's "sweet" sixteenth birthday is anything but special: her family forgets about it, and she suffers from every embarrassment possible.A girl's "sweet" sixteenth birthday is anything but special: her family forgets about it, and she suffers from every embarrassment possible.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 1 nomination total
Debbie Pollack
- Lumberjack
- (as Deborah Pollack)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
This John Hughes film is one of the best romantic teen comedies in history. Starring 2 of the Brat Packers, Molly Ringwald, playing the lovesick Samantha, and Anthony Michael Hall who plays "The Geek", he pratically stole the entire movie with his one-liners. His friends were the best, it's funny to see John Cusack as one of his geeky friends, and I just noticed Joan Cusack makes a small appearance in this as the girl with the neck brace on. That's funny. I recommend this classic to anyone who likes romantic teen comedies. Oh and whoever said that "Sixteen Candles" was perverted, all i have to say is WHAT? What is perverted about this movie, American Pie was perverted, this movie is a classic. There was ONE scene of nudity and it lasted about 3 seconds. I give "Sixteen Candles" 10 out of 10!!!!
7pc95
My Aunt mentioned she loves "16 Candles", and it has been more than 12 years since I'd seen it, so we rewatched it. I've probably seen it half a dozen times earlier, but too young for it in the theater. For John Hughes earlier entry and his directorial debut - credit to him on picking and filming a very close to or actual 16 year-old Molly Ringwald for the title role. And while I really liked Michael Schoeffling for the tender main crush, he was obviously too old looking as a Senior (an easy 24 playing an 18 yro), a small quibble. His character suave, collected, and sensitive was a great counterbalance in tone to most of other characters. However the tone of the movie generally is a bit too goofy for its own good, and the humor with "Long Duk Dong" is tasteless, poor, and hasn't aged well. There are some well-written scenes to keep the movie together, particularly with Dooley and Ringwald, Hall and Ringwald, and the memorable finale scene that one doesn't forget with Schoeffling and Ringwald in the fantastic last 2 scenes. These are much needed scenes lifting the movie just out mediocrity, and the movie could've been much better focusing on the drama and cutting a good chunk of light humor. I give "16 candles" a high 6/10, round it up to a 7/10. Its in the top 5 or so of Hughes films - it has some flaws but also some touching moments.
This movie is one of the most quotable I've ever seen. Everyone who has ever seen it knows this is true. Along with "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "The Breakfast Club", this is the best of the John Hughes 1980's movies. The acting is perfection, down to the smallest parts, too. Standouts are Blanche Baker as the bride-to-be on too many painkillers, Justin Henry as the pain-in-the-neck little brother, Michael Schoeffling as hunk-deluxe Jake Ryan and last but never least, Anthony Michael Hall as Farmer Fred....I mean Ted.
I am shocked to realise this hilarious film is now 30 years old! Films from 1964 seen in 1988 looked a zillion years apart.....how can a 1980s film like this one still be so new and play so fresh in 2014? ...Apart from it being funnier and truly inspired I really now appreciate more the legacy of John Hughes in his series of films that were released in that 5 year span 1984-89. Anthony Michael Hall is rightly celebrated and gorgeous Molly Ringwald deserves her fame in the teen hall of Stardom. Whatever happened to Michael Schoeffling (Jake)....anyone know? It seems incongruous that so many future stars got their start in this film yet he seemed to go nowhere. I am also very surprised it got a PG rating.......given the swearing and the nudity..but I guess in the spirit of it all it was a perfect pic for anyone 12 - 112. Very clever and very funny.
"Sixteen Candles" was a great movie from the land that was the 80's. All the girls from my work were talking about the 80's teen flicks and how much they loved them. I had never seen a Molly Ringwald film, after all I'm only 20. But the girls were still incredibly shocked when I told them, they told me that they will not respect my movie opinions until I saw all the teen flicks from the 80's. We're talking crazy here people: Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, Say Anything, Weird Science, etc.
So far now I have seen the major Molly Ringwald films. Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, and Sixteen Candles. Sixteen Candles is a very cute film that came before the cliché 90's teen flicks. It's original and very funny. I think the reason why it's so popular, is because everyone can relate in some way to the characters. Molly, a shy ignored outcast, The Geek, well, he's a geek, the jock, he's expected to date and act a certain way. It goes on and on. I really enjoyed Sixteen Candles, well, I guess it's on the way to Say Anything! Wish me luck, y'all! :D
7/10
So far now I have seen the major Molly Ringwald films. Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, and Sixteen Candles. Sixteen Candles is a very cute film that came before the cliché 90's teen flicks. It's original and very funny. I think the reason why it's so popular, is because everyone can relate in some way to the characters. Molly, a shy ignored outcast, The Geek, well, he's a geek, the jock, he's expected to date and act a certain way. It goes on and on. I really enjoyed Sixteen Candles, well, I guess it's on the way to Say Anything! Wish me luck, y'all! :D
7/10
Did you know
- TriviaAnthony Michael Hall and Molly Ringwald initially disliked each other, so John Hughes took them to a record store and they bonded after they found out they like the same music. One of the groups they liked was The Rave-Ups which Molly scribbled on Samantha's notebook.
- GoofsWhen the family is leaving for the wedding, the grandparents all pile into the car, but it was not large enough to accommodate the group. Grandma Baker squats near the passenger door to create the impression that she is sitting in the car. However, when the car is backing out of the driveway, you briefly see her curved back remain stationary while the car moves away from her.
- Alternate versionsVHS releases, cable TV broadcasts, and the initial DVD release change the majority of the soundtrack. The 2003 DVD and Blu-ray release restore the original theatrical soundtrack.
- ConnectionsEdited into Une créature de rêve (1985)
- SoundtracksSnowballed
Written by Angus Young (uncredited), Malcolm Young (uncredited) and Brian Johnson (uncredited)
Performed by AC/DC
Courtesy of Leidseplein Presse B.V. / J. Albert Ltd.
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $6,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $23,686,027
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $4,461,520
- May 6, 1984
- Gross worldwide
- $23,686,027
- Runtime
- 1h 33m(93 min)
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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