Some Kind of Wonderful

We've all seen this movie, yes? 1987 teen romantic comedy with Mary Stuart Masterson, Eric Stoltz, and Lea Thompson. (If not there are spoilers ahead.)

It's not very good but it has some moments. I came across it on TV when I was looking for something to flip to during commercials.

There is a great kiss where Watts (Masterson) convinces Keith (Stoltz) to kiss her under the guise of doing him a favor preparing him for his date with Amanda (Thompson). That scene is the highlight of this movie.

I also enjoy the scenes with Duncan, the thug who befriends Keith in detention.

Now as I was catching various scenes, I saw the girls' locker room scene. There is a sea of girls in their underwear with tomboy Watts on one end and great bod Amanda preening on the other. It's meant to show Watts self-consciously comparing her body to Amanda's, but it's shot with Watts staring at her. And no one notices.

Seeing it now it looked like Watts was checking her out, not in Masterson's shots but in her POV shots where it's just the camera tracing down Thompson's body. Then I thought, male gaze.

Did any of you ever have to take a shower after gym class? My parents did way back in the day. Our locker rooms had showers, but I don't know that they ever got used. Maybe by the basketball team? It certainly wasn't required or expected of us. There wouldn't have been time for it.

The movie is a weak love triangle, but how great would it have been if Amanda realized she was into girls? That could explain her standing around in her underwear for ages in the locker room hoping to draw some attention.

And finally, the diamond earrings. I thought Keith was an idiot for buying them when I first saw this movie when I was a teenager. Really?! You're going to spend every dime you've ever earned on earrings to give them to your crush on your first date? And then when she's kind enough to give them back, you give them to your best friend who you've only just realized is in love with you?

But aside from that, I get it, he doesn't want to go to college. Fine. But is he not going to need money to live on when he graduates? A car to drive?

I've watched enough Suze Orman to know she has the answer though. He doesn't feel worthy of keeping the money he has, so he gives it all away. And that's pretty sad.


Two years ago on TTaT: Blood Draw McGraw