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Sixteen Candles

  • 1984
  • PG
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
133K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,738
146
Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, and Michael Schoeffling in Sixteen Candles (1984)
A girl's sweet sixteenth birthday becomes anything but special as she suffers from every embarrassment possible.
Play trailer2:49
1 Video
99+ Photos
FarceTeen ComedyTeen RomanceComedyRomance

A girl's "sweet" sixteenth birthday is anything but special: her family forgets about it, and she suffers from every embarrassment possible.A girl's "sweet" sixteenth birthday is anything but special: her family forgets about it, and she suffers from every embarrassment possible.A girl's "sweet" sixteenth birthday is anything but special: her family forgets about it, and she suffers from every embarrassment possible.

  • Director
    • John Hughes
  • Writer
    • John Hughes
  • Stars
    • Molly Ringwald
    • Anthony Michael Hall
    • Justin Henry
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    133K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,738
    146
    • Director
      • John Hughes
    • Writer
      • John Hughes
    • Stars
      • Molly Ringwald
      • Anthony Michael Hall
      • Justin Henry
    • 275User reviews
    • 107Critic reviews
    • 61Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Theatrical Trailer
    Trailer 2:49
    Theatrical Trailer

    Photos179

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    + 173
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    Top cast51

    Edit
    Molly Ringwald
    Molly Ringwald
    • Samantha
    Anthony Michael Hall
    Anthony Michael Hall
    • Geek
    Justin Henry
    Justin Henry
    • Mike Baker
    Michael Schoeffling
    Michael Schoeffling
    • Jake
    Haviland Morris
    Haviland Morris
    • Caroline
    Gedde Watanabe
    Gedde Watanabe
    • Long Duk Dong
    Paul Dooley
    Paul Dooley
    • Jim Baker
    Carlin Glynn
    Carlin Glynn
    • Brenda Baker
    Blanche Baker
    Blanche Baker
    • Ginny
    Edward Andrews
    Edward Andrews
    • Howard
    Billie Bird
    Billie Bird
    • Dorothy
    Carole Cook
    Carole Cook
    • Helen
    Max Showalter
    Max Showalter
    • Fred
    Liane Curtis
    Liane Curtis
    • Randy
    John Cusack
    John Cusack
    • Bryce
    Darren Harris
    • Cliff
    Debbie Pollack
    Debbie Pollack
    • Lumberjack
    • (as Deborah Pollack)
    Ross Berkson
    • Ray Gun Geek #1
    • Director
      • John Hughes
    • Writer
      • John Hughes
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews275

    7.0133K
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    Featured reviews

    7Meredith-7

    The eighties were great weren't they

    Films like Sixteen Candles personify what the eighties was all about. And if you were a child of the 80s, you will probably identify with this film a lot more than the now younger generation. The story is simple enough, but it works so well. Molly Ringwald is particularly likeable in this, and she is almost irreplaceable in her part. There are heaps of familiar faces, including small parts from many of the present day 'movie stars' ie John Cusack, Joan Cusack and Jami Gertz. It's kind of daggy though, and when you tell people you watched it their response is usually "Oh My God. That is so OLD." But that's what I like about it. If you want to watch a film that reflects the eighties, forget the nostalgia trips of The Wedding Singer and Romy and Michelle. Hire a true eighties product, such as Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, St Elmo's Fire.... The list goes on and on.
    7Smells_Like_Cheese

    It's carbon dated

    "Sixteen Candles" was a great movie from the land that was the 80's. All the girls from my work were talking about the 80's teen flicks and how much they loved them. I had never seen a Molly Ringwald film, after all I'm only 20. But the girls were still incredibly shocked when I told them, they told me that they will not respect my movie opinions until I saw all the teen flicks from the 80's. We're talking crazy here people: Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, Say Anything, Weird Science, etc.

    So far now I have seen the major Molly Ringwald films. Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, and Sixteen Candles. Sixteen Candles is a very cute film that came before the cliché 90's teen flicks. It's original and very funny. I think the reason why it's so popular, is because everyone can relate in some way to the characters. Molly, a shy ignored outcast, The Geek, well, he's a geek, the jock, he's expected to date and act a certain way. It goes on and on. I really enjoyed Sixteen Candles, well, I guess it's on the way to Say Anything! Wish me luck, y'all! :D

    7/10
    9Don-102

    "They F##king forgot my birthday!!!"...

