Back in the 80s, a new trend swept cinema, bringing a series of youth-centric films to the big screen. At the core of these classics was the coolest group of them all: The Brat Pack. Okay, that’s enough of the Goldbergs–style intro. The truth is that, while most of us over a certain age are aware of the so-called Brat Pack and think of the movies stars associated with this group appear in, the truth is that many of those actors were never so fond of the name. Furthermore, the “official” name is so nebulous that it seems that hardly anyone can agree on who actually belonged to said Pack! That’s why, decades after the label was first created, actor (and Brat Pack alum, as it were) Andrew McCarthy has created a new documentary looking back at what all the hubbub was about. Ahead of the doc’s arrival on Hulu later this week, it premiered at the 2024 Tribeca Festival.
As mentioned, while the Brat Pack name has a mostly positive connotation these days and is used as shorthand for a genre of films that includes the likes of The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, and even St. Elmo’s Fire, that wasn’t necessarily the case in the 80s. First coined in a less-than-flattering 1985 New York Magazine story profiling young stars (and Emilio Estevez in particular), there was backlash as the usage grew. But, although some just thought of it as a harmless play on the famed Rat Pack, understandably, some of the actors didn’t appreciate being called bratty or the insinuation that they didn’t take their craft seriously. As a result, many “members” have shied away from revisiting their work ever since.
Enter McCarthy. When we join the documentary director, he’s placing calls to some famous names and asking them to sit down with him (and his camera crew). As expected, he’s met with some resistance along the way. Since part of the fun of the documentary is seeing how McCarthy is able to score interviews with, I won’t spoil the full list. However, I will note that Estevez, Ally Sheedy, and Rob Lowe all make appearances. But perhaps the most interesting chat is with Dave Blum — the writer who penned the New York Magazine piece that spawned the Brat Pack moniker.
One of the things I really appreciated about Brats is that it featured actual conversations rather than talking head interviews. This more casual and “in the moment” tone means that you’ll occasionally see cameramen in the shot as McCarthy and his subjects speak. Yet, while we can see that these lenses are mere inches away from those speaking, what is being said doesn’t feel influenced by their presence and, instead, there are several honest moments that come out of it all.
Lest you think that the entire documentary is stars complaining about a long-past nickname, the truth is that not everyone agrees that the tag was so derogatory to begin with. Additionally, we hear from outsiders (as in those outside of The Brat Pack and not those starring in the Brat Pack-adjacent film The Outsiders) about their thoughts on the matter. Even Malcolm Gladwell shows up to offer his analysis!
To be clear, Brats is not a reunion special or self-congratulatory celebration of the now-iconic films that the “Brat Pack” created. Instead, it’s an exploration of a certain time in pop culture history and what it was like for those involved. On top of that, however, there are lessons to be learned about how we view things in our past and eventually come to terms with them. Certainly, we can all relate to the notion of having something that seemed like a big deal years ago fade in importance as time marches on. Of course, even with that heavy sentiment behind it, Brats is still a ton of nostalgic fun and a great piece of filmmaking I’m sure audiences will love.
Brats premiered at the Tribeca Festival and will arrive on Hulu June 13th.