Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Sixteen Candles

  • 1984
  • PG
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
133K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,592
604
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
    1,592
    604
    • 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

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 173
    View Poster

    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
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    8smakawhat

    Now we're both on the pill!

    I had to write about this film after seeing the last 10 minutes of it on TV last night. I didn't miss much after all cause I had seen the film countless times when I was younger. Man I remember how much I enjoyed it. This has to be the most 80's character driven film about high school I have ever seen. It is just plain out stupid funny and heartwarming.

    While Breakfast Club tries to handle the seriousness of social peers, and Ferris Beuller just solidifies the ultimate 80's experience with some great performances and total hip coolness, Sixteen Candles is just a crazy fun romp through the perils of being a teenager.

    Ringwald is at her prime as the overburdened teenager, and Michael Hall is at his greatest as the ultimate schemer-geek. The party aftermath always cracks me up everytime I see it, plus so many more things.

    Also, there's a scene where the geek gets unloaded out of the trunk of a car, and i SWEAR it's not a human person but a dummy cause the guy does not move but stands like a broomstick.. It's just one of those bizarre movie qwerks I wish someone could explain to me. And who can forget those alligator shirts.... I laugh now at the way everyone and the bands look in these 80's movies.

    Alas it seems, Hall and Ringwald got stuck in stereotyped roles that they never seemed to shed or outgrew them as they became adults, which is to bad cause Ringwald, and particularly Hall's comedic sense of timing in this film is just amazing.

    Rating 8 out of 10.
    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
    7beeble_bee

    my opinion of it....

    movies in the 80's were really cool, nice story lines, very real people and cute guys too! 80's movies were so musical, full of dance and laughter, really good acting and good use of props. I wish movies were like the old classic movies, movies nowadays are somewhat a rip off, i'm not saying all but most movies made in this era are all computerized, there's so much plastic surgery happening, drastic diets, if you look back at the old movies, the ladies are really beautiful naturally, nice hair, and the spark in those eyes, men were romantic. I watched Sixteen Candles for the first time, and i enjoyed it. I liked Pretty in Pink better though. Sixteen candles is a really funny yet in a sweet romantic sort of way....the geeks and the Duck guy, hilarious! i enjoy watching classic movies, eg. dirty dancing, ghost, gremlin, pretty in pink, ghost busters.... I wouldn't recommend this movie to kids 14+, especially if you don't like watching classic movies. But to those out there who were teens in the 80s, this might bring back your high school memories. Truly hilarious, you can predict the ending, the geeks took the spotlight for me
    9TOMASBBloodhound

    A difficult kiss.

    The final shot of this film can in some ways mirror the difficulties of adolescence. We see Molly Ringwald finally getting to kiss the boy she's been after since the film's outset. However this kiss doesn't look like it would have been particularly easy for the actors to pull off. Both Ringwald and Shoeffling are sitting "Indian-style" on a tabletop facing one another. They both have to lean forward presumably using their wrists for leverage while their lips meet over the flaming candles on her birthday cake. A difficult kiss, indeed.

    Sixteen Candles is one of the best films John Hughes gave us in the 1980s. The young cast full of so many extraordinary talents gives us one memorable scene after another. Anthony Michael Hall is particularly effective as the leader of the nerdiest students on campus. Listen to his voice crack as he reads many of his lines, and try not to laugh. Good luck! The plot, as many of us know, centers around a young girl (Ringwald) whose parents forget about her sixteenth birthday in the midst of the chaos surrounding her older sister's wedding. At the same time she tries to win the affection of the most popular guy in school who happens to be dating the most beautiful girl in school. Ah, the trials and tribulations of high school.

    The film is well-paced, never drags, and has its characters pegged pretty well. The obnoxious grandparents are particularly well-drawn. Of course things are eventually resolved in a manner that could never possibly happen in real life, but that's why we go to the movies.

    I miss those destructive house parties!!! 9 of 10 stars.

    The Hound.
    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!!!!

    The Emmys Air on Sunday, Sep 14

    The Emmys Air on Sunday, Sep 14
    Discover the nominees, explore red carpet fashion, and cast your ballot!

    More like this

    Pretty in Pink
    6.7
    Pretty in Pink
    The Breakfast Club
    7.8
    The Breakfast Club
    Weird Science
    6.6
    Weird Science
    Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    7.8
    Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    Say Anything
    7.3
    Say Anything
    St. Elmo's Fire
    6.4
    St. Elmo's Fire
    Some Kind of Wonderful
    7.0
    Some Kind of Wonderful
    Fast Times at Ridgemont High
    7.1
    Fast Times at Ridgemont High
    Footloose
    6.6
    Footloose
    Uncle Buck
    7.1
    Uncle Buck
    National Lampoon's Vacation
    7.3
    National Lampoon's Vacation
    Can't Buy Me Love
    6.8
    Can't Buy Me Love

    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

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    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

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.