    These are the immortal words spoken by SIXTEEN CANDLES heroine Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald) in the ultimate 80's teen comedy. This movie has become a classic to those born in the 70's, like myself, and I now consider it a "guilty pleasure". Its a movie we all grew up with. Didn't we all know a person like 'Farmer Ted', or a hot queenie like the blonde he hilariously gets. It was every young freshman's fantasy. This funny flick is also a relic of the 80's that is not all that dated.

    The jokes still work (as long as you see it uncut) and it is neat seeing things of the not so distant past be on display. Floppy disks, headgears, leotards, etc... Time has not been so good to the featured stars. Ringwald and Anthony-Michael Hall, who was born to play this role, and this one only, have all but disappeared. The biggest stars now are blips on the screen here: Joan (in a headgear) and John (a geek) Cusack. The film is like a toy you can't put away.

    Some situations are beat, but at least Paul Dooley adds an extra dimension to the father. Too many of John Hughes' teen-angst comedies of the era feature tissue-thin parental figures. This was the first and best of the so-called "brat pack" movies, and will always hold a place in 1980's filmmaking history. Girls learned never to lend their underwear to a geek and we all learned that high school is just a phase, easily forgotten as time goes on.
    LittleRascal-15

    an 80's classic!!!

    This John Hughes film is one of the best romantic teen comedies in history. Starring 2 of the Brat Packers, Molly Ringwald, playing the lovesick Samantha, and Anthony Michael Hall who plays "The Geek", he pratically stole the entire movie with his one-liners. His friends were the best, it's funny to see John Cusack as one of his geeky friends, and I just noticed Joan Cusack makes a small appearance in this as the girl with the neck brace on. That's funny. I recommend this classic to anyone who likes romantic teen comedies. Oh and whoever said that "Sixteen Candles" was perverted, all i have to say is WHAT? What is perverted about this movie, American Pie was perverted, this movie is a classic. There was ONE scene of nudity and it lasted about 3 seconds. I give "Sixteen Candles" 10 out of 10!!!!
    8ptb-8

    30 years ago...

    I am shocked to realise this hilarious film is now 30 years old! Films from 1964 seen in 1988 looked a zillion years apart.....how can a 1980s film like this one still be so new and play so fresh in 2014? ...Apart from it being funnier and truly inspired I really now appreciate more the legacy of John Hughes in his series of films that were released in that 5 year span 1984-89. Anthony Michael Hall is rightly celebrated and gorgeous Molly Ringwald deserves her fame in the teen hall of Stardom. Whatever happened to Michael Schoeffling (Jake)....anyone know? It seems incongruous that so many future stars got their start in this film yet he seemed to go nowhere. I am also very surprised it got a PG rating.......given the swearing and the nudity..but I guess in the spirit of it all it was a perfect pic for anyone 12 - 112. Very clever and very funny.

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    Related interests

    Leslie Nielsen, Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, and Lorna Patterson in Airplane! (1980)
    Farce
    Lacey Chabert, Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, and Amanda Seyfried in Mean Girls (2004)
    Teen Comedy
    John Cusack and Ione Skye in Say Anything (1989)
    Teen Romance
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Anthony Michael Hall and Molly Ringwald initially disliked each other, so John Hughes took them to a record store and they bonded after they found out they like the same music. One of the groups they liked was The Rave-Ups which Molly scribbled on Samantha's notebook.
    • Goofs
      When the family is leaving for the wedding, the grandparents all pile into the car, but it was not large enough to accommodate the group. Grandma Baker squats near the passenger door to create the impression that she is sitting in the car. However, when the car is backing out of the driveway, you briefly see her curved back remain stationary while the car moves away from her.
    • Quotes

      The Geek: [to Samantha] Can I borrow your underpants for 10 minutes?

    • Alternate versions
      VHS releases, cable TV broadcasts, and the initial DVD release change the majority of the soundtrack. The 2003 DVD and Blu-ray release restore the original theatrical soundtrack.
    • Connections
      Edited into Weird Science (1985)
    • Soundtracks
      Snowballed
      Written by Angus Young (uncredited), Malcolm Young (uncredited) and Brian Johnson (uncredited)

      Performed by AC/DC

      Courtesy of Leidseplein Presse B.V. / J. Albert Ltd.

      By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

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    FAQ21

    • How long is Sixteen Candles?Powered by Alexa
    • What was the paper "sex quiz" that Sam was filling out in her study hall?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 4, 1984 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Se busca novio
    • Filming locations
      • 1407 Waverly Road, Highland Park, Illinois, USA(Jake's house)
    • Production companies
      • Universal Pictures
      • Channel Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $23,686,027
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $4,461,520
      • May 6, 1984
    • Gross worldwide
      • $23,686,027
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 33m(93 min)
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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