Review of Heathers (1989) by Brett C — 12 Nov 2014

Review In A Nutshell:

Suicide has always had a link with adolescence, due to contributing factors like bullying, peer pressure, and self-esteem possess a large role in a young person's life. People say High School is one of the hardest roads of life, and for some that certainly is the case. During our lowest moments in High School, we feel emotions like anger and depression and through these, we feel the urge to react and maybe cause havoc to the people that made us feel these emotions. Heathers is a film that explores a young person's tendency to lean towards the id (impulsiveness) and showcasing the importance of the ego (rationality).

The film does speak bold and honest themes, which is the reason why Heathers stand out from the pack, but it is not a perfect package. I did have trouble during the early scenes, as it took its sweet time in rolling the plot forward; keeping busy with attempting to establish straightforward and stereotypical characters. Once the film did start to move, Heathers became a wild ride, accelerating with a dark and tasty adrenaline that stays with you even after the film ends. As the film draws closer to its closing, it takes up a different attitude; toning down the preceding adrenaline rush and instead pushing more heavily with its messages, letting the film sink in deeper into our minds.

I have an attraction for eccentric performances, particularly one with an evil streak; just take a look at the individuals included in my Strong Performances list and the roles they played that resonated with me; Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast, Tom Hardy in Bronson, Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl, and Malcolm McDowell in A Clockwork Orange. Now Christian Slater joins among their ranks, delivering a performance that is darkly unforgettable. Slater channels his inner Jack Nicholson when portraying J.D., creating a layer of charm and mystery to his outer surface, while internally shows a sense a subtlety towards conveying his emotional and psychological fragility. It may not seem that complex in execution, but one can find many layers behind his character; it just needs a heavier or deeper story to draw it all out. Winona Ryder also gave a strong performance, but was constantly overshadowed by Slater's showy and wild theatricality. She never stood out to me as a dark or badass person, especially since the role is calling out for it during a couple of early scenes, as he was always within Slater's presence. Well at least this was a more entertaining performance than the one she gave in Beetlejuice.

Heathers is a cult favourite by many, and one of them is my sister who has been urging me to give this film a go for months now. It's a bold and interesting High School, teenage angst flick that takes chances on its dark themes and un-apologising execution.