What do athletes and prom queens have to do with geeks and stoners? The Breakfast Club suggests the answer is this: a lot more than you might think.
It’s Saturday, March 24, 1984 at
Shermer High School in Chicago. At a little before 7:00 a.m., five high school students arrive to serve a day of detention for crimes and misdemeanors committed at school. There’s pampered Claire ( the “princess”), star wrestler Andrew (the “athlete”), over-achiever Brian (the “brain”), oddball Allison (the “basket case”) and, finally, the classic rebel without a cause, John Bender (the “criminal”).
Teacher-in-charge, Richard Vernon struts in to sternly give them explicit instructions on how they are not to talk, or otherwise engage with each other. No seat changing, and absolutely “no funny business.” He tells them to write a 1000 word essay on “who they are”, then he leaves the room. (I always thought it was odd he never...
