Sixteen Candles :: Film Analysis

The 1986 film xvi Candles tells a timeless tale of growing up in suburban America. The films star, Sam, played by Molly Ringwald, wakes up with galactic expectations on her sweet sixteenth birthday only to be solely disappointed. Not only does she father that she looks exactly the same as when she was fifteen, alone her family is so preoccupied with her older sisters wedding that they provide her birthday altogether. The film opens with Sam on the phone with her best girlfriend Randy. She is examining herself in her full length mirror and is totally horrified to find that her body didnt magically transform overnight. She was hoping to wake up with a body just like Carolines. Caroline is the head cheerleader, saunter queen, and girlfriend of the most popular boy in school, Jake Ryan. Sam is hopelessly in love with Jake and is convinced that he wont cut she exists until she is more developed, more mature, more like Caroline. Little does she know, Jake does notice her. He i s intrigued by a certain mispassed note containing some very ad hominem information about Sams sex life (or drop ofone). In this note, Sam confesses that she is a virgin (she has never done it) and is saving(a) herself not for marriage, but for Jake Ryan. Jake finds himself scatty to get to know Sam and wanting a real relationship with soulfulness like her, rather than with someone like Caroline. He knows Caroline doesnt love him, and he doesnt love her either. The only real reason theyre together is because hes the most popular boy at school and shes the most popular girl. Throughout the movie, Sam is preoccupied with becoming more like Caroline, while the real reason Jake is interested in her is because sheis not like Caroline. By the end of the movie Sam learns a semiprecious lesson about being her own person and even gets the guy on the way. This film contains some classic examples of the kinds of real life issues adolescents deal with. Issues such(prenominal) as populari ty, peer relationships, family/sibling relationships, sex, and struggles with identity are all address in this ninety-minute film.Sams high school is like some(prenominal) stereotypical high school with its various social crowds. The popular crowd in this movie is composed of mostly jocks and cheerleaders. These adolescents seem to be the most physically attractive and have the wealthiest parents.