User reviews

Some Kind Of Wonderful tanked at the box office when it came out, but the truth is this sleeper hit was actually good. And I will even go far saying that this reverse Pretty In Pink is better than Pretty In Pink itself. Why? Good, honest performaces. Hughes decides to leave his Brat Packers behind and went with great choices in Eric Stoltz (who could've gave John Cusack a run for his money in the Teen Angst movie department), Lea Thompson and Mary Stewart Masterson, who steals the show as Watts. Sure the story is run of the mill, but it is the acting that pulls it through. Another good thing is that Thompson's character of Amanda Jones doesn't come off as being a snooty brat (for use of a better word). She is from the same part of town like Keith and tries to fit in with the 'cool' clique. Another good supporting performance is Duncan, the headbanger who is a regular in detention. I love how they forge a friendship through their art. And who can forget how Duncan and the lifers help Keith make his date with Amanda a success? One other thing I like is the soundtrack. It doesn't sound commerical like in other Hughes films. The music really suits every scenes it shows up in (especially the end credits that feature Lick The Tins take on 'Can't Help Falling In Love'). Molly Ringwald reportedly turned down a role in this film, but it's good that she did because I couldn't picture her in this classic. Great film.

Mary stuart Masterson plays a girl who has a crush on Eric Stoltz who has been friends with her for a long time but she never has told her feelings. When Stoltz starts hanging around with the rich crowd and falls for the snobby beauty queen Lea Thomson Masterson fears she may lose him. A well scripted comedy romance drama slice of life that John Hughes does right every now and then. on a scale of one to ten..8

This movie makes my top 10 list. This movie tells the basic story "things aren't always as they seem." This movie shows just how hard it is to open up yourself an let someone know how much you care and also stresses how sometimes one can be blind and not see love in front of their eyes. This is simply a great movie.

The teenager Keith (Eric Stoltz) is a high-school student and mechanic that lives with his working class family. His father´s ambition is that Keith goes to college but it not his priority since he loves Arts. His best friend is the tomboy Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson) and the girl of his dreams is the popular Amanda (Lea Thompson). When she breaks up with his wealthy boyfriend Hardy Jenns (Craig Sheffer), Keith invites Amanda to date and she accepts to get even of Hardy. But the rich boy plans a scheme to humiliate the couple with his friends. Meanwhile Watts discovers her true feelings for Keith.

"Some Kind of Wonderful" is another gem from the wonderful 80´s. This feature presents a successful young generation of actors and actresses and it is highly nostalgic and entertaining to watch it again thirty and something years after its release. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Alguém Muito Especial" ("Someone Very Special")

It's refreshing to have a movie about teens in love that doesn't rely upon sex to gain the viewer's interest. I love this movie, have probably seen it a a few dozen times, especially in the original, unedited version (that wasn't shortened to fit into a two-hour TV time-slot). It's a classic story, but told from a timeless perspective---the movie first ran in 1987, yet there's extremely little in it that would make it seem "dated."

Mary Stuart Masterson is, as always, superb in her performance. While this is one of her early films, it shows her enormous ability and potential. She plays a playful, feisty, street-smart character that also has a sensitive, shy, and deeply loving side. Mary Stuart's kissing scene is one of the most wonderfully romantic and intense kissing scenes on film that I've seen, yet it has an innocent quality that makes it all the more special.

Eric Stoltz and Lea Thompson give excellent performances as well, with good acting and both are able to highlight dialogue with subtle nuances. However, I feel that Mary Stuart's character is the most interesting and emotionally sensitive, enough that she'll bring tears to your eyes. This is an excellent film. It came out at a time when there were a lot of teen movies (Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, etc.), but this is a story that never grows old and is a pleasure to watch again.

Director Howard Deutch and John Hughes reunited one year after their previous joint venture "Pretty In Pink" to make "Some Kind Of Wonderful", which is essentially the same movie as the Molly Ringwald vehicle. The only difference is that this time it's a boy who's torn between two girls, one of which is his best friend and the other being the popular high school queen. Although this is still a fairy tale in which characters act like they never would in real life, "Some Kind Of Wonderful" is the more successful of the two movies. The pacing is tighter, the characters are less sappy, the acting is far superior and most importantly, the ending is more satisfying (if not exactly believable). Besides, it's nice to see Lea Thompson and Eric Stoltz interact, since they had already both been cast in "Back To The Future" before Stoltz was thrown out for creative differences with director Robert Zemeckis. They're working real well as a couple in this movie. All in all "Some Kind Of Wonderful" is the bettered version of "Pretty In Pink".

I know it's not as well known, but this film came together so well that it can't be denied. A great mix of comedy and teen melodrama, this film perfectly combined all the best elements of a John Hughes film. By switching the sexes- Eric Stoltz as Molly Ringwald, and Mary Stuart Masterson as Jon Cryer- of "Pretty in Pink", the film delves deeper than "The Breakfast Club"- almost accidentally. The chemistry between Stolz and Masterson is powerful and real, something missing in almost all John Hughes films, and it pays off. This one has stayed with me since it came out, and I've watched it since and it holds up really well. Great supporting actors like John Ashton and Elias Koteaus provide fun comedy breaks, and little Candace Cameron as the little sister is terrific too- she went on to great TV fame. But the strength of the film is the fine acting. Stoltz has the harder more thankless role, and gives it a depth and charm that are a relief to see, and Masterson all but steals the movie. Together they are John Hughes best couple, even though he didn't direct this film.

