Some Kind of Wonderful (1987) * * *

 

Directed by:  Howard Deutch

Starring:  Eric Stoltz, Lea Thompson, Mary Stuart Masterson, John Ashton, Craig Sheffer, Molly Hagan, Elias Koteas, Candace Cameron, Maddie Corman

John Hughes scored another intelligent teen comedy with Some Kind of Wonderful (granted the teens are played by adults in their mid-20's in this movie), but while the story is not new, it's told in a fresh, touching way with smart, engaging performances by all three leads. 

In Some Kind of Wonderful, working-class high schooler Keith (Stoltz) pines for Amanda Jones (Thompson), who isn't rich, but runs with the popular crowd.  Keith's best friend is Watts (Masterson), who is in love with Keith.  The only thing she hasn't done to make this obvious is to wear an "I'm In Love with You, Keith" t-shirt.  Watts, who is otherwise well-spoken and smart, doesn't tell Keith how she feels and gnashes her teeth as Keith asks Amanda out after she breaks up with her jerk boyfriend Hardy (Sheffer).  

Keith works at a local gas station and his father Cliff (Ashton) rides him relentlessly about going to college even though Keith would rather attend art school.  Keith and Amanda eventually go on a date after some tense days leading up to it, mostly because Amanda's friends abandon her for agreeing to go out with someone beneath their stature.  Watts, perhaps masochistically, agrees to drive Keith and Amanda around in a limo for their date, where Keith and Amanda's tension increases further while Watts sits and stews in her jealousy. 

There are no points for guessing who Keith winds up with in the end, but we expect that.  Some Kind of Wonderful takes an old romantic tale and makes it not only involving, but one in which the characters challenge their own views on happiness and whether they could achieve it without having a ton of friends and sticking by long-forgotten principles.  In high school, when everything is in black and white, these people can say they can stand by their ethics and know who they are and what they want.  Check back in ten years and see how they feel then.