HeathersIt's always going to be a little different for some, but looking back on high school reminds me of all those pep rallies, the yearbooks, the cliques--all those artifacts of the twilight of our childhoods. People remember the ones they "hung out with", who they associated with, who they liked, who they didn't like, and how sometimes the lines between the two weren't always so clear. Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) is the low gal on the totem pole of "the most powerful clique" at Westerburg High in Sherwood, Ohio. Her status as junior member is in part because she lacks two important qualities: she is not ruthless, and she is not named Heather.
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Heathers is a biting social satire posing as a teen romance/comedy/drama/action/etc film, brimming with exaggerated characterizations of all the people who end up capitalizing on a rash of apparent teenage suicides. Teachers, media, parents all see in the suicides of the popular kids at Westerburg as some kind of sign of the times, of the plight of troubled youth, and so on, whatever sells magazines. Problem is that the suicides have had a little help along the way courtesy of Veronica's new flame, and Veronica is drawn into the deep undertow of her unhealthy love with Jason "J.D." Dean (Christian Slater), hoping that the currents of their rocky romance will return her to shore. But Veronica is a smart girl, and her strong will gives her more backbone than you'd expect. Unfortunately, she is a high school junior, not an action star, and her love for her school is the best strength she's got. Veronica is not a fool, but she is naive to J.D.'s psychotic methodology to "level the playing field" in the microcosm that Westerburg represents to him, just as schools represent to the teens inhabiting them. The bold colors of the film are one of the visual hallmarks of Heathers; as the film progresses, the bright pastels give way to darker, muted colors, a reflection of the purging of Veronica's naivety, as her world view darkens under the shadow of J.D.'s warped crusade. It's grim medicine, but it is one which Veronica does need. Sure, she doesn't like her friends, as she confesses to her dark horse J.D. as they flirt at a convenience store, but she needs to break free of the clique with its particular homonomenclatural bent--J.D. is the Mephistopheles to her Faust. It's hard--maybe impossible--to sympathize with the cruel and horrible victims of J.D.'s agenda to reform the school into a place where people are better by the absence of the worst, like leeching the bad blood. Heathers forces us to review our own interpretation of justice and judgment in light of J.D.'s response and attitude, compared with Veronica's. Like Veronica observes at the conclusion, "there's a new sheriff in town", because she feels obligated to be an arbiter of justice that is equitable. These grand themes hardly seem like the kind of fare you would find in a movie about high schools, croquet, and frat parties, but that is the illusion which Heathers deftly crafts, presenting the school as the microcosm for society, just like J.D. points out.
Heathers is a stylish movie which has aged well--even in light of the dated fashions--for many reasons, not least of which is the cutting dialogue, rich with biting content and sharp wit. The characters in the film effortlessly pour forth a veritable lexicon of metaphorical axioms and verbal barbs, bantering with phrases like "what's your damage" that are so distinct that repeating any number of them in the company of other fans of the cult film would instantly present an invitation for you into their (wait for it) clique of "swatch dogs and Diet Coke heads". At its core, though, Heathers is a comedy--one as black as a moonless night, yes, but it is supposed to be funny. Heathers is not without touching moments, such as when you realize the real motivations behind J.D.'s own sense of justice, and his own affectation for the merits of suicide. This is a movie that rarely--if at all--pulls punches, presenting some shocking scenes of teenage violence and discussing suicide with an awkward mix of humor and candor. Many "sacred cows" of teen life get thrown on the grill--underage drinking and sex, suicide, guns in school, and more. J.D.'s appearance--and his demeanor--carries an uncomfortable resonance in a post-Columbine world, with his black trenchcoat and firearm expertise, but this actually emboldens the film and gives it an edge which skirts the boundaries of good taste, but never crosses the line. Frankly, Heathers' frank disclosure about its content--played for laughs, but also savvy enough to know when to show compassion--seems impossible to be recreated today, in today's ultra-PC climate. Either whatever modern equivalent that would be produced might go too far with the inappropriate comedy and attempt to present "offensive" as "funny", or it would more likely be portrayed as a straight thriller, or action film, or something which loses that crucial combination, the flavors of poignancy and wit which makes Heathers such a delicious treat. But maybe that's kind of the point of a "cult film" like Heathers, something which isn't palatable for audiences at large. Sometimes we find that like Veronica, we are drawn to the dark horses, and find what we need is what isn't found in the bright of day, but lurking in the shadows, a kind of individual experience not content to simply follow the herd, but to break free from the pack. Being a rebel means being yourself.
Recommended for: Fans of a twisted and dark black comedy about high school suicide. Turned off yet? Well, that would be a pity, because Heathers is full of great wit, clever humor, and social satire. Leave your reservations at the door.
Heathers is a stylish movie which has aged well--even in light of the dated fashions--for many reasons, not least of which is the cutting dialogue, rich with biting content and sharp wit. The characters in the film effortlessly pour forth a veritable lexicon of metaphorical axioms and verbal barbs, bantering with phrases like "what's your damage" that are so distinct that repeating any number of them in the company of other fans of the cult film would instantly present an invitation for you into their (wait for it) clique of "swatch dogs and Diet Coke heads". At its core, though, Heathers is a comedy--one as black as a moonless night, yes, but it is supposed to be funny. Heathers is not without touching moments, such as when you realize the real motivations behind J.D.'s own sense of justice, and his own affectation for the merits of suicide. This is a movie that rarely--if at all--pulls punches, presenting some shocking scenes of teenage violence and discussing suicide with an awkward mix of humor and candor. Many "sacred cows" of teen life get thrown on the grill--underage drinking and sex, suicide, guns in school, and more. J.D.'s appearance--and his demeanor--carries an uncomfortable resonance in a post-Columbine world, with his black trenchcoat and firearm expertise, but this actually emboldens the film and gives it an edge which skirts the boundaries of good taste, but never crosses the line. Frankly, Heathers' frank disclosure about its content--played for laughs, but also savvy enough to know when to show compassion--seems impossible to be recreated today, in today's ultra-PC climate. Either whatever modern equivalent that would be produced might go too far with the inappropriate comedy and attempt to present "offensive" as "funny", or it would more likely be portrayed as a straight thriller, or action film, or something which loses that crucial combination, the flavors of poignancy and wit which makes Heathers such a delicious treat. But maybe that's kind of the point of a "cult film" like Heathers, something which isn't palatable for audiences at large. Sometimes we find that like Veronica, we are drawn to the dark horses, and find what we need is what isn't found in the bright of day, but lurking in the shadows, a kind of individual experience not content to simply follow the herd, but to break free from the pack. Being a rebel means being yourself.
Recommended for: Fans of a twisted and dark black comedy about high school suicide. Turned off yet? Well, that would be a pity, because Heathers is full of great wit, clever humor, and social satire. Leave your reservations at the door.