Heathers (1989)

Dear Diary: Veronica Sawyer (Wynona Ryder) is sick of being part of the Heathers, the most powerful clic of Westerberg High; making fun of Martha Dunnstock ("Dumptruck"), the fat girl, or doing some stupid polls is something she'll never get used to. Meanwhile she meets JD (Christen Slater), a cool rebel guy who wouldn't mind shooting a gun at school just to make his point. At a University party that Veronica has to go to as a Heather, and its there where she gets her ultimatum as a Heather from Heather Chandler, the head of the Heathers. Veronica and her lover JD "accidentally" kill Heather Chandler and manage to cover it up by making a suicide note. Will this be just the beginning of the assassination-turned-suicide series at Westerberg High? Or will Veronica be able to pull herself together and stop her psychotic lover from killing absolutely EVERYONE at school? Hilarity ensues.

Trivia: The high school is named "Westerburg High". Winona Ryder's favorite band at the time was "The Replacements", whose lead singer is named Paul Westerberg. J.D. tricks Veronica into killing the jocks by claiming to use "ich luge" bullets, which he claims only pierce the skin. "Ich luge" is German for "I'm lying". Veronica's bedroom was built in the gym of the school they used in the film. Heather Duke's kitchen in the dream sequence was also the kitchen used for Heather Chandler's house. They just switched the colors and lit it differently. The role of Veronica was intended for Jennifer Connelly. Friends Veronica Sawyer and Betty Finn are named after other fictional friends Veronica and Betty from the comic strip "Archie", and Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

I had heard about this movie for a while but just hadn't watched it yet. I liked it, it was pretty funny and it reminded me of high school (I graduated in 89 when this movie came out). I saw a lot of similarities...nobody killed anybody but the clics and high school society was pretty spot on, (I was a band geek). Winona Ryder was good as the reluctant Heather (the only one NOT named Heather in the group). But Christen Slater was great as the loner, outsider, cool guy who has been to 10 school in the last ten years type with a Jack Nicholsonesque approach to the role. As the behind the scene featurette states, the director told Slater to tone down the Nicholson, and Slater said, "but that is the way I talk." And he is right, his voice naturally has that Nicholson inflection. (Dad, probably doesn't like him either)