BRATS Movie Review | Brat Pack Documentary | Andrew McCarthy | Hulu

When we heard Andrew McCarthy had directed a documentary about the Brat Pack, we knew instantly that we had to review it. "Brats" is aimed squarely at us and our fellow Generation Xers, who grew up on "Sixteen Candles," "The Breakfast Club," "Pretty in Pink" and other movies of the era. McCarthy has long resented the Brat Pack moniker and felt it hurt his career; this film is his therapy session, as he tracks down the co-stars he hasn't seen in decades to work through what that label meant to them, too. Featuring Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Jon Cryer and many more. Streaming now on Hulu.
#brats #bratpack #andrewmccarthy
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[@lynnturman8157]

For the average teenage fan in the 22nd row in 1985, Brat Pack was never a derogatory term.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Right? That's how we feel too.

[@jimstevenson424]

Not sure how you can say that. The person who came up with the phrase absolutely trashed them in the article and treated them like brats, and it hurt their careers. I never saw it as a compliment. The author respected the Rat Pack generation of actors, not younger actors. If I actually read the article in my grandmother's magazine back then, I definitely would have thought it derogatory. The Xers who thought it was a term of endearment didn't read the article and were duped, because they heard it second hand in the news.

[@kensiblonde4203]

@@jimstevenson424as a gen-xer I never saw the term as really offensive. Primarily because I’d never heard of the Rat Pack at the time. It just seemed to be kind of a funny label a la Bratz dolls.

[@duanefeeg4481]

❤​@@jimstevenson424

[@davidlovescinema]

I'm not sure who to attribute this to but the best review of this documentary I saw on Letterboxd was "Andrew McCarthy should've given his therapist an executive producer credit." LOL 😂

[@BreakfastAllDay]

That’s funny!

[@UrbanMediaReview]

His therapist = Demi Moore.

[@classicmemories6050]

So, as a teenager in the 80’s I didn’t read the article but upon hearing the term Brat Pack, I instantly thought..oh how fun, they are just our version of the Rat Pack ( whom my grandfather adored:) and I thought it was almost a term of endearment. I loved that my generation had our own “leaders” lol. And because Hollywood is at best, fickle..it’s not surprising that one day a golden boy and the next..crickets. It is the nature of that business. But Andrew, Emilio, Molly and clearly Jud all had a real issue with it and it affected their careers or they let it. One will never really know for sure. But Demi put her finger on that ( of course her career took off) but it was Rob ( whom I always thought the most superficial one of the group) who understood it best..the audience they were aiming for, got it, we understood that it was “our time” to own the movie business and those films were for and about us and we LOVED them. This doc wasn’t perfect and I would have loved longer conversations with some of the actors ( and the standing with Emilio kinda said everything about their relationship) it was such a great deep dive into our culture and why we loved those films and why they still resonate with us today. Hello..still waiting for Jake Ryan to show up at the church, lol. Love my gen x ❤

[@UrbanMediaReview]

Did Emilio kick him out of his home ?? Like it wasn't awkward but very cringe.

[@AprilandRafa]

Just watched BRATS. Was very excited to see it, and ultimately disappointed. This documentary was more a therapy session for McCarthy who clearly blames one article on the fate of his life. While the majority of us now 50-something year olds wanted to be part of the Brat Pack back then, McCarthy clearly uses the moniker as an excuse for failures. The documentary was self-serving, awkward, and uncomfortable. It is obvious this is something he should have just let go of 30 years ago and didn't. He avoided his fellow Brat Pack members for over 30 years and now wants to speak in front of camera? Not surprised many said no, or never called him back.

[@thebox6225]

You nailed it.

[@Laine2539]

I agree. I’m listening to his book right now, and the guy was a hot mess in the 80’s. Even with a successful career, there was so much self loathing going on with him.

[@KrisBryant99]

He wasnt bitching about in the documentary. He was EXPRESSING how the Brat Pack label affected him and his career. Like think of it as HIS therapy session but for those who TRULY love him and his work. It's not about what YOU think but what HE'S doing for his TRUE fans.......

[@KrisBryant99]

@@Laine2539 he was really young at the time.

[@craigbarr2003]

I believe they asked Anthony Michael Hall if he wanted to participate and he said no. He thinks he's talked about that era enough.

[@user-bw6jt1cq6j]

He asked Judd and Molly too…they both either said no or avoided him, and those attempts were in the movie. So, if they did ask Anthony, it makes me wonder why they didn’t include the attempts at contact. They never really even mentioned him in the movie at all.

[@patrickthomas8890]

I’m not sure. He was a bit younger (only 16-17 at the time while the rest were mid-20s) so he was just outside that generation

[@bad71able]

That seems odd, I've heard him in several recent interviews and he seems perfectly comfortable talking about that era. I can't think of any movies that he and McCarthy actually worked on together, that might be relevant.

[@KrisBryant99]

​@@user-bw6jt1cq6jJudd and Molly are probably just sick of discussing the Brat Pack and are probably too embarrassed to discuss it.

