Some of the best movies that have come and gone are those that fans can quote scene for scene, and many of those movies have been blatantly attacked for their most negative aspects over the years without anyone standing up to point out some of the best moments that made the movie far more than the troubling and controversial features that people have claimed they are. The Breakfast Club is one of those movies that many folks have stated has not aged well over the years. Even a couple of the celebrities that took part in the movie have stated that they don’t support what went on back in the day. What many don’t talk about are the great scenes that proved that this movie was worth watching and paying attention to. If anyone is being honest, the movie was far more balanced than anyone wants to admit, and these scenes are among the many in the movie that can prove that while it’s not perfect, The Breakfast Club is a movie that has more heart and realism to it than modern critics want to admit.  Here are some of the best scenes from The Breakfast Club. 

5. The opening scene

The way this movie opens up is great since it shows us five different students with five very different mindsets. From the princess to the jock, the basket case, the brain, and the criminal, we get to see that each student has a different outlook on life and that they’re insulated from each other in a way that makes it obvious that they might not get along and they might not associate with each other, but they’re a part of the bigger system that is being used to punish them for whatever it was they did. The manner in which the parents react to their children is just as interesting since only the basket case and the criminal are seen to enter the building without any interaction with their parents. 

4. The whistling scene

There were moments of solidarity in this movie when the issues between the students fell away and they bonded in a manner that wasn’t perfect but was still fun to see since it meant that they’d lowered their barriers just enough to find common ground of some sort. Even if it’s just whistling a pleasing tune together, this is the kind of scene that makes people smile since it can’t be ignored when people come together for anything considering that it shows camaraderie and a general understanding that there are instances when nothing else matters other than a chance to bond, even over the silly things. 

3. “Who has to go to the lavatory?”

Anyone that’s ever been in detention knows that you’re not allowed to roam the halls and are generally expected to keep yourself busy and otherwise occupied with homework, studying, or whatever else you can do that will keep you quiet. But there is the basic human need to use the restroom now and again, and to eat, and to get up and stretch. Vernon was a jerk without question, but at the same time, he was a teacher and knew that his students would eventually need to relieve themselves. This just gave a comical look at a very basic moment. Plus, the sleeping is easy to believe since detention is usually quite boring. 

2. Detention Dance

Remember what I said about bonding? These days it feels as though a lot of schools don’t always adhere to the same hierarchy that has been parodied over and over. Nerds, geeks, jocks, cool kids, preps, and all sorts tend to blend with one another a lot of times. But this movie still made the effort to show students from very different backgrounds coming together during detention to take a look at each other’s lives and figure out how similar they were. It’s amazing how well people can get along when they take down their walls and allow themselves to get to know other people, especially when there’s nothing else to do. 

1. Bender vs. Vernon

This is something that I wouldn’t ever promote since a student speaking back to a teacher isn’t something that’s wise or expected since like it or not, the average teacher will have earned their respect long before the student that chooses to talk back was in their class. Vernon’s teaching methods are questionable at best, but he’s not the devil in disguise. The problem is that Bender is a seriously troubled individual with a less than satisfying home life, but he’s also the type of student that has been abused more than once and has drawn a line in the sand that he’ll dare people to cross. This kind of situation does happen, and it’s a matter of who’s going to bend first, and who might break if there’s too much pressure applied.  The Breakfast Club was, and still is, a great movie if you can admit that there were great scenes that balanced out the questionable ones.