The Hulu newest release Brats has Andrew McCarthy and the rest of the former teen actors of the ‘80s talk about how their time as “The Brat Pack” shaped their careers. As fans watch the new documentary, they’ll learn from these ‘80s actors some inside secrets of the movies they were in. McCarthy, who directed and starred in the Hulu documentary, shares that he wasn’t exactly loving his classic movie Pretty in Pink when it came out, and now realizes he was “wrong.”
One of Andrew McCarthy’s well-known roles was playing Blane in one of the best rom-coms of all time, Pretty in Pink. The rich preppy boy decides to date an outcast girl from his high school despite being from different social circles. At the time the John Hughes-written movie was filming, McCarthy admitted in an interview with People that he wasn’t really loving the story:
I didn't think it was that interesting. I didn't quite get the movie at the time. I thought, this is a movie about a girl wanting to go to a dance and make a dress, [and] if so who cares?
Pretty in Pink was told more from the perspective of a girl’s wants and needs, which may not come across to all guys watching the movie. Andy, played by iconic ‘80s actress Molly Ringwald, struggled in school because she was bullied for being different from others due to her style and lack of wealth. We see that she has a deep yearning for acceptance and wants to go to prom even though she didn’t have a boyfriend at the time.
Then, Blane comes into the picture, and her opportunity to go to her senior dance like everyone else comes true. Teen girls can relate to Andy’s struggles of acceptance and wanting to hit a high school milestone despite any obstacles.
As it's been almost 40 years since Pretty in Pink released in theaters, Andrew McCarthy looks back at the teen rom-com and reveals he now has a change of heart about the movie:
I was wrong. I finally got it years later, but at the time, I didn't think it was very interesting. It just sort of escaped me.
Andrew McCarthy went on to say that the best part about the movie was that audiences can still relate to the teen characters' emotions. Many of us have been through what Andy, her best friend Duckie, and Blane have been through at one point in our lives for wanting to be accepted as our true selves. It’s reasons like this why John Hughes will always matter in the cultural lexicon. He portrayed the authentic inner struggles of teenagers, whether it’s getting bullied, wanting someone who doesn’t want you or caring what others think of you. We can watch movies featuring “The Brat Pack” such as this one and still gain a deeper understanding of the characters.
Another thing that Andrew McCarthy revealed was that Pretty in Pink originally was written like a “fairytale.” It was almost going to have an ending similar to Some Kind of Wonderful where the main character ends up with her best friend instead of her rich crush. However, the preview audiences booed at the ending, as they wanted her with the guy whose romance was developing throughout the movie. It would seem very random to have the two best friends get together at the end just because things didn’t work out with Blane. I agree they went down the right path with that ending.
As fans dive into Andrew McCarthy's Brats documentary, he admitted that he didn’t understand Pretty in Pink during the time of filming with the plot about a girl wanting to go to the prom. But as he’s gotten a lot older since that time, he acknowledged that he was wrong about his initial feelings and gives the film credit for still being relatable for today’s audiences.
You can see what Andrew McCarthy’s talking about with Pretty in Pink being available to watch with your Paramount+ subscription. You can also see him featured in the Brats documentary with your Hulu subscription.
