Starring: Winona Ryder , Christian Slater , Kim Walker , Jennifer Rhodes and Shannen Doherty
A gem from the late 80's, Heathers is a brilliantly written indie film which not only managed to launch the careers of its stars, but will be forever remembered as a strong social satire and one of the finest examples of film-making and how many things you may accomplish with a witty and genuinely daring screenplay. Although the basic set is a high school, this movie appeals to all ages because the main theme is that cliques exist in every aspect of human life: business, sports, art, science etc,etc.
Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) is the rookie in her "school's most powerful clique." Her 3 "friends" are all called Heather. They are snobbish and dislikeable. Heather Chandler (Kim Walker) is the leader and runs the school. Veronica is the newest member and she has doubts about her new lifestyle and the attitude she has to adopt. She has traces of guilt for abandoning her old best friend Betty Finn (Renee Estevez), a nerdy , geeky, sweet girl with glasses who (surprise!!) is still a virgin! Meanwhile a new student called Jason Dean (Christian Slater) comes to town. J.D. has changed about 5 schools in 3 different states because he can't fit in anywhere and as he says..."the only difference in these schools was the combination in my locker". J.D. and Veronica soon hit the sheets. J.D. is a rebel and convinces Veronica to acknowledge her hate for her "friends." After a fight with Heather Chandler, Veronica and J.D. set a prank for her but Heather accidentally ends up dead. The couple manages to cover it up as a suicide and gets away. But this is only the beginning for a chain of unusual and surrealistic events which lead to an explosive finale!!
Slater and Ryder give arguably the best performances of their careers and this helps. Ryder has a sweet face which is perfect. She is convincing as the disorientated teenager who is searching for her identity and although she has aristocratic looks she finds it hard to fit in with the snobbish manners her friends impose. Slater was also perfect playing his psychotic character with the proper innocence to make him look normal enough. The social subjects the film deals with are tremendous. First of all everyone of us has faced cliques in our schools and not necessarily snobbish rich girls. There are always teams of people who form a mafia-like group, are annoying to the bone, do nothing more than serve and protect their own interests and are on a constant conflict to pull the others down. They are so irritating and antipathetic that all of us have fantasies and dreams of them dying (sometimes preferably by our very own bare hands, namely STRANGLING them). Of course these people don't even remotely like each other but keep coiled up for their common interest. Shannen Doherty (playing an other member of the trio) at Heather's funeral thinks "Dear God, I had prayed for Heather to die many times, and although I know it was wrong, I kept doing it. And now that finally Heather is dead I know that...you understood...Pray Jesus! Alleluia!!! " This is a prime example of how rotten these cliques are. After Heather is buried Heather Duke (Doherty) pursues her chief status and becomes even bitchier!!
Veronica is an average girl which confronts the psychological dilemmas all of us have. What is the cost of being acceptable in your social environment? What does it take to be popular? Is it worth it when you end up not liking yourself and have to stick with friends you dislike? Actually the allegory is even deeper. Many times we don't show our real face to our friends and have to adopt another attitude. We never want to show our compassionate and sensitive side so our friends don't find us weak. We sometimes don't want to confide our unhappiness in order not to expose our vulnerable traits .This bold satire dares to depict with real power and not pretentious provocation what happens when a teenager's life and behavior is treated with silly Freudian terms and is put under the microscope instead of giving him / her what is really necessary; self-esteem and self acceptance.
The movie is filled with tragic yet simultaneously hilarious scenes (like the funerals) or lines. One example is after Heather's "suicide." The teachers council in her school tries to psychoanalyze her and the most interesting element they find in her suicide note (forged by Veronica) is the word "myriads." She failed to write it in a recent dictation test therefore this led her to self-destruction! In one class the teacher asks from her fellow mates to express their feelings over this sad departure. One guy easily says "I used to date Heather very briefly once. She left me because she said I was boring. But now...I know it wasn't my fault ...She just wasn't happy from her life." How convenient! Not only can a fact can be interpreted with various silly ways from various silly persons, but the tragic demise of a young individual made another one esteem himself more and overcome his rejection!! There are many other examples but I don't want to give away more spoilers.
I will have to warn you that the last 15 minutes are quite lame and disappointing. The plot breaks new limits of over-the-top campiness and we end up with an unnecessary duel scene. It doesn't matter. Heathers is a masterpiece that can be viewed over and over. If you like you may fast forward the last 15 minutes and go to the final ironic line of Veronica to Heather Duke. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!
