Summary
A new documentary on Hulu by director Andrew McCarthy calledBratsexplores the impact of the nickname the “Brat Pack” on a group of young actorswhose careers took off in the 1980s McCarthy himself was a member, referencing several movies in the process. Otheractors in the Brat Packincluded Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Judd Nelson, Alley Sheedy, Demi Moore, and Molly Ringwald. The actors would be grouped with the Brat Pack label for the rest of their careers. Rather than explore every film that members of the Brat Pack created, McCarthy honed his focus to get to the story’s heart.
McCarthy held conversations with former co-stars and social experts likeMalcolm Gladwell inBratsas he tried to make sense of the moment the actors collectively experienced. While dozens of Brat Pack movies from the 1980s are definitive of Brat Pack culture,Bratsfocuses on three movies from that era.These three films were at the center of the Brat Pack label, starring all of its members between the two of them. One of the movies came out just a few weeks after theNew York Magazinepiece that dubbed them the Brat Pack. There are also films comprisingthe Brat Pack movies of the 1980smentioned inBratsbut not discussed.
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The Falcon and the Snowman
3The Breakfast Club
June 04, 2025
The Breakfast Clubis an iconic movie about five teenagers spending a Saturday togetherin detention. They have different opinions about the world and themselves but unite under the oppression of Richard Vernon (Paul Gleason), Shermer High School’s principal. The students have a transformative day together, ultimately challenging Vernon’s desire to label them based on stereotypes. The movie sees them collectively conclude that they’re not all that different. The ensemble cast features Emilio Estevez as Andrew Clark, Anthony Michael Hall as Brian Johnson, Judd Nelson as John Bender, Molly Ringwald as Claire Standish, and Ally Sheedy as Allison Reynolds.
The movie was directed by John Hughes and was released in early 1985, a massive year for the members of the Brat Pack.Hughes’The Breakfast Clubis central to Brat Pack cultureand one ofthe best movies of the 1980s. The ensemble nature ofThe Breakfast Clubcast and the characters' honesty about their struggles while coming of age contribute to the film’s longevity as a coming-of-age rite of passage in pop culture.The Breakfast Clubstars Emilio Estevez and Ally Sheedy appeared inBrats,but Molly Ringwald and Judd Nelson declined to be interviewed.
The Breakfast Club
After receiving detention, a group of five high-school students bonds as they realize they have quite a bit in common despite being from different friend groups. Despite being over 35 years old, The Breakfast Club still stands as one of the quintessential movies of the ‘80s and one of director John Hughes standout films.
2St. Elmo’s Fire
June 20, 2025
St. Elmo’s Firewas another movie that defined the Brat Packin terms of who was in it and idealizing what it looked like to be a part of it. Nearly every central cast member is considered part of the group, as defined by theBratsdocumentary. The film featured Rob Lowe as Billy Hicks, Demi Moore as Jules, Andrew McCarthy as Kevin Dolenz, Judd Nelson as Alex Newbery, Aly Sheedy as Leslie Hunter, Emilio Estevez as Kirby Keger, and Mare Winningham as Wendy Beamish. The movie premiered just a few months afterThe Breakfast Club.
Every Song In The Brat Pack Documentary
Brats, a Hulu documentary about the Brat Pack documentary, uses 1980s music to the same effect as the films the Brat Pack members once starred in.
While somecringe-worthySt. Elmo’s Firescenes exist for Demi Mooreand other actors in Joel Schumacher’s film, the flick has remained at the heart of the Brat Pack. It follows a group of college friends as they graduate from Georgetown University and experience the challenges of becoming young adults outside a university. Part of its being synonymous with the group is thatSt. Elmo’s Firepremiered just a few weeks after theNew York Magazinearticleabout the group. TheBratsdocumentary revealed those in the film hated the nickname that was given to them.
St. Elmo’s Fire
A group of close-knit college graduates navigates the challenges of adulthood, balancing careers, relationships, and personal growth. Amidst the backdrop of their favorite bar, they confront their fears, ambitions, and the complexities of growing up, discovering the true meaning of friendship and resilience.
1Pretty In Pink
August 19, 2025
The documentary spends a lot of time discussing the Brat Pack cult classicPretty in PinkbecauseBratsdirector Andrew McCarthy played a lead role in the film.McCarthy starred opposite Molly Ringwald and John Cryer, portraying teenagers in high school. WhileJohn Cryer is not considered a Brat Pack member, his role in the film helped to define the Brat Pack era.Pretty in Pinkalso featured Brat Pack adjacent member James Spader as Steff McKee. The teenagers, Andie, Duckie, and Blane, wind up in a love triangle typical of young adulthood.
Pretty in Pink
Pretty in Pink is a 1986 romantic comedy-drama directed by Howard Deutch and written by John Hughes. The film stars Molly Ringwald as Andie, a high school student navigating social divisions and romantic entanglements. With a prominent supporting cast including Jon Cryer and Andrew McCarthy, the story explores themes of class disparity and youthful aspirations in the context of 1980s suburban America.
The 1986 film was written by John Hughes and directed by Howard Deutch, who McCarthy interviewed for the Hulu documentary. McCarthy had a memorable conversation with Deutch that helped to expand his definition of what the"brat"label meant to him. While there are so many movies that Andrew McCarthy could have focused on inBrats- so many actors he could have interviewed - it makes sense that McCarthy focused on the core movies with ensemble casts that drove the narrative. It also makes sense that it centered on his standout Brat Pack film,Pretty in Pink.
Brats
Cast
Brats offers an in-depth look at the lives of military children, capturing the complexities of growing up on the move. Through heartfelt interviews and vivid storytelling, the documentary highlights the resilience and adaptability required to navigate frequent relocations.
