[Joe 6-pack]

I'm an early Gen-Xer and was 16 when "Breakfast Club," came out, so it was basically targeted at people my age. Say what you will about Hughes and his films, but with regard to that movie in particular:

-As each of the characters were introduced in the film, the vast majority of us were thinking, "That reminds me exactly of... (name of kid in our high school)"

-As the story unfolded, virtually every high school age kid who saw the movie saw something of themselves in one or more of the characters."

-Some, by no means all, of the kids who saw that film grew at least a little appreciation for others they normally wouldn't associate with in school.

The thing about "Breakfast Club" is that it points out that our teen years are a pivotal time, probably the first part of our lives when we have something resembling a "backstory," and while that backstory may put us on a path that can determine the trajectory our lives are going to take, we are still young enough that it doesn't necessarily have to be that way.

[Army Air Corps]

Fellow GenXer. You nailed it.

[mund1011]

The thing about “Breakfast Club” is that it points out that our teen years are a pivotal time...

++++++

I’m 61 and watched Breakfast Club for the first time just this past year. Pretty much everything you said in your post is spot on. I thought it was a good movie and quite funny. Also wished Molly was in my high school.

[Myrddin]

Breakfast Club centered on kids sent to detention as punishment. I had many friends in school who were sent. I never was "sent", but I did accompany a friend in an afternoon detention to see what it was like. Nothing special. A quiet room to sit and do homework. It would have annoyed me to be sent because I usually finished the "homework" assignments before the class session ended. It was interesting for perspective.

[Vermont Lt]

“ The thing about “Breakfast Club” is that it points out that our teen years are a pivotal time, probably the first part of our lives when we have something resembling a “backstory,” and while that backstory may put us on a path that can determine the trajectory our lives are going to take, we are still young enough that it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way.”
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This is how boomers felt about “The Big Chill.”