[@leesagrrl]

I like what Demi said, but she sounded like she's been in therapy for 30 years about it all.

[@chrisolivo6591]

I was a teenager in the 80’s so John Hughes movies were a huge part of my childhood. I watched those movies on HBO and Cable a zillion times growing up. I was alittle disappointed in the documentary as i don’t think it answered Andrew’s question? Did the term ‘brat pack’ ruin their careers? The only new revelation was Emilio Estevez saying he didn’t want to work with Andrew in fear of being typecast as brats. The documentary was essentially Andrew asking all of them about the collateral damage to that article, and nobody had an answer. I think if he would have been able to find a high level person in the business who could prove they were passed over on roles in the late 80’s/early 90’s, then the documentary could have went somewhere. I never took the term ‘brat pack’ as anything negative. I always thought they had a short shelf-life in the business because they were doing teen movies. Molly Ringwald being typecast as the Prom Queen or Quirky Popular girl in those movies probably stalled her career more than ‘Brat Pack’ did. I’ll be honest, i never looked at Andrew McCarthy as a Brat Packer anyway because Molly, Judd, Ally, Anthony and Rob Lowe were bigger stars. In saying that, i still enjoyed documentary because those actors shaped my childhood. They are the movies that defined GenX and it’s great that the movies hold up to younger generations. I wish Molly Ringwald would have been in the documentary as she should just embrace that she is Claire from Breakfast Club, or Sixteen Candles or Pretty in Pink. I will never understand why actors run away from something that made them famous? It’s 40 years later, and we’re still talking about them. I think that’s pretty damn cool if you ask me? If the movies weren’t good, they would be an afterthought.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

So true, and that is the point Rob Lowe is trying to make as well. People still love these movies and look back on them fondly. Thanks for sharing all of your insights!

[@jeffmaehre7150]

Better movies you could've watched: Stranger than Paradise, dir. Jim Jarmusch Hoosiers River's Edge What's Eating Gilbert Grape Cinema Paradiso Heathers

[@gretaenglish3519]

I was SO looking forward to this as a Gen X'er who loved all those films, but I was disappointed for some of the reasons you mentioned. I just think AM could have done much more with this. It also felt like a glorified therapy session. I agree that his conversation with Emilio was awkward and it seemed like none of the others were as adversely affected by the term Brat Pack. In this business, it's better to get publicity and the term Brat Pack was endearing, as it hearkened to the original Rat Pack. Rob Lowe and Demi Moore didn't suffer at all in their careers, so it worked out for them.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Thanks for your thoughts, Greta! What's your favorite out of all those movies?

[@gretaenglish3519]

@@BreakfastAllDay My favorites are The Breakfast Club, St. Elmo's Fire and Some Kind of Wonderful (which was more Brat Pack adjacent LOL). I think that one might actually be my very favorite because I love Eric Stoltz and Mary Stuart Masterson in those roles. It also has the hilarious guys from detention.

[@cybil66]

@@gretaenglish3519some kind of wonderful was definitely my favorite

[@commandZee]

I loved being reminded of the hairstyles and giant blazers-Then I see John Hughes' fully hair salon styled mullet! YIKES!

[@BreakfastAllDay]

That was a sweet mullet.

[@SoulStylistJukeBox]

Woah! He’s interviewing the writer who penned the 1985 “Brat Pack” hit piece! Great moment! He’s not apologetic in the slightest! 😂

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Andrew McCarthy was never going to get the satisfaction he was looking for in that moment.

[@kordelia.in.Albany]

@@BreakfastAllDay But yet I think he found something else. I loved that he made this...and LOL Judd Nelson Breakfast Club at the end!!!

[@patrickthomas8890]

He came off as a bit of a jerk imo. The article was petty and mean spirited

[@Nelson_Swamp]

I was a 13-year-old Black boy in Baton Rouge in 1985 when "The Brat Pack" hit the public consciousness. Me and my friends saw and loved all the movies (multiple times), even though we weren't represented in any of them. I thought, even then, that "Brat Pack" was an INCREDIBLE piece of marketing. Those actors were hotter than fish grease and RAN '80s cinema. I'd never considered that it could be looked as a negative connotation. Kudos to Andrew for doing this.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Appreciate that perspective, Nelson!

[@joshufo9959]

As a millennial I've been so interested in the Brat Pack and everything around it. So I'll be checking this out as soon as I have time.

[@John_May.]

I saw Andrew in the movie Mannequin in the theatre. He had exactly the career he deserved.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

But nothing's gonna stop him now.

[@John_May.]

@@BreakfastAllDay I knew I shouldn't have brought it up.

[@dlamancha5697]

Well, Mannequin didn't hurt Kim Catrell any. She went on to Sex And The City.

[@sjg5994]

😂....I liked Mannequin

[@trientamakdismone]

Considering even with all of his personal issues, Robert Downey Jr. was the one who came up on top

[@cobrakaier238]

Demi had a very hard childhood too.

