“The Breakfast Club” is one of the most iconic films of the 1980s and still resonates with audiences today. Fundamentally about acceptance and friendship, it tells the story of five high school stereotypes: “a brain, an athlete, a basket-case, a princess and a criminal” who are stuck in Saturday detention. As the day progresses, they share their stories and discover that, despite being from varying social circles, they aren’t that different after all.
In 2025, “The Breakfast Club” celebrates its 40th anniversary. The film was the sophomore picture from writer-director John Hughes, one of the most revered directors in the industry. Before directing, Hughes wrote for “National Lampoon” and penned the iconic 1983 Chevy Chase comedy, “Vacation”. Initially, he intended “The Breakfast Club” as his directorial debut, but Universal was impressed with another script he wrote, “Sixteen Candles,” and they selected it to be made first. Following the commercial success of this first film, “The Breakfast Club” proved an even bigger hit, further catapulting Hughes’ career.
The film was originally called “The Lunch Bunch,” but a friend of Hughes’ saw the title on the first drafts of the screenplay and recommended that he change the name to “The Breakfast Club,” the name for detention back at his high school. Hughes liked the idea, and the rest is history. The film is set in the fictional Shermer High School but was filmed on location at Main North High School — which closed two years before production began — near Chicago. At the end of the movie, Hughes makes a Hitchcockian cameo outside the school, playing Brian’s (“the brain”) dad who picks him up from detention. The library, where most of the action happens, was a set created for the film inside the school’s gym, as Hughes felt the actual library was too small. The Chicago Public Library donated 10,000 books to decorate the set.
One of the best parts of “The Breakfast Club” is the soundtrack, and its opening track, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds, is instantly recognizable and still played today in 2025. The rest of the soundtrack is similarly pure 80s vibes. Hughes’ films have a distinct musical vibe that matches whatever decade he was working in while still keeping in touch with contemporary music trends. Today, his soundtracks are enduringly nostalgic. One of the best uses of music in the film is the dance scene toward the end set to “We Are Not Alone” by Karla Devito. Initially, Hughes only wanted Claire (“the princess”) to dance in the scene, but Molly Ringwald was uncomfortable about it. In solidarity, the rest of the cast joined her in the “detention dance,” now one of the most memorable parts of the movie.
Hughes held several weeks of rehearsals on the set ahead of filming, giving the young actors a stage play environment. Following the rehearsal period, the film was shot in chronological order, a relatively unorthodox practice. Hughes wanted to give his actors a sense of freedom during filming; he encouraged improvisation and valued their input. Some of the most famous scenes in the movie were improvised. One example is the reason Brian has a fake ID: Anthony Michael Hall came up with the line “so I can vote.” Another was Allison’s (“the basket-case”) remark that “When you grow up, your heart dies.” Additionally, much of the group therapy scene toward the end of the film was improvised, giving it a real and raw feeling. When production wrapped, the film’s first cut was around 150 minutes, significantly longer than the current version available today (97 minutes). The extended director’s cut does still exist, as revealed by Ally Sheedy, but its whereabouts are unknown.
The film’s budget was around $1 million, but it grossed over $50 million at the box office, becoming both a critical and financial success. 40 years later, its popularity has not dwindled. Even people who have never seen the film are familiar with the premise, characters and some of the more famous moments. Both comedic and tragic, “The Breakfast Club” is a statement on the teen experience, and this personal resonance has indelibly cemented its place in American pop culture.
