While growing up in the 1980s, teen-focused cinema took more chances than it does today. Films that could be rated R were PG, and offensive language and slurs came from the mouths of babes. In my generation’s defense, we didn’t know any better, and time has shown how dated some ’80s themes and characters could be. It was a hell of a time to be alive, and some actors associated with this era are ready to reunite and evaluate their most significant contributions to film with Brats, a new feature-length documentary from filmmaker Andrew McCarthy.
ABC News Studios, in partnership with NEON and Network Entertainment, will bring Brats to Hulu in the United States on June 13. A Disney+ premiere will occur in select territories later this summer, following its world premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Festival.
According to the documentary’s official press release:
Brats “looks at the iconic films of the 1980s that shaped a generation and the narrative that took hold when their young stars were branded the “Brat Pack.” McCarthy reunites with his fellow Brat Packers — friends, colleagues and former foes, including Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Jon Cryer, Lea Thompson and Timothy Hutton, many of whom he had not seen for over 30 years — to answer the question: What did it mean to be part of the Brat Pack? McCarthy also sits down for a first-time conversation with writer David Blum, who fatefully coined the term Brat Pack in a 1985 New York Magazine cover story.”
“The Brat Pack captivated a generation and defined cool for so many,” said Mike Kelley, who heads ABC News Studios. “Andrew, as a seminal member, brings unbelievable access and perspective to the phenomenon as director of this film. It’s a deeply personal, surprising and entertaining journey and a film we are so proud of at ABC News Studios.”
“Making Brats was that rare opportunity to dive back into the frozen past and bring it up into the living present,” said McCarthy.
Fun Fact: My nickname in college was Sporto, a playful jab at my distaste for Emilio Estevez’s character from The Breakfast Club. In my defense, I grew to love The Breakfast Club after repeat viewings, but the name stayed with me beyond graduation. The funniest part about this, at least for me, is I’m one of the least sports-oriented individuals you’ll ever meet. I don’t know what everyone was thinking.
Are you looking forward to seeing Andrew McCarthy reunite with the actors who helped define a generation of cinema? Who was your favorite Brat Packer? Let us know in the comments section below.