[@jonm.1030]

McCarthy himself sums it up when he says this process is a lesson in humility. He expects an apology in the end that will bring him closure only to find it’s he that needs to come to terms with it all. Like confronting a bully that doesn’t even remember who you are 35 years later. Good movie great review. 👍🏻

[@ronetteskiestante4064]

I totally agree !:)

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Thanks for watching and for your insights!

[@MelLovesMoviesAndBooks]

This was Andrew being sad when it could’ve been better. Like journalist Candice said this could’ve been about figuring out “was I famous or a good actor?”

[@MasonGrant0704]

Worth a watch for certain parts in the movie but these are rich people problems, and it came off as very whiney at times. Rob Lowe seemed like a cool guy and had a good mindset about it unlike most of the others.

As the guy who usually didn´t end up with the girl, I was totally "team Duckie", hehe. Maybe McCarthy took this all too seriously, but I liked this doc a lot. Ally Sheedy seems to be the one less "successful" (whatever that means) today, but I really liked her interview. Oh, I'm really glad this is just a relatively short film and not a redundant six hour series on Netflix or something.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Ha, good point. And that Ally Sheedy interview did feel like the most natural conversation.

[@kordelia.in.Albany]

Very touching when they shared the memory of driving & laughing in the car..

[@charmcshane3517]

Anthony Michael Hall!! COME ON !!! At least give us a reason. ANY reason🧐

[@STLmurphy20]

It gets real repetitive real fast. Ninety minutes of McCarthy groaning to anyone who will listen about a 40-year-old magazine article makes him sound like a whiny brat, ironically proving David Blum’s point. If McCarthy wants to use that article as a scapegoat for why he didn’t have a bigger career in Hollywood, he should revisit his filmography (starting with “Kansas,” “Fresh Horses” and “Only You.”) The “brat pack” moniker isn’t what hindered his career. Too many box office flops did. Others (like Tom Cruise, Sean Penn and Demi Moore) survived because their movies made money. Period. “Brats” is based on a weak premise to begin with, which makes the whole thing feel like an Andrew McCarthy vanity project.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

It does feel self-indulgent at times, but we were still into it. Thanks for watching!

[@STLmurphy20]

@@BreakfastAllDay thank YOU for doing what you do. I've been watching since your What The Flick days. This is my favorite channel and never miss any of your videos. Y'all are doing great work!

[@BreakfastAllDay]

@@STLmurphy20 We really appreciate that, thank you!

[@blackkcinamacritic]

As someone who is not generational connected to this i luv this doc. As soon as i saw it on Hulu last night i stared watching, and aftee that i thought of u 2 reviewing it 😅😊 now yall are here

[@BreakfastAllDay]

We wouldn't miss it!

[@jeanpepin6497]

I wish it was more of a documentary about the brat pack era. It was mostly mcarthy being morose about the experience. I loved Rob lowe interview.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Rob Lowe is really Rob Loweing here.

[@jonesy2892]

It was a good documentary. It was definitely missing Molly.😢 So, I never realized how negative an impact the whole Brat Pack moniker had on them. From an audience standpoint, it didn't seem like a bad thing at all, and we loved them regardless. I think McCarthy took it hard and let it control his career. The lesson learned here is that our attitude and focus will basically dictate most of what happens in our lives. Oh, and that journalist Blum was clearly just a jerk who wrote a miserable article with his own fame in mind. Blum was the real brat.

[@jujubees711]

For those who are saying that Andrew is using the article as an excuse for his failures... It sounds more like it was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Andrew thought Hollywood was seeing him the same way he saw himself through the article. He allowed it to control him and his destiny. Emilio felt the same way. They were so young. Whereas it didn't affect Demi and Rob Lowe. Demi went on to have a huge career. In reality the article was only one man's opinion. Personally, I thought the author was kind of jerk. He admits that the article was a bit scathing. But then tells Andrew he wouldn't change a thing. But then he also tells Andrew his feelings were hurt that the Times magazine guy who went on Donoghue apologizing for his profession about the article. Oh, boo hoo. He can dish it out but he can't take it. I think the writer liked the attention it brought him and didn't care how it affected these young actors. I also think the writer was very jealous of Rob and Andrew. At first, I didn't love the doc. I too thought more could have been done. I thought the beginning should have been reaching out to all of them, and then gathering them all together for a reunion. Would havve loved to hear stories about shooting scenes on the set. But towards the end when Andrew went to the author's house, I thought this is interesting. Andrew wasn't whining throughout the movie about the same thing. He was getting everyone's thoughts and perspectives on what happened before meeting with the author.

[@KrisBryant99]

I get the feeling they were ALL affected by it but it's just that Andrew is the loudest in terms of his feelings.

[@SoulStylistJukeBox]

There’a a great 1985 Youth Film titled Heaven Help Us (Catholic Boys here in the UK) set at a Bronx Catholic School during the early 60s. It was never a hit but it featured a great cast (Andrew McCarthy, Mary Stewart Masterson, Dana Barron, Kevin Dillon) and moved me far more than the celebrated Hughes stuff. Speaking of Hughes, was I the only one at the time who preferred Some Kind of Wonderful to Pretty In Pink?

