Review of Sixteen Candles (1984) by Matthew Samuel M — 10 Dec 2013

Since this is John Hughes' directorial debut, it's understandable Sixteen Candles is far below the caliber of such brilliant and powerful classics as Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club. But not even that expectation can justify the disappointment Sixteen Candles is.

Characters are not as well developed as they usually are in Hughes' best films, and some parts come off as simply ignorant---even mildly racist in relation to a Chinese exchange student. All that aside, however, the film paves the way for Molly Ringwald's later success, and partially signifies her ability to captivate an audience and properly embody the truths of teenage angst.

Sixteen Candles is only watchable when Ringwald is on screen. It is unfortunately brimming with cheap humor and shaky plot twists.