Even though he didn't sit in the director's chair, "Some Kind of Wonderful" has John Hughes' fingerprints all over it. Which is a good thing. And while everyone says this is a carbon copy of "Pretty in Pink" (it is), it hits the target. This movie handles issues of class division and status pretty well. True love's been under Eric Stoltz's nose the entire time, he just had to get over his infatuation with the popular girl first. And we've all been there; we've all wanted someone who was beyond our reach (especially in high school). That empathy is key here. Age is really the only catch (these actors are too old to play teenagers), but it's also a cast that features John Ashton and Elias Koteas. That's a win in my book.

7/10

SPOILER: I seen this film when it first came out and I was 15 years old... it always stuck with me. I guess because the story was a lot like my own life and I could really relate to Mary Stuart Masterson's character SO much. I was best friends with a boy in my class, we were both into music, theater and art and did'nt fit in with the "popular-preppy" kids in school and really did'nt fit in with the "pot-head-troublemakers" either. We just did'nt fit in anywhere.. but we always had one another and hung out all the time. I was totally in love with him (still am to this very day, he will always be a part of my life and in my heart)... well, he just did'nt have a clue that I cared about him in that way and all I ever heard was how much he "loved" one of the cheerleaders. She never gave him the time of day and he still had this "thing" for her... Our story was'nt as happy though, he never found out how I felt for him.. I got married to someone else later on and so did he and we have since lost touch and I have been looking for him. Guess the first time I seen this movie, I liked it just because it was SUCH a good movie but a few years later seeing it, it really hit me in the face and to this day I always watch it whenever I get the chance and remember my friend...

A young tomboy, Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson), finds her feelings for her best friend, Keith (Eric Stoltz), run deeper than just friendship when he gets a date with the most popular girl in school. Unfortunately, the girl's old boyfriend, who is from the rich section of town, is unable to let go of her, and plans to get back at Keith.

When you ask people to list the John Hughes films, chances are they will get three or four almost immediately, maybe struggle with one or two, and then forget about a handful. This is definitely part of that handful. Despite some good casting (Lea Thompson!), this is nothing more than a second-rate Hughes film. No Molly Ringwald, and sort of a rehash of the friend-who-likes-a-friend theme he had already done.

Worth seeing? Of course. But this should not be on anyone's top five Hughes movie lists. (No doubt it is, but those people are wrong.)

An iconic teen romance film from the 80s. Maybe it's just because of the positive memories I have associated with this film, but I think it is very entertaining. It's the better version of "Pretty in Pink."

John Hughes was sort of the master at this kind of film, producing lots in quick succession around similar themes. This is perhaps my favourite of his work.

It's a simple story, beautifully told, with three good central performances. As with any Hughes film the music equally plays its part to good effect as well.

I know that 'Breakfast Club' is the best known of Hughes' 80's comedies, with 'Pretty in Pink' also having a strong following, but for me there are so many lovely moments within this film that it's stuck with me the more times I see it.

I can only recommend you take a look at it yourself.

My elder sister lent this on video to my girlfriend when she was off sick from work. Of course she made me sit through it one night and I was thinking, here we go, another girly pile of ....

I have to say I was quite surprised. I mean sure it was sentimental and had the obvious plot twist (I use that term loosely) but it was quite good. The film was on the whole well acted and the comic relief, much more prevalent than in other 80's flicks of the same nature, was quite fast paced and genuinely funny.

I wouldn't buy it but I did actually enjoy it and thats enough. It's not like I'm the intended target audience anyway...

This is one of those films which creeps up on you.

On the surface, it is a romantic cliche, but it is extremely well done. The main characters, especially Watts (a very young Mary Stuart Masterson), turn in superb performances, and lift this way above the ordinary.

Good comic-relief from the support cast - watch especially for the scenes with Keith's sister Laura, and the one between Watts and her admirer - which is a real hoot!

For sheer romantic escapism, this film is close enough to perfect. And can be seen over and over.

Enjoy.

I am of the generation that grew up with all the characters in the "vintage" John Hughes films, and sadly, shared more in common with Anthony Michael Hall's characters (especially Brian Johnson in The Breakfast Club)than I cared to admit at the time.

The main point of this post though is to react to something I came across through another link on IMDb.com - the coolest film characters of all time. This is a debate I have had many times when drunk with fellow film nuts and I can honestly say, hand on heart, that I do not think anyone has ever created a better character than that of Duncan, so wonderfully played by Elias Koteas.

The scene where he etches a carving into the desktop then proclaims to Keith "this is what my girlfriend would look like without skin" still kills me, even after nearly 20 years of knowing that line is coming.

Just wondered what you lot think? I think none so cool as Elias!!!!

As a twelve year old girl, I had a hard time finding role models. I lived on the outskirts of what was basically a country club neighborhood, but was not that kind of gal. So I found it wonderfully refreshing to find a role model in the pre-"Girl-Power" girl power of Watts. I fell in love along side her (and to this day, harbor a special place in my heart for Eric Stoltz), begged my parents to let me learn the drums, and knew every line by heart. She was tough, witty, and (according to my older brother) incredibly sexy. Eric Stoltz is dreamy in a working class kind of way and puts in a performance of true depth and character. This movie has heart without being sickly sweet. It delves into family relationships, friendships, and romance. Most notably, it tackles something that the current teen fair seems to lack, social consciousness. It's not afraid to break stereotypes or point out social injustice. Not to mention, it has one of the best soundtracks of the '80s. I give it an A++!!!

It's a great movie. Is it a 7? No, if I could put it in correct it would be 6.5. No more, the end is the best part of the movie. Last 10 min.