[@nowhereman6496]

That is a great forgotten film. I remember seeing it first by just randomly coming across it at a local record store and then renting it out. Such a funny film. Patrick Dempsey(Can't Buy Me Love) is also in that film. Kevin Dillon is hilarious in that film. "Thank you god!"

[@peekaboots01]

I remember that movie. Andrew was a great actor. He would have been a legend had he not whined and created this documentary. He stood alone with his own talents. He didn't have to drag this whole brat pack thing up 30 years later. That article wasn't even about him. It was about Emilio.

[@billymac72]

I agree with the criticisms here about style etc and was certainly disappointed that certain people weren’t in it. But it is a fascinating look at this time and what exactly it was. Gladwell, in particular, makes some great points, and the meeting with Estevez is surprisingly awkward. For me, the era began with The Outsiders, which I saw about 6 times in the theatre. Red Dawn, featuring a number of the same cast, was a sort of sequel as I thought then. But really, it all goes back a year or two before to Taps and Fast Times (The Wild Life in ‘84 being a partial sequel to that). After ‘84, things seemed to start merging together, which I think gave rise to the whole Brat Pack thing, which seemed very yuppie and pop oriented, far removed by from where I felt it began (consider Estevez’ Outsiders persona Two-Bit versus the preppy creep he was in St Elmo, a horrible film, btw). The actors were grown up when that label came and kids like me no longer related.

[@ct6852]

Demi Moor came off really great in the doc. Andrew was definitely whiney, and a bit annoying, but I really appreciate the rawness and honesty in expressing himself. You can see the very real effect his childhood had on his outlook and anxiousness.

[@kifacorea]

A guy feeling haunted by and making a flashy doc 30 years later about a "terrible" word like, "brat" is what you find in a wiki entry on "white male privilege." And i'm a general fan of the 80s films. Even as a non white guy.

[@tomcarl8021]

Something tells me your obsessed with race.

[@KrisBryant99]

Context MATTERS a lot. Andrew was very young by the time the article came out. So of course he's going to be affected by it heavily.

[@MrBdiddypop]

Could Andrew McCarthy have had a better career if he wasn’t associated with the Brat Pack? I don’t think so. He admits to being a very socially anxious guy who struggled with alcohol. He had a few hits but also made some bad movies. But he wouldn’t have been mentioned at the end of “Waiting for Guffman” when Christopher Guest is selling dolls of Andrew McCarthy, Brat Packer! (That reference is for the real film buffs)

[@BreakfastAllDay]

We're just here for the My Dinner With Andre action figures.

[@MrBdiddypop]

@@BreakfastAllDay aw, you guys are the real deal!!!!

[@user-bw6jt1cq6j]

Watched it last night. I felt Demi had the wisest perspective on the era for the group. Do wish Molly and Judd would have participated. And, like you guys, that they at least mentioned Anthony Michael Hall.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Demi has had a journey!

[@BlackDew747]

Thank you so much for this review. These movies, this point in time specifically brought together a global generation. I grew up in Costa Rica and now I live in the US, but I can connect with anyone my age thru these movies, these memories, the music, the fashion and all related to the 80’s that it feels like we live in the same neighborhood or attended the same high school.

[@joits]

I grew up in Africa in the 80s and I absolutely loved the Brat Pack movies and the actors in them but I didn't hear about any of the off camera stuff. I thought the name "Brat Pack" was the coolest thing. I was totally unaware of any negativity surrounding that term until I listened to a podcast on the Rewatchables and a few years ago and that's when I learned that there was an article that coined the term.

[@Mnpctech_Giveaway_PC_Mods]

“Andrew’s Whiny Road Trip to Redemption” is a Hack Job. iPhone audio was shit with Ally Sheedy. Retro video and filmstrip F/X hilariously bad. The ending reeked of “anyone have idea of how to end this? Obvious budget was spent on Hughes clips & music over Production…. btw: No mention of Michael Anthony Hall today?!…… Watch “Still” doc about Michael J Fox to cleanse memory of this.

[@dlytton]

Love he dug up the old Donahue episode with the Brat Pack on a panel with journalist specifically criticizing the original Brat Pack New Yorker article. Side node for Elderly GenX: many old episodes of Donahue are on KZbin.

[@jasoncarrick5461]

While Rob Lowe was the most successful, McCarthy did make Mannequin.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Nothing's gonna stop him now.

[@thomassoloma8915]

Demi Moore is THE most successful - acting career and $$

[@KrisBryant99]

James Spader

[@trevorevansyoung]

Christy, Can that final "uh!" Be my new Cell Phone ring 😂

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Ha, we probably both need to pay Judd Nelson royalties for that.

[@Wilson.katie815]

I went and read the article and what’s funny is McCarthy is only mentioned once towards the end of the article. I don’t think it was this article and him being lumped in to the Brat Pack that kept his career from thriving. I think it was his acting. 😂 if anything, he was the most one dimensional actor of that group. And like Christy said, even as a director doing a documentary, his choice of style and camera angles are poor choices too. But as a young kid who saw those mid-80s movies at the theaters, I enjoyed the 80s clips and the stories from them.

