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Heathers

Name: Heathers
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Released: March 31, 1989
Duration: 103 min
Rating: 72
Cast: Christian Slater, Winona Ryder

1989

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Critics

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 113 Ratings

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4.4

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4.4	Your Score
4.4	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 113 Ratings

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Heathers

Movie Details & Credits

New World Pictures | Release Date: March 31, 1989 | R

Starring: Christian Slater, Winona Ryder

Summary: A razor sharp black comedy about high school politics centers on Veronica Sawyer (Ryder) who joins an exclusive clique of popular girls named Heather (Walker, Doherty, Falk) and plays along with her new boyfriend J.D. (Slater) in a series of pranks which turn into a series of murders made to look like suicides.

Director: Michael Lehmann

Genre(s): Comedy, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 103 min

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Awards & Rankings

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Rita Kempley

More than just one of the best movies so far this year, it is a revolution in young-adult entertainment. Read full review

100

Desson Thomson

Wickedly funny. In fact, Heathers may be the nastiest, cruelest fun you can have without actually having to study law or gird leather products. If movies were food, Heathers would be a cynic's chocolate binge. Read full review

Variety Staff (Not Credited)

Daniel Waters' enormously clever screenplay blazes a trail of originality through the dead wood of the teen-comedy genre. Read full review

Chicago Tribune Dave Kehr

The sheer outrageousness of its attitude is enough to make Heathers a very welcome relief in a field dominated by sanctimonious and second-hand virtue. [31 March 1989]

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

Dark, cynical, but deliciously funny, Heathers is a fascinating look not just at high school but at the way we look at high school. Read full review

Roger Ebert

What sets Heathers apart from less intelligent teenage movies is that it has a point of view toward this subject matter - a bleak, macabre and bitingly satirical one. Read full review

Los Angeles Times Sheila Benson

Unfortunately, director Michael Lehmann's point of view is swivel-mounted: He doesn't have the courage of his cynicism. [31 Mar 1989]

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User Reviews

Psychopompadour

Apr 13, 2017

What a period piece, really had that 80s feel and I'm loving Wynona and Christian! Teenage Suicide...Don't Do It! Don't know about you people with the low scores, but I sure had fun.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

RobertOBrien

Jul 3, 2015

Heathers is a very strong film, with strong performances from Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Kim Walker and Shannen Doherty. The plot is off beat and unconventional, and I recommend anyone who is sensitive to offensive humor, sexual innuendo, and profanity to not watch this movie.

ThisHeathers is a very strong film, with strong performances from Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Kim Walker and Shannen Doherty. The plot is off beat and unconventional, and I recommend anyone who is sensitive to offensive humor, sexual innuendo, and profanity to not watch this movie.

This film's social commentary is what I find to be the strongest element of the film. It's clever satire about the media's reaction to youth suicide is hilarious and thought-provoking, and the way the movie also satirizes the idea of angsty teenagers and how "tortured" they are by society is also funny..

Though, like I said, if you're someone who is sensitive, I would say you would've found this movie more watchable before the Columbine Massacre happened.

The movie's Kubrick esque cinematography, social commentary, snarky and cynical attitude certainly makes this one of the more interesting teen films of the 1980s. I only recommend to those who are not bothered by profane, offensive things, and can find themselves lost in the movie's strange characters, strange plot, and high-brow satirical nature.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

j30

Nov 11, 2011

Here's an 80's gem that's very entertaining and has some great quotes. It 's almost a guilty pleasure of mine that's hard to ignore. I can't really recommend this to anyone that is easily offended.

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

drlowdon

Aug 1, 2014

At first Heathers appears to be yet another high school comedy featuring the usual clichés, albeit one that was actually released before the myriad of Mean Girls copycats. Pretty soon however events transpire to make it a much darker affair as the plot is taken in a rather unexpectedAt first Heathers appears to be yet another high school comedy featuring the usual clichés, albeit one that was actually released before the myriad of Mean Girls copycats. Pretty soon however events transpire to make it a much darker affair as the plot is taken in a rather unexpected direction.

The biggest issue for me with Heathers is that it doesn’t quite seem sure whether it wants to be a dark comedy or something more serious, and these frequent tonal shifts can be quite jarring as you are never quite sure when you are supposed to be laughing. With a strong lead performance from a young Winona Ryder however the movie remains entertaining throughout featuring enough twists and turns to keep most people guessing as to what will happen next.

It’s far from perfect but this is an 80’s movie worth watching.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

benskylerhill

May 4, 2018

Heathers is a movie with high ambitions. It seeks to push comedic boundaries with its dark, insensitive humor while also serving as a social commentary on...society? The film has some great elements and ideas that it presents, but it just can't seem to find its balance between funny andHeathers is a movie with high ambitions. It seeks to push comedic boundaries with its dark, insensitive humor while also serving as a social commentary on...society? The film has some great elements and ideas that it presents, but it just can't seem to find its balance between funny and thoughtful, and it can't seem to get its message across coherently.

On a purely technical level, Heathers is mediocre at best. It's clumsily edited on the basis of visuals and sound, featuring an unfitting, repetitive soundtrack and choppy camera cuts that make transitions between scenes sometimes awkward and completely butcher the climactic fight scene at the end of the film.

Winona Ryder (as usual) gives a standout performance as Veronica. She shows genuine erratic emotion in every scene, not only giving her character life on the screen but making her someone to care about. Everyone else (particularly Christian Slater as JD) gives passable performances but never really shows enough charisma to fulfill their purpose as a character.

Ultimately Heathers fails because the plot and script are such a mixed bag. When the movie goes for humor, it succeeds. The humor is dark and sometimes nonsensical, but it's very effective. I just wish there was more of it, because this a really funny movie. The plot is based on such an absolutely ridiculous concept of teenagers killing the bullies at their school to liberate the students that it should be fun! And it is fun, but only when the movie owns its humor and serves as a black comedy. The sheer fun stupidity of the premise makes it really difficult to take seriously the underlying social themes, and such serious commentary gets drowned out and obscured as a result.

In the end, Heathers is not a bad film. It has some fantastic elements of hilarity that have made it a cult classic today. But it tries to juggle all of its great ideas too quickly by taking itself too seriously when it should have gone for absurdity and it just can't hold all of it.

Story: 6
Acting: 6.5
Script: 8
Visuals/Sound: 3
Entertainment Value: 7

OVERALL SCORE: 6.1/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Skydog

Jun 2, 2018

Decent movie.
It's definitely not over a 5 (which is what I'll give it).
It does a decent job of showing anti-bullying and anti-suicide.
However the acting is soooooo bad!!!!

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

Charles_Peterso

Jul 3, 2012

The story makes some telling points about adolescent life. But despite its oh-so-cynical mannerisms, it falls all over itself to flatter an allegedly self-absorbed and self-pitying teen audience.

1 of 7 users found this helpful16

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