Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Keith Nelson, an artsy high school outcast, tries to land a date with popular girl Amanda Jones with some help from his tomboy best friend, Watts. However, Watts realizes she likes Keith as more than just a friend and tries to convince him to stop pursuing Amanda. Matters are further complicated when Keith's invitation draws the ire of Amanda's rich yet snobby ex-boyfriend, Hardy Jenns, who makes plans to get even.
Some Kind of Wonderful is a solid but formulaic John Hughes-produced teen romance that follows familiar territory — the overlooked outcast, the popular girl, the rich antagonist, and the best-friend who secretly loves the hero. The plot is competent and emotionally engaging but retreads much of Pretty in Pink's ground (even inverting the gender dynamic deliberately). Acting is serviceable with Eric Stoltz and Mary Stuart Masterson bringing genuine warmth, though nothing transcends the material. Cinematography is functional and unremarkable, typical of mid-80s Hughes productions. Novelty is low given how closely it mirrors Hughes's own earlier work. The ending is satisfying and emotionally earned within its conventions, though not surprising.