Overview
A group of high school students discover their true selves during a Saturday detention.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- sincere
- rebellious
- lazy saturday
- nostalgic movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the exceptional young cast, Hughes's ear for teenage dialogue, and the film's candid ensemble chemistry, while some found its confessional character arcs forced or predictable.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Five students spend nine hours together in the Shermer High School library, allowing conflict and confession to drive the narrative.
The brain, athlete, princess, basket case, and criminal gradually disclose pressures that complicate their school labels.
The students move from hostility to personal revelations about family pressure, loneliness, shame, and identity.
The school hierarchies, fashion, music, parental expectations, and teenage rebellion are rooted in mid-1980s suburban America.
Films like The Breakfast Club, and why
Dead Poets Society
shared teen coming-of-age themes, ensemble character dynamics, and sincere school-based drama
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
shared 1980s teen comedy, suburban high school setting, rebellious youth, and outsider solidarity
Dazed and Confused
shared coming-of-age themes, teenage alienation, school social hierarchies, and warm ensemble chemistry
The Big Chill
shared claustrophobic group confession structure, generational tension, and dialogue-driven drama
Movie Details
- Director
- John Hughes
- Release Date
- 1985-02-15
- Runtime
- 98 min
- Rating
- 7.7 / 10 (8752)
Cast
- Emilio Estevez
- Judd Nelson
- Molly Ringwald
- Anthony Michael Hall
- Ally Sheedy
- Paul Gleason
- John Kapelos
- Perry Crawford
- Mary Christian
- Ron Dean
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Philo, YouTube TV, Peacock Premium Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Breakfast Club about?
- Five sharply divided high school stereotypes discover unexpected solidarity during a transformative Saturday detention.
- What is The Breakfast Club like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Breakfast Club as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Breakfast Club violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Breakfast Club as mild.
- What did critics think of The Breakfast Club?
- Critics broadly praised the exceptional young cast, Hughes's ear for teenage dialogue, and the film's candid ensemble chemistry, while some found its confessional character arcs forced or predictable.
- Which films are like The Breakfast Club?
- Films with a similar feel include Dead Poets Society, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Dazed and Confused, and The Big Chill.
- How long is The Breakfast Club?
- The Breakfast Club runs 98 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Breakfast Club?
- In United States, The Breakfast Club streams on Hulu, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Philo, YouTube TV, Peacock Premium Plus.