[@azrielsmith3167]

Agreed...he would just stare with big eyes and deliver one liners...he was just put in the films for his look

[@MothGirl007]

Totally agree. I hated the ending of Pretty In Pink because I couldn't understand why Andie would have preferred him to Duckie.

[@UrbanMediaReview]

Being 31 years old and blk ... I only seen Breakfast club and loved it. I can't name 2 Andrew movies. I loved the mighty ducks. Loved GI Jane and dirty dancing. Judd Nelson has like 3 movies I can't remember that were solid.

[@orion6372]

One sentence, yeah, but narcissists only know how to make it all about themselves

[@peekaboots01]

​@@azrielsmith3167that's all Molly did too. They were playing teens. All Molly did was give a wide-eyed open mouth showing her teeth look.

[@nocarbonfootprint9120]

I think Andrew's career may have been saved if he had lost Andi at the end of Pretty in Pink (I believe there was an alternate ending with Duckie getting the girl). He would have earned sympathy points and maybe been able to display some of the acting gravitas he apparently has (or thinks he has).

[@351528]

One thing that annoyed me about the film is that they kept referring to the Brat Pack era as "30 years ago." It wasn't. It was the mid 80s, making it 40 years ago.

[@SkolneyVikings]

Interesting subject, but I wish McCarthy wasn't the director. I got tired of his narcissistic whining real fast.

[@orion6372]

Exactly. Every sentence was peppered with “I/me” and the fact that he can’t face any of the valid criticisms of the article to this day was telling.

[@jmason61]

Jami Gertz..! I remember Less Than Zero being very savvy for us young (wanna be) hipster types because it rang true. Gonna check it out rewatch soon

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Less Than Zero did seem very grown up!

[@MrLando0]

Really liked this doc, was bummed he didn’t get ahold of Judd or Molly. What happened to Andrew McCarthy career wise? Wish he had done more movies.

[@EZ-IZZY1995]

The 80s were my dads generation and I was always curious growing up what the zeitgeist and culture was back then, so I checked this out. I thought it would be fun interviews with people reminiscing about their roles. Instead McCarthy comes off as a guy who "wouldve gone pro if he hadnt hurt his knee", and now wears his highschool letterman jacket everywhere. It just seemed kind of sad, and the feeling I got from everyone he interviewed was "jeez man its been 40 years.. get some therapy and move on..." The fact that he was able to have roles that people remember him for to the point that he was lucky enough to be in a group called "The brat packs speaks to how blessed he truly was and is.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

That is a very funny observation!

[@antony_post]

As someone born this century who has only seen Breakfast Club (because of Pitch Perfect), I found this doc really interesting! How it explores young stardom, and the power of perspective is universal. It’s fascinating to think all the YA movies I grew up on (Harry Potter, Hunger Games) wouldn’t exist without this era. Great review as always!

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Hi Antony, we miss seeing you! Thanks for your insights.

[@patriciaarodriguez6641]

Having been a young teen at that time, I loved this documentary! I also got his memoir, Brat, as soon as it came out a few years ago though I only read parts of it. All that old footage was great and the ending, awesome.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

The ending was laugh out loud funny. Glad you enjoyed!

[@thebrentrobinsonshow2882]

I'm about to watch this on Hulu tonight. Great review.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Hope you enjoy it! Thanks, Brent.

[@stormiewoods1490]

I was born in late July of 84 so I missed the Brat Pack craze. I watched Molly Ringwald as a little girl and loved her. Its a shame if the moniker hurt their careers but most have seemed to make a good living for decades after.

[@dreambrother82]

This could’ve been 10x worse, and it still would’ve spoken to my soul. 🫠 This era, these people, these films 🥺😍

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Right? So fun (and sometimes awkward) watching them all reconnect.

[@azrielsmith3167]

1. I feel like James Spader could have been included as he was in a lot of the films... 2. How incredibly fragile do you have to be to obsess over the "brat pack" label all of this time; it's actually a bit scary. Like it's totally nothing and without it, there would not be an effective way to describe or remember this group of actors or their work so if anything it helped preserve what they did.

[@orpheus9037]

Just saw it: McCarthy is charming - as always, though I'm not truly sure what the stakes are in this movie. Undoubtedly those with true Brat Packer status will have the term appear in their obituary, but some of the actors involved truly outgrew or transcended it, such as Demi Moore and Rob Lowe, while others, like Molly Ringwald and Andrew McCarthy, didn't. Heavy lies the Crown. (In this respect, Ringwald would have been the most iconic figure in this film for McCarthy to talk to, so it's particularly unfortunate she was unwilling to participate.) Save for the films they made in the early eighties, for which they're best known, none of the brat packers had extraordinary careers, a number of which have all but flamed out. And this should be the generation of iconic actors that would be taking over in Hollywood now, but it isn't.

