3.5 stars

The book looks more at John Hughes’ movies (with a longer focus on the most popular ones in the 80s and 90s) than at his life, but there are bits and pieces of his life thrown in. For those who don’t know he either directed, produced, and/or screenwrote “The Breakfast Club”, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, “Pretty in Pink”, “Home Alone”, among many other movies of the time.

It’s about the size of a coffee table book, and there are lots of nice photos included, mostly of the movies being discussed, but of course also of John Hughes himself, only a few with his wife and kids, though he was apparently a big family man.

I was a teenager in the 80s, so the first half or so of the book was more interesting to me, as that was the focus on the 80s teen movies. It was interesting to read about his relationships with the actors and how he made the films. He got along very well with the younger actors, but he was not great at communications with other producers, directors, etc, who he had working on his films (firing many via a third party with no explanation!). He had a particularly close relationship with John Candy, so that was interesting to read about. (Movies Hughes did that starred John Candy included “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles”, “Uncle Buck”, “The Great Outdoors”.) ( )

In John Hughes: A Life in Film Kirk Honeycutt offers a nice overview of Hughes' career through a mix of film criticism and biography. While this volume is not fully a biography nor in-depth film criticism it has enough elements of each to satisfy most readers.

First, lets mention that this will appeal to many Hughes fans but might be off-putting to his Fans. The former accept that opinions about people and films vary and supported criticism (which Honeycutt's is) can only lead to a fuller appreciation of the works. The latter group can't stand to hear less-than-positive comments about the movies they grew up with. Honeycutt mentions both strengths and weaknesses of the films so expect at least a couple critical comments about your favorite Hughes films. That shouldn't give you the impression Honeycutt doesn't admire Hughes' work, the last part of the title of the book is "The Genius Behind...." So Honeycutt acknowledges the genius, which might be a bit hyperbolic but fitting in the entertainment industry.

Like many coffee table type books this one is focused more on appearance than depth of information. While it is far from shallow, it is researched as well as possible since the Hughes family wants to control the narrative about John so wouldn't cooperate. That is certainly their right but also means that when they do agree to help a writer it will likely be an overly positive presentation. Such is the nature of family dynamics with celebrity stories.

Honeycutt tries to contextualize the films within both what was happening in Hollywood as well as society's changes, so discussion of problematic scenes that might be offensive to some, especially now as we become more aware of such things, are included. But don't worry, unlike what one reviewer wrote, who apparently hates having his youthful wet dreams questioned, this is not full of "political correctness" complaints. They are mentioned just as other aspects of the films are mentioned.

I would recommend this to readers for whom John Hughes' films were a large part of their youth. I was past my teen years at the time and they still hold a special place in my memories of the time. While there is not a lot of heavy film criticism here there is enough that a film buff may also like the book. The only questionable group that I hesitate to recommend this to are the "John Hughes is God" fan group who simply want positive things about the man and his films. For the rest of us this is a fun nostalgic trip with some substance added.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss. ( )

John Hughes is the creative force behind numerous memorable films throughout the 1980s and early '90s, including "The Breakfast Club", "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", "Home Alone", "Sixteen Candles," and "Pretty in Pink". In this book, author Honeycutt gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at each of the films Hughes wrote (and sometimes directed), and explores Hughes' relationships with stars like Molly Ringwald and John Candy, whom he cast in many of his films. The author also writes about how Hughes' Midwestern upbringing shaped his screenwriting, such as how a family vacation in Hughes' youth became the inspiration for the "National Lampoon's Vacation" franchise starring Chevy Chase. Perhaps most revealing is when Honeycutt expounds on Hughes' temperament and his aversion to being fully immersed in the entertainment world, which led to him going from being one of the most sought-after screenwriters in Hollywood to a quasi-recluse living in the Chicago suburbs until his death in 2009. Though the book can sometimes get bogged down by Honeycutt's own opinions, it’s a must-read for film buffs and for anyone who grew up watching Hughes' movies, which arguably defined a generation.

Dan R. / Marathon County Public Library
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