MOVIEVIBE ← Back to Home

Sixteen Candles

1984 • 1h 33m •
Comedy Romance
MOVIEVIBE Rating
★ 6.8/10
2,263 reviews
Your Rating
Sixteen Candles

With the occasion all but overshadowed by her sister's upcoming wedding, angst-ridden Samantha faces her 16th birthday with typical adolescent dread. Samantha pines for studly older boy Jake, but worries that her chastity will be a turnoff for the popular senior. Meanwhile, she must constantly rebuff the affections of nerdy Ted, who is unfortunately the only boy in school who seems to take an interest in her.

"Turning sixteen isn't easy, when you've fallen in love... for the first time."

Top Billed Cast

Molly Ringwald
Molly Ringwald
Samantha Baker
Michael Schoeffling
Michael Schoeffling
Jake Ryan
Haviland Morris
Haviland Morris
Caroline Mulford
Gedde Watanabe
Gedde Watanabe
Long Duk Dong
Anthony Michael Hall
Anthony Michael Hall
Geek (Ted)
Justin Henry
Justin Henry
Mike Baker
Paul Dooley
Paul Dooley
Jim Baker
Carlin Glynn
Carlin Glynn
Brenda Baker

Detailed Critic & Audience Reviews

J John Chard Verified TMDB Critic
2015-04-12

I've never bagged a babe. I'm not a stud.

It's Samantha Baker's 16th birthday and her family are so wrapped up in her sisters impending wedding, they have completely forgotten Sam's big day. Not only that but she has the hots for school hunk Jake Ryan who, apparently doesn't know she even exists. Her existence, however, is noted by freshman Ted "The Geek" who lusts after her at every opportunity. Being 16 really isn't all it's cracked up to be, maybe?

John Hughes directs his first feature film and sets out his marker for the career that was to come for the astute observer of teen angst a...

J JPV852 Verified TMDB Critic
2020-06-29

Really fun, and funny, romantic-comedy that is to me akin to Ferris Bueller's Day Off style of humor from John Hughes (vs. something like The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink with a more serious tone or themes). Anyway, this was my first time seeing this and while I still place TBC and FBDO over this, still another great film from Hughes to come out of the 80s and, like those, still works so well today. **4.0/5**...