[@ryanwitt6861]

I watched this yesterday and loved it. So fascinating. Andrew seemed so... thoughtfully grumpy in an entertaining way about this time in his life. I could have watched three or four hours of this. He did get a little precious with his camera techniques. But I loved all of it. I'm not quite old enough to know this era, I was born in 1980, but I find it interesting.

[@jja8750]

Agree with all you said. I'm even born in 1980, as well. Lol

[@angelarasmussen1800]

Thank you for bringing up the erasure of Anthony Michael Hall. I was ranting about it to my sister after we watched the documentary because AMH would definitely come to mind if you are going to bring up Breakfast Club, John Hughes, or that genre of film in the 80s. i feel vindicated.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Right? It's just weird.

[@WaitingtoHit]

You never know when or where Malcolm Gladwell will pop up.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

He's so multipurpose!

[@teddykgb9971]

I was hoping he'd disappear after his extremely dopey opinions about working from home.

[@WaitingtoHit]

@@teddykgb9971 I don't think he's wrong about that. This phenomenon is currently wrecking the college where I work. I am ashamed of the "education" many of our students are receiving. There is now a study showing that one's brain is less active and engaged during Zoom meetings and the like than during in-person meetings (but I began observing that over four years ago). In addition, there are multiple studies indicating one will comprehend and recall less of what s/he reads from screens (as so many of our online students do now) than from printed text because the brain is trained to scan screens and has difficulty entering what researchers call "deep-reading mode." Professor and student apathy is rampant, and the tutors, who are quitting at an alarming rate, have been left to pick up the pieces. So much of our society is now phoning it in, so to speak, and when you show up physically, you are more likely to show up mentally. I say this as a 44-year-old liberal who is staunchly opposed to authoritarian bosses. I hate living in a place and time when there are seemingly fewer people than ever who give a shit and work with some sense of purpose. I got into my particular line of work because it was my calling, and it disgusts me to see incompetence, laziness, and detachment becoming the rule.

[@kendallandrews8691]

He's a Sandusky truther. No support for him

[@SoulStylistJukeBox]

St Elmo’s Fire is the one that has aged the worst. Rewatching it recently made me realise how truly toxic those characters were. Yuppie Scum. Reagan Youth.

[@MasonGrant0704]

Pretty good movie and these are mostly spoiled rich kids that went to Georgetown. I never felt like the movie was trying to make them likeable.

[@tommyriam8320]

It was repulsive when it came out.

[@looselipssinkships2323]

Being an urban raised 31 year old , its not talked about among our culture.

[@bryantsfx10]

I loved it, St. Elmo's and Breakfast Club were 2 of my favorite movies in high school I wish Molly would have been interviewed though she still works a good bit today she was just in Feud this year and was on Riverdale

[@BreakfastAllDay]

We recapped Feud on our Patreon! Wish she'd had a bigger role in it.

[@jfoster1515]

"The Brat Pack" is a term of endearment... In my opinion, it would be a honor to have been considered a "Brat Packer"... I'm not, nor have I ever been completely sure that Andrew McCarthy was indeed a member of this group... Perhaps by proxy he can make a claim, but I do think he's not a Bonafide member... If the phrase "Brat Pack" was never used, Andrew would have to be looking for another avenue of popularity... The 30-plus years of distance between these young actors blows me away...

[@KrisBryant99]

Um you DO realize most of the actors didn't get the prestige acting status they wanted right?

[@jfoster1515]

@@KrisBryant99 They got paid and never once complained about the money or their star-status... Everyone isn't Gregory Peck...

[@hollyvines3273]

Great review! My thoughts exactly 👍

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Thanks Holly! What's your favorite movie from this era?

[@jasonraschen1109]

Watched it over the weekend and loved it. Normally I complain that a film is too long. However, I think this could have been 30-60 minutes longer. Like you stated, no mention of Anthony Michael Hall or Mare Winningham. Including Lea Thompson and Jon Cryer was cool but I also would have liked to hear some other contemporaries like Michael J. Fox, Robert Downey Jr, or Matthew Broderick.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

That would have been great! RDJ definitely has had the most meteoric career of all of them.

[@blachubear]

Well Michael J. Fox (who was hotter than the rest of Brat Pack) already had his documentary on Apple TV plus he already said enough & sadly he's probably not in good health these days. Charlie Sheen & Tom Cruise was in that age group as well. Kind of surprise Anthony Michael Hall didn't want to be a part of it but not surprise Molly Ringwald turned it down.

[@collinschoenfelder677]

I'm 25 years old and I love most 80s films, so this documentary was right up my ally

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Very cool, what’s your favorite movie from that era?

[@collinschoenfelder677]

@@BreakfastAllDay breakfast Club and 16 candles

[@bluewheels3980]

I have his autobiography in my collection because it was at a deep discount, but I haven't read it yet. Would it be advisable for me to read it before watching this documentary?

[@m4ttyp4nts]

no, just keep the book handy in case you need to prop up a short leg on a table.

[@Momonoski]

I loved this Doc!