Heathers 9 /10
A gem from the late 80's, Heathers is a brilliantly written indie film which not only managed to launch the careers of its stars, but will be forever remembered as a strong social satire and one of the finest examples of film-making and how many things you may accomplish with a witty and genuinely daring screenplay. Although the basic set is a high school, this movie appeals to all ages because the main theme is that cliques exist in every aspect of human life: business, sports, art, science etc,etc.
Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) is the rookie in her "school's most powerful clique." Her 3 "friends" are all called Heather. They are snobbish and dislikeable. Heather Chandler (Kim Walker) is the leader and runs the school. Veronica is the newest member and she has doubts about her new lifestyle and the attitude she has to adopt. She has traces of guilt for abandoning her old best friend Betty Finn (Renee Estevez), a nerdy , geeky, sweet girl with glasses who (surprise!!) is still a virgin! Meanwhile a new student called Jason Dean (Christian Slater) comes to town. J.D. has changed about 5 schools in 3 different states because he can't fit in anywhere and as he says..."the only difference in these schools was the combination in my locker". J.D. and Veronica soon hit the sheets. J.D. is a rebel and convinces Veronica to acknowledge her hate for her "friends." After a fight with Heather Chandler, Veronica and J.D. set a prank for her but Heather accidentally ends up dead. The couple manages to cover it up as a suicide and gets away. But this is only the beginning for a chain of unusual and surrealistic events which lead to an explosive finale!!
Slater and Ryder give arguably the best performances of their careers and this helps. Ryder has a sweet face which is perfect. She is convincing as the disorientated teenager who is searching for her identity and although she has aristocratic looks she finds it hard to fit in with the snobbish manners her friends impose. Slater was also perfect playing his psychotic character with the proper innocence to make him look normal enough. The social subjects the film deals with are tremendous. First of all everyone of us has faced cliques in our schools and not necessarily snobbish rich girls. There are always teams of people who form a mafia-like group, are annoying to the bone, do nothing more than serve and protect their own interests and are on a constant conflict to pull the others down. They are so irritating and antipathetic that all of us have fantasies and dreams of them dying (sometimes preferably by our very own bare hands, namely STRANGLING them). Of course these people don't even remotely like each other but keep coiled up for their common interest. Shannen Doherty (playing an other member of the trio) at Heather's funeral thinks "Dear God, I had prayed for Heather to die many times, and although I know it was wrong, I kept doing it. And now that finally Heather is dead I know that...you understood...Pray Jesus! Alleluia!!! " This is a prime example of how rotten these cliques are. After Heather is buried Heather Duke (Doherty) pursues her chief status and becomes even bitchier!!
Veronica is an average girl which confronts the psychological dilemmas all of us have. What is the cost of being acceptable in your social environment? What does it take to be popular? Is it worth it when you end up not liking yourself and have to stick with friends you dislike? Actually the allegory is even deeper. Many times we don't show our real face to our friends and have to adopt another attitude. We never want to show our compassionate and sensitive side so our friends don't find us weak. We sometimes don't want to confide our unhappiness in order not to expose our vulnerable traits .This bold satire dares to depict with real power and not pretentious provocation what happens when a teenager's life and behavior is treated with silly Freudian terms and is put under the microscope instead of giving him / her what is really necessary; self-esteem and self acceptance.
The movie is filled with tragic yet simultaneously hilarious scenes (like the funerals) or lines. One example is after Heather's "suicide." The teachers council in her school tries to psychoanalyze her and the most interesting element they find in her suicide note (forged by Veronica) is the word "myriads." She failed to write it in a recent dictation test therefore this led her to self-destruction! In one class the teacher asks from her fellow mates to express their feelings over this sad departure. One guy easily says "I used to date Heather very briefly once. She left me because she said I was boring. But now...I know it wasn't my fault ...She just wasn't happy from her life." How convenient! Not only can a fact can be interpreted with various silly ways from various silly persons, but the tragic demise of a young individual made another one esteem himself more and overcome his rejection!! There are many other examples but I don't want to give away more spoilers.
I will have to warn you that the last 15 minutes are quite lame and disappointing. The plot breaks new limits of over-the-top campiness and we end up with an unnecessary duel scene. It doesn't matter. Heathers is a masterpiece that can be viewed over and over. If you like you may fast forward the last 15 minutes and go to the final ironic line of Veronica to Heather Duke. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!
Heathers 9 /10