Heathers (1988)

High school was hell.  It was better than elementary school in many respects, but throw a bunch of young people just hitting puberty into a microcosm of society where every little mistake seems like the end of the world and it is no wonder that some teenagers never make it out alive.  I know it was touch and go for me at times, and it doesn't help when teachers and counselors are constantly harping on a future in college that may never come if one doesn't spend enough time in some club just to put on a resume.  

Once out much of it begins to appear as silly as it actually is.  Get decent enough grades and get into a state college unless a person needs those connections to move up in the world of politics or some field that is oversaturated and needs the Ivy League experience.  The immense effort put into being popular or maintaining a certain grade average disappears within a few months of dealing with rent and hoping there is enough money left over for food after paying for textbooks that will be obsolete by the end of the semester.  While there are situations in which people still cling to the high school mentality - especially in corporate offices - the good news is once a person finds themselves ensconced in their grey cubicle they usually know that the drama and the effort isn't worth it.  

Still, as Heathers makes clear, getting there is half the effort.  And what about those who don't want to put in the effort?  What if it can all be changed by eliminating the popular people or just completely blowing the whole institution to smithereens?  Anyone not at the tip-top of the high school hierarchy has had these thoughts.  Only, most of us, being kids, go on to some other concern, like an upcoming test or rehearsals for a play.  I was one of the geeks in high school, and had my share of bullying, but the truth is it wasn't something that occupied my every waking moment.  Things might have been different if I had been forced to attend somewhere like Westerburg High. 

Veronica (Winona Ryder) has fallen in with the three most popular girls at school: Heather Chandler (Kim Walker), Heather McNamara (Lisanne Falk) and Heather Duke (Shannen Doherty).  What the Heathers do is frequently play pranks on those they think are lower than them - particularly one girl they refer to as Dumptruck (Carrie Lynn) due to her weight - and making sure everyone knows they are the students in charge.  Thing is, Veronica doesn't particularly like Heather Chandler, the leader of the group, who tries to isolate her from her old friends.  This dislike escalates when she meets a new kid on campus, Jason Dean (Christian Slater), the rebellious son of a construction magnate. 

Veronica and J.D. soon become a thing, much to the lead Heather's dismay.  After a disastrous night at a college party, Veronica voices her wish that Heather would die - something that happens thanks to J.D. working it out so that she drinks a cup of drain cleaner.  To cover up the crime Veronica writes a suicide note for Heather, which suddenly makes her even more popular than she was alive.  It also happens during a wave of teenage suicides, exciting many at the school that Westerburg gets to be included in the bunch.  Unfortunately, the killing doesn't stop there, but eventually J.D.'s bloodlust becomes too much for Veronica, forcing her to help defend the institution she hates.

At the time Heathers was made teen suicide was becoming a concern.  There were occasional school shootings, but they weren't perpetuated and somewhat encouraged in the media like today.  Much of the point of Daniel Waters's script was that the popularization of teen suicide made it look like something to cool to do, while the adults that were supposed to be responsible for sitting down and talking kids out of it were doing nothing.  There is an hilarious discussion in the teachers' lounge with the principal trying to decide how much of a day off students are entitled to based on Heather's popularity, while meanwhile the yearbook committee is excited to have "one of these" at their school. 

To say the movie has always been problematic in that sense is an understatement.  It also shows a better understanding of why Generation X is cynical and detached than some schmaltzy rom-com like Reality Bites, which also featured Winona Ryder.  While I agree that these days kids are a bit too sheltered and worried over, it's largely in response to the fact that we were often left to deal with adult problems on our own when we were still at a point where we were just trying to figure out why hair was growing in places it hadn't previously.  This is reflected in the attitude of the few parents we see in the movie, such as Veronica's mom and dad and J.D.'s father.  

Strange thing is much of this still connects, not because of high school but because of the generation I grew up in.  I see the roots of it, though exaggerated for satire, and much of why were are the way we are today.  Michael Lehmann, the director, was older, but Daniel Waters wasn't that far removed and had based part of the story on his sister's experiences.  Where something like Fast Times at Ridgemont High or The Breakfast Club may focus more on social and emotional issues, Heathers uses satire to present a more raw, honest account of what was going on in teenagers' heads at the time.  It also is presenting a less idealized version of being popular, as two of the Heathers are forced into unwanted sexual encounters (portrayed not for laughs) while another suffers from body issues.  

While I still appreciate it and think it is one of the best dark comedies of the 1980s, I still find that when it turns into a bit of an action film at the end it loses its edge.  I didn't expect J.D. to say anything profound, although I admire Christian Slater's dedication to imitating Jack Nicholson throughout the entire movie.  Heathers shares more than a little with the 1976 movie Massacre at Central High, although that movie was more concerned with making an allegory toward fascism and the misuse of power.  Veronica and J.D. make for better actual characters since they are not stand-ins for parts of society, but memorable characters that one starts to care about. 

Though darker, I don't think either of the other proposed endings would have changed things much.  It does have a bit of a Hollywood-style wrap-up, but I other than leaving things open-ended for Veronica there wasn't much more to do.  Still, until Heathers starts kind of feeling around for some way to conclude everything, it is as sharp now as it was then.

Heathers (1988)

Time: 103 minutes

Starring: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Kim Walker, Lisanne Falk, Shannen Doherty

Director: Michael Lehmann