[@crithon]

.... I can't wait till this is done with SCREAM 1 cast!!!

[@patrickthomas8890]

I re-read the article and what was interesting was that McCarthy is only briefly mentioned once…and it was second hand. Also, not one single actress was included. The Brat Pack itself consisted of the guys on the cover, Tom Cruise, Nic Cage, Sean Penn, Matthew Broderick/Modine/Dillon. Not a grouping it seems anybody to actually use. It was nasty too. Very mean spirited.

[@tianly6177]

Personally, the only members that I thought were great actors....were Downey Jr, Spade, Penn & Hutton. All the others in my eyes were mostly eye candy...Again, just my observation.😁😁😁

[@tom_reagan]

Personally, as a Gen-X, I loved the movie and I was just happy to see them all now and also found most of it really interesting. And I thought McCarthy was the perfect one to direct it, since everyone he interviewed has had a more successful career than him, for the most part. Imagine if Rob Lowe (who’s arguably had the most success in the group) made this and interviewed people how the “Brat Pack” monicker screwed up their career. That wouldn’t have gone over well.

[@richardbraley1424]

McCarthy should have at least nailed down Molly Ringwald for the documentary at least.She was easily the most popular of all of them in the 80s.

[@MrOctober44]

It's interesting at times, but for the most part it's like Andrew, someone wrote an article that had very little to do with him almost 40 years ago and was called a Brat. Get over it.

[@chriswest7095]

Elmo’s dreadful soundtrack was above and beyond that dreck

[@mikekaraoke]

Dreadful in our opinion!

[@Flashbagfolly]

I don't think we're in the 80s anymore Toto.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Some of us never left :)

[@epbrown01]

Bad news, little tree - no matter how big you grow, your roots stay in the same place.

[@jeffmaehre7150]

I was in a group of actors that made movies that were fortunate enough to live on to be seen by generations. I'm also butthurt about the name of the group and about one article. Should I make a documentary interviewing my co-stars and getting a lot of great insider information? Nah, I'll just be butthurt on film for 90 minutes.

[@ghostwolf1435]

This is from my era I seriously can’t wait to see it

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Yes! Let us know what you think.

[@ghostwolf1435]

@@BreakfastAllDay Absolutely 💯

[@vuho2075]

Somebody, tell me how many movie roles did you lose because of the Brat Pack label? Really?

[@johnathanstruble1064]

Loved it.

[@Generalbas1972]

Did i miss something (i haven't seen the documentary yet) but why is Anthony Michael Hall not in it? Not to long ago he did a panel with the casts members of The Breakfast Club minus Emilio who was shooting a film, but they actually talked about the documentary - You guys know why AMH wasn't in it?

[@BreakfastAllDay]

That's what we're wondering too!

[@MrOctober44]

What he needs to realize that if you're going to have a long lasting career you need to either be very good looking, have great acting chops, or have a lot of charisma. Andrew has none of those

[@BottleConcreteBlond]

For years I HATED Judd Nelson, but I came to the realization it had nothing to do with him and more to do with the fact that there was a guy I knew who decided to base his personality on the character in Breakfast Clut.

[@DumpzterfireGaming]

Reading the youtube comments I feel most people commenting on this movie just enjoyed it because it evokes memories of the 80s for them, even if those memories have nothing to do with The Breakfast club or it's other related movies. Even for me I'm going.. Oh yeah, the 80's, that was great, there was vhs and things.. And I was only a young kid in the 80s. Why is it people relate the brat pack to themselves so much? None of us were movies stars.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

That's definitely part of it. That's why we do our Was It Great or Were You 8 series, in hopes of cutting through the nostalgia.

[@jeffmaehre7150]

People always love the time in life before they have to pay bills.

[@petervanherp7871]

I don't know if want to see the documentary. I do want to read the book though.

[@childeroland2569]

McCarthy is enormously likeable. That adds a lot to this film.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Do you think so? He comes off as needy so often -- although that vulnerability is compelling, too.

[@lynnturman8157]

I always thought he was an amazingly gifted actor. His generation's version of Montgomery Clift in terms of acting style. Too bad he quit acting.

[@4supernatural]

Yeah, I grew up in the era. I enjoyed much of the John Huges films however it’s still a click then and in this documentary…I am actually suprise Andrew McCarthy doesn’t have anything else’s better to do with his life. He didn’t care then!! Decided to review his past, and HULU when he was a supporting actor to Molly, John & Anthony ~ reality bites!!

[@kylerayner2922]

That was an hour and a half I won't get back.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

Oh no, what didn't you like about it?

[@kylerayner2922]

@@BreakfastAllDay It was a nothing burger documentary. It could have easily been about something but alas there is no there there.

[@ndnd2023]

The brat pack actually used to go looking for gum stuck to the bottom of bus seats and then force each other to chew it with their butts l.

[@peekaboots01]

Emilio is still handsome.

[@mthomas1091]

Someone should check on Jules.

