The Better Man

Here's my problem with the 1986 John Hughes film "Pretty in Pink."

The main character, Andy, played by Hughes' go-to girl, Molly Ringwald, ends up with the wrong guy.

Andy goes to some anonymous prestigious high school on scholarship with her b.f.f., Ducky.



Ducky is secretly (or maybe not so secretly, as he is with Andy pretty much every waking moment) in love with Andy. Who wouldn't be? She's lovely and doesn't give a shit about what others think of her. She even rejects the most popular guy in school (also known as a major douche bag). But the second most popular guy in school, Blane (Andrew McCarthy), notices Andy too and decides to ask her out, despite being afraid of crossing over to "scary punk kid" territory. By this time, you realize that Blane is really lame. He's kind of a pansy.

Meanwhile, Ducky does this great lip sync routine to Otis Redding's "Try a Little Tenderness" and wins my heart, mind, body, and soul over. Still, Andy falls head-over-heels for Blane and breaks Ducky's poor little heart.

If you're not already convinced that Blane is lame, then hear this: He asks Andy to prom and then backs out of the commitment because he's too freaked out by what is cool friends might think of him going to prom with a non-"Richie." Oooh, and Andy get's soooooo pissed at him. In front of everyone at school.

Ducky sees the whole thing go down. And in a moment of genius he runs down the locker hall and RIPS down the prom banner. Side note: I really wanted to reenact that scene my senior year of high school, but then I remembered I didn't live in an 80s teen movie.

Andy is still cool though. She wants to let all the rich kids know that they didn't break her (direct quote). She goes to prom by herself in her modern (by 80s standards) pink prom dress. Guess who's waiting for her at the entrance to the festivities? Ducky.

Here's where John Hughes made his mistake: He was originally going to end the film there, with Andy realizing she wants to be with Ducky, the one who has always stuck by her, who likes her for who she is, doesn't care what others think... I think they even filmed it too!



But Hughes, for some inane reason, decided it would be better to have her end up with Blane. What makes it even worse, is that Blane isn't even sorry for his actions. When they see each other at the prom, the following words are are spoken by Blane:

You said you couldn't be with someone who didn't believe in you. Well I believed in you. You just didn't believe in me. I love you... always.

Uh, wait, what? She didn't believe in you? She gave you a chance, even though your friends were major assholes. And does the way you believe in someone involve completely ignoring their phone calls and pretending not to see them in the parking lot? Also, "I love you... always"? Really? Pukey puke.

Conclusion: Ducky is the better man, and always will be. And he is hella cuter than bland Blaine.