Posted by Brian Myers | Published
1988 movie Heathers it not only helped launch the careers of its three stars but also captured the criticism and dark humor that grew to become two defining characteristics of Generation X. The dark story of the film is remarkably simplified by the script of Daniel Waters and the touch of director Michael Lehmann, both of whom worked to produce a movie that was the polar opposite of the John Laghes films/John Laghes films with the highly optimistic John Laghes films of John Huendira.
Girls Say Before They Are Girls
Heathers follows high school student Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) who falls into the popular girl group at Westerburg High School. The three girls she runs with are aggressive, mean, and come from rich families, and seem to enjoy making life difficult for anyone they believe is below their station in life. Heather Chandler (Kim Walker), Heather McNamara (Lisanne Falk), and Heather Duke (Shannen Doherty) are collectively known as “The Heathers,” and they work as a group that Veronica struggles to break away from.
Enter new boy JD (Christian Slater), who becomes Veronica’s crush. His zany behavior includes shooting a gun (loaded with blanks) at rowdy football players, and a fascination with fireworks. He and Veronica quickly bond and hatch a plan to get revenge on Heather Chandler after the unsuspecting girl has a falling out with Veronica at a party.
In darkly comedic fashion, Heathers has the worst situation come to life many times over the course of its 103-minute run. JD and Veronica end up killing Heather Chandler, setting off a series of events that lead to a series of insane murder plots that end up backfiring.
Heathers follows very dark lines but successfully comes out of being a comedy with its weird one liners and weird plot twists. The film itself is the epitome of irony captured on celluloid, as each action taken by JD and Veronica has the most unintended consequences imaginable. Although not believable at all, the writing and characters manage to make the setting and vibe of the film known and leave you wanting more.
Ryder and Slater Knew the Assignment
Heathers takes a good look at Winona Ryder’s leap from young Lydia Deetz (Beetle juice) in the role of young people in comedy and drama that would be his mainstay in the years before his co-starring role Stranger Things. The film made him a property in Hollywood and elevated him to the top among Gen X audiences.
The same can be said about Christian Slater, who is JD who made it possible for the actor to act in comedy films. Kuffs again Turn up the volume. He and Ryder play without missing a beat and are one of the brightest parts of the film.
Heathers it seemed ahead of its time, but the cult status it quickly achieved made the filmmakers pay attention to a new set among young teenagers who wanted more from movies than love stories and happy endings. Its legacy is far-reaching, as Slackers, Reality Bitesagain The Jawbreaker it probably wouldn’t have been done if it weren’t for the example set by this underrated 1988 film. Heathers it gets 4.0/5.0 stars for its acting, funny screenwriting, and the overall vibe that Lehmann was able to capture with the project.
From this writing, you can broadcast Heathers free with Tubi, YouTube, Pluto TV, and Amazon Prime Video.
