Heathers

Genre: comedy drama (in a very dark vein)

With: Winona Ryder (Veronica Sawyer), Christian Slater (J.D.), Shannen Doherty (Heather Duke), Lisanne Falk (Heather McNamara), Kim Walker (Heather Chandler), Penelope Milford (Pauline Fleming)

Director: Michael Lehmann

Release: 1988

Studio: New World Pictures, Cinemarque Entertainment

Rating: 14A

MBiS score: 8.0/10

It’s Always Hell When You Bargain With The Devil

QuickView

Story-line: young Veronica would dearly love to be friends with the Heathers, those three girls who dress for success and rule over school… but she’ll have to be a bitch if she wants to strike it rich.   

Pluses: a conquering Winona Ryder as the spunky, manic and sharply dressed Veronica, Christian Slater’s spooky turn recalling Jack Nicholson’s darker roles, dynamic direction, Daniel Waters’ biting screenplay, an effective use of music and one jaw-dropping scene involving cows (!).

Minuses: although the screenplay remains true to its logic, certain scenes are excessive, implausible and calculated for shock value (the boiler room sequence). Some viewers may be offended by graphic and even insulting dialogues.

Comments: be warned that this subversive movie has little in common with the Afterschool Specials ABC used to broadcast for younger audiences. HEATHERS is a funny, freewheeling comedy about everyday meanness in our schools but also a chilling illustration of teen cruelty gone haywire. For this reason and because of the film’s very topical content (that prefigured the Columbine tragedy), parental guidance is required. I will add that HEATHERS ultimately delivers a positive message about respect and what’s important in life… but it sure is rough getting there!

MBiS

© 2017 – All rights reserved