[@user-xw4xt8wr7d]

Completely ridiculous documentary and a total waste of time. No one in the world cared about this issue except an overly sensitive McCarthy. It's like he ran out of $ and decided to slap this together. So cringey!

[@peekaboots01]

I think he did the project for money too. He shouldn't have listened to his wife. I like Andrew as an actor and I remembered him with respect. No longer.

[@dlamancha5697]

Honestly, I was disappointed in this documentary. Like so many have said, it was as if Andrew McCarthy needed a major therapy session. Actors are supposed to roll with the ups and downs, especially in a career like acting. Not everyone is going to like everything they do. A role might be something a whole generation might talk about, the next one might be crap, and something just to pay a bill. On to the next job. That's life. Also, a lot of the documentary was heavy-handed. Several times McCarthy whined about how the brat packers couldn't act in other projects together, but BOTH Molly Ringwald and Rob Lowe worked damned hard to shed their "brat pack" images and mentalities to do Stephen King's original miniseries "The Stand." It cemented them as very good actors. They went on to other projects. As did many of the actors interviewed. Where was Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall in this doc, btw? What I want to know is would McCarthy make such a documentary if John Hughes was still alive? I've got doubts about that.

[@BobSullivanAKABuffy]

I'm only 20 mins in watching it and the constant camera angle changing is absolutely NUTS! Try to pass it off as a little scruffy dog of a documentary pulled together on a whim with that kind of coverage. I'm in the same general age range as many of them. I always just looked at the name as a cute spin on Brat Pack. Wouldn't have thought it so triggering. It's not far off from 'nepo baby' which is probably why the original article was about Emilio. Andrew was never a favorite actor or character, always playing and coming off as a bit of a blowhard. I get those same vibes in the first 20 mins.

[@BreakfastAllDay]

It’s distracting, right.

[@BobSullivanAKABuffy]

@@BreakfastAllDay laughably so! Imagine it as a drinking game. A shot every time a new camera angle happens. 😵

[@tedingalls9760]

Without Molly ringwald, what was the point? Missed the mark without her.

[@Wjackson63]

Is it just me or does he kinda remind you of Seth Rogen?

[@GiovannaAguilar]

Glad well Isa brilliant sociologist intellectual.

[@PriscilaTV1]

"Hall is apolitical, although during a 2020 interview on KZbin, he described Republican president Donald Trump as "great" and further stated "I think what he's done for the country is incredible" maybe that si why nobody wants to really talk to AMH

[@randychase305]

Anyone who says "this/that is/was problematic" unironically is a pretentious cunned stunt.

[@WinthropWarriors]

Loved, loved, loved Ally Sheedy in Wargames. She always had such a great smile. Whenever I see her now, she's always dressed so frumpy and wearing ugly glasses. She needs a new stylist or something. It's kinda like she's not even trying anymore. I hope that doesn't sound mean -- I'm not trying to be....

[@ErinT80]

Is it just me or did they all seem touchy about that era? Kinda odd to watch.

[@stephenr3910]

If everyone else made it and Andrew didn't, he might want to look in the mirror.

[@crithon]

stylistic choicse.... this is a lot like the movie SPAWN, where you have effects guys from Jurassic Park and Terminator 2, and they are just slapping together filters all over the place. It's amazing how amateur people get when they get to play with NEW TOY. Maybe Andrew McCarthy is as as imature as that that he doesn't understand the CRAFT!

[@MaryLopez-em3rc]

Andrew McCarthy sure seems bitter he wasn’t as popular as Rob Lowe and Ally Sheedy seems bitter she wasn’t as popular as Demi Moore and Emilio Estevez seems bitter he wasn’t as popular as his bro Charlie Sheen. I looked at the Rat pack as the cool older entertainers and the Brat Pack as the cool younger ones. I never looked at Brat Pack moniker as being negative, quite the contrary.

[@stephennootens916]

I have to admit I saw some of like John Hughes movies as kid like weird science, breakfast club and I think Sixteen Candles than I reached about eighth grade and realized how stupid they were and the older the more childish those films were. Admittedly this might have to due that were where not upper middle class as well as just the other kids I knew in high school.

[@MasonGrant0704]

Most of the kids in The Breakfast Club were not upper middle class and Hughes was a talented writer/director that did plenty of different genres.

[@stephennootens916]

@@MasonGrant0704 that is how most of them felt to me watching the movie. Personally I found the teenagers in the classic but sadly out of print Richard Bachman novel Rage more realistic than those in the breakfast club.

[@MasonGrant0704]

@@stephennootens916 The novel that wants us to feel bad for a school shooter? LOL most people would disagree with you.

[@SoulStylistJukeBox]

Not to be a Party Pooper but Alan Parker’s 1980 film, Fame, was a far more honest and relatable Youth Film than anything John Hughes created.

[@MasonGrant0704]

For who exactly? most teens aren't living in NYC and going to some fancy school for music, dancing and acting.

[@frankjamesbonarrigo7162]

They were famous, articles are going to be written, all this anguish over a catch phrase? I guess you take risks being famous, things are out of your control a bit