Who are the Brat Pack? They're a specific group of young actors, many of whom remain household names today as adults, who starred in a variety of coming-of-age films in the 80s. They were often cast together, thanks to their great chemistry. New York Magazine's David Blum coined the name as a play on the Rat Pack, referencing their ages, careers, and partying ways. So who were in the Brat Pack? The "core" members are Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy.
But others who appeared in several coming-of-age movies in this decade and/or were known to hang around the crew are considered peripheral members, like Robert Downey Jr., Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Charlie Sheen, Matthew Broderick, and James Spader.
Regardless of who was in this exclusive Hollywood club of 80s teen idols, there are more than two dozen films in which several of them starred together. But how do they rank? Here are the 10 best films that starred at least one core Brat Packer, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
10 No Small Affair (1984) – 57%
One of only a few women in the Brat Pack, Demi Moore starred in more films in the 80s than one could count on two hands. In this film, which also starred Jon Cryer, a 16-year-old amateur photographer (Cryer) takes a photo of a woman (Moore) by accident. When he sees her in the photo once it's developed, it's love at first sight and he tries to track her down.
In an attempt to win over the woman, who he discovers is an aspiring singer, he begins an ad campaign to help support her career. The movie also marks the film debuts of Tim Robbins and Jennifer Tilly.
9 The Pick-up Artist (1987) – 57%
Molly Ringwald was the "it" girl of teen coming-of-age films of the 80s, and this was just one of many films in which she starred. In this romantic comedy, she starred alongside Robert Downey Jr. as a strong, independent woman who shocks a womanizing man by her indifference after they hook up.
Naturally, he falls for her and pursues a real relationship for the first time, but ironically it's when he finds the one woman who is too consumed with her own troubles to bother with a relationship.
8 Weird Science (1985) – 58%
In this movie, Anthony Michael Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith are Gary and Wallace, two geeky high school kids who, after being humiliated by some high school bullies (one of whom is played by Robert Downey Jr.) when they are caught gawking over their girlfriends, decide to try and build their own virtual woman.
The project in Weird Science starts out as nothing more than a distraction, but by some stroke of luck, it works, and the beautiful A.I. woman with magical powers emerges from their computer. Naturally, hilarity ensues.
7 One Crazy Summer (1986) – 59%
This romantic comedy technically only starred one core Brat Packer: Demi Moore. But it also includes another actor who was considered Brat Pack-adjacent: John Cusack. In it, Cusack is a high schooler named Hoops who, after failing to get into a prestigious school of design on a basketball scholarship, has to pen and illustrate a love story in order to gain admittance.
As he travels to an island with friends for the summer, hoping to find inspiration, he does in the form of a mysterious young singer. It was pure high school 80s cheesiness, but it makes the list as the 10th highest-ranked Brat Pack flick.
6 About Last Night (1986) – 61%
That same year, Moore also starred in this romantic comedy-drama with Rob Lowe, as yuppies from Chicago who enter into a real romantic relationship together for the first time. Based on the 1974 play Sexual Perversity in Chicago by David Mamet, a 2014 remake of the film starred Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, and Regina Hall.
It's an interesting story about free-spirited 20-somethings who finally decide to try and settle down instead of date around, a story to which young adults today can still totally relate.
5 The Outsiders (1983) – 63%
Starring several core Brat Packers, along with others who are honorary members, including Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Ralph Macchio, and Diane Lane, this coming-of-age drama is set in the 60s and follows the story of tough, low-income teens and their rivalry with the wealthier kids in town.
Things get ugly, and there's lots of violence in The Outsiders. But it's the movie that helped spark the Brat Pack moniker in the first place.
4 Pretty In Pink (1986) – 76%
One of the many films to star Molly Ringwald and Andrew McCarthy during the decade, this film, which also stars James Spader, has become a cult classic. Andie is an average high school girl with a quirky best friend who is secretly in love with her. And apparently so is the bullying rich kid who resents her because she once turned him down. Meanwhile, she has a crush on one of the preppy boys.
Naturally, the film ends with high school prom, as the kids finally express their true feelings for one another and Andie finds her true happiness amidst the love triangle.
3 Sixteen Candles (1984) – 85%
This time, the object of Sam's (Ringwald's) affections is a senior named Jake, but she is too shy to tell him how she really feels. Plus, he has a girlfriend. Meanwhile, the geeky freshman is, of course, secretly in love with her.
The story in this movie centers around Sam's sadness that her family is too busy and has seemingly forgotten her 16th birthday. In addition to Ringwald, Sixteen Candles also stars John Cusack and Anthony Michael Hall.
2 The Breakfast Club (1985) – 89%
Arguably the film that best defines the Brat Pack, this John Hughes flick includes most main members: Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy. Again, set in high school, The Breakfast Club is a teen coming-of-age comedy-drama that looks at a group of very different kids who are all stuck in detention together for different reasons.
Each kid is from a very different clique and would never otherwise hang out with one another. But in being forced into detention, they realize there's a lot to like about one another once they shed their preconceived notions.
1 War Games (1983) – 93%
Ally Sheedy is the only core Brat Packer to appear in this film, though it also stars Matthew Broderick, who some consider to be a member as well. This one is a sci-fi film that tells the story of a young hacker who accidentally accesses a U.S. supercomputer designed to predict possible outcomes of nuclear war. He makes it run, thinking it's only a simulation, but quickly realizes it's all very, very real.
Nominated for three Academy Awards and spawning a direct-to-video sequel in 2008, War Games remains the top-rated Brat Pack film of that decade.
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August 11, 2020 at 05:30AM
