So for this movie review, I was asked to spice it up. Instead of going to see a movie in theaters, the suggestion was made that I should watch an older movie on Netflix, something from the 60s, maybe 70s.

I was down for the idea until a fellow staff member kept saying, “Watch ‘Heat’ and give a woman’s perspective!” First of all, which one? Second of all, what does that even mean? I’m not going to explain why that bothered me.

I am going to, however, review a movie to spite the “Heat” suggestion. I’m going to give a normal person’s perspective on a genre I don’t usually go for: the romantic comedy.

I opted toward the 1984 classic, “Sixteen Candles.” This film was in the critically acclaimed section on Netflix, and as soon as I saw it, I went for it.

“Sixteen Candles” stars Molly Ringwald (teen movie star of her time) as Samantha. Sam wakes up on her 16th birthday only to realize nobody in her family remembered it because her sister’s wedding is the next day.

The film tells the story of how she gets through that day and the next. I got to witness 1980s fashion, listen to 1980s dialogue, and watch how the “invisible” high school sophomore (Sam) gets the hot high school senior.

If that storyline sounds cliché and made you roll your eyes, that’s exactly what it is, and that’s exactly what it did to me. I know that it’s critically acclaimed, but I just didn’t think it was all that great. It was okay at best.

As soon as I was introduced to Sam’s character, I didn’t feel Icould relate to her, and it was difficult for me to submerge myself from then on. Ringwald’s acting didn’t do it for me in this film; her performance was too superficial.

Her character’s birthday just keeps getting worse, but I didn’t care. She got the guy, and I didn’t care. I cared more about the unnamed geek’s (played by Anthony Michael Hall) story and his attempts to get laid.

I enjoyed watching him go from trying to get into Sam’s skirt to becoming her friend. Despite his transition and his brief connection with the most popular guy in school, the geek remains true to himself.

Toward the end of the film, we see that he’s still the horny high school freshman he started off as, just with slightly better intentions.

I wish the movie had been mostly about him and his shenanigans as opposed to Sam’s birthday. She hardly does anything in the film; it was the geek and the trouble he gets himself into that helped me sit through this movie.

Other than that, the only other part I appreciate about this film is the small tribute to The Godfather trilogy. During a scene where in-laws are having dinner before the wedding day, hints are dropped that Sam’s older sister is marrying into a mob-family, and my ears were graced with a few minutes of The Godfather’s movie score playing in the background.

All in all, this movie was whatever. I may have enjoyed it if I was 8 or 9. It’s difficult to say whether or not I recommend it, so watch it if you want to. The only thing saving this movie from receiving an F from me is the geek, who at least deserved to be given a proper name.

(Two out of five stars)