15 Best Quotes From John Hughes Movies

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for multiple John Hughes movies.

Writer-director John Hughes made a name for himself in the 1980s for his hit coming-of-age films, including The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and more. In addition to his hits, John Hughes has many underrated movies with over 40 films made. Hughes started as an author for National Lampoon magazine in the 1970s, which led to his film debut, National Lampoon’s Class Reunion. The Vacation movies became a huge franchise and helped make Hughes a household name.

Sadly, Hughes died at the premature age of 59 after suffering from a sudden heart attack in 2009. Drillbit Taylor (2008) starring Owen Wilson and Leslie Mann unexpectedly became his final film, and many can’t help but wonder what more he would have done if he were still alive today. John Hughes has been honored in multiple projects, including Community, One Tree Hill, Bob’s Burgers, Not Another Teen Movie, and more. Recently, the horror film Abigail even remade a John Hughes comedy.

15 “Life Moves Pretty Fast. If You Don’t Stop And Look Around Once In A While, You Could Miss It.”

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

Perhaps the most famous John Hughes quote of all time comes from 1986’s Ferris Bueller’s Day Off starring Matthew Broderick in the titular role. Ferris Bueller broke the fourth wall through its main character, and Broderick first uttered the now iconic line to the camera after successfully faking sick. He repeated it at the end of the film, driving the message home.

With his coming-of-age films, Hughes was known for sneaking important life messages within the comedy and romance. He was credited for accurately portraying the teenage experience, despite being a man in his 30s at the time. As actress Ally Sheedy said in the Academy Awards tribute to John Hughes, he was “a modern-day Peter Pan.

14 “When You Grow Up, Your Heart Dies”“So, Who Cares?”“I Care.”

The Breakfast Club (1985)

If “Life moves pretty fast” is John Hughes’ most famous quote, then 1985’s The Breakfast Club is arguably Hughes’ most famous movie. The movie told the story of five teenage students from differing cliques as they served a Saturday detention. Two of those students were Allison Reynolds (Ally Sheedy), who was known as a “basket case” and John Bender (Judd Nelson), who was labeled a “criminal.”

After finally accepting they were stuck with each other for the day, the teenagers had some surprisingly deep conversations. An emotional Allison tells the group, “When you grow up, your heart dies,” to which Bender asks “Who cares?” Allison’s “I care” is heartbreaking but also frees viewers up to admit and acknowledge any fears they may have about aging.

The Breakfast Club

After receiving detention, a group of five high-school students bonds as they realize they have quite a bit in common despite being from different friend groups. Despite being over 35 years old, The Breakfast Club still stands as one of the quintessential movies of the ‘80s and one of director John Hughes standout films.

Release Date

February 15, 1985

Cast

Molly Ringwald , Ally Sheedy , Anthony Michael Hall , Judd Nelson , Emilio Estevez

Runtime

97 minutes

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13 “If Somebody Doesn’t Believe In Me, I Can’t Believe In Them.”

Pretty In Pink (1986)

Pretty in Pink was John Hughes’ second of three films with Molly Ringwald, who played the popular girl Claire in The Breakfast Club. Ringwald played Andie Walsh, a lower-class high schooler who is bullied by the rich and popular kids. Shockingly, one of the preppy boys, Blane, asks her out.

On a date, Andie told Blane that she couldn’t believe in somebody who didn’t believe in her. When pressured from his rich friends, Blane began distancing himself from her. At prom, Blane tells her he loves her and always believed in her. The movie ends with Andie running after Blane in her pink dress and kissing him.

12 “Then I’m Nineteen, Then I’m Twenty, When Does My Life Belong To Me?”

Some Kind Of Wonderful (1987)

While Some Kind of Wonderful (1987) was one of John Hughes’ successful teen dramas in the 1980s, it isn’t as celebrated as the aforementioned films. The film starred Eric Stoltz, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Lea Thompson about a love triangle. It was a classic story of a girl falling in love with her oblivious boy best friend.

When Keith (Stoltz) argues with his father, who is obsessed with sending him to college, his father tells him he’s only 18 and therefore can’t make decisions for himself. Keith emotionally asks him when his life will belong to him, and his father comes to respect his decision. This moment was relatable to any teenager who ever felt like their parents didn’t see them as young adults.

Director

Howard Deutch

Release Date

February 27, 1987

Cast

John Ashton , Lea Thompson , Craig Sheffer , Mary Stuart Masterson , Eric Stoltz

Runtime

95 minutes

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11 “If That Thing Had Nine Lives, He Just Spent ‘Em All.”

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

1989 National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation was the third installment in the Vacation series. Like the other films, Christmas Vacation focuses on the Griswald family as they try to have the perfect family Christmas. The Vacation films are considered some of the funniest in Hughes’ canon, and this line shows why.

Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) is one of the best comedic reliefs in the films, and when Aunt Bethany’s cat gets electrocuted, he dishes out the witty remark. It’s a quick and simple line, but it perfectly represents Hughes’ humor, which was often sarcastic and clever. The Vacation series was famous for its recasting, but nobody but Quaid ever played Eddie.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

The third installment in the National Lampoon’s Vacation series, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, stars Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold, father of the Griswold family whose intentions to have a good Christmas with his family face several setbacks. Between his arguing parents, the uncooperative decorations, and the unexpected arrival of some unwanted distant relatives, Clark’s dreams for a wonderful Christmas seem to be fading, forcing him to take some comedically drastic measures.

Director

Jeremiah S. Chechik

Release Date

December 1, 1989

Cast

Chevy Chase , Beverly D’Angelo , Randy Quaid , Juliette Lewis , Johnny Galecki , John Randolph , Diane Ladd , E.G. Marshall , Miriam Flynn

Runtime

97 minutes

prequel(s)

European Vacation , National Lampoon’s Vacation

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10 “I Want Her To Live. I Want Her To Breathe. I Want Her To Aerobicize.”

Weird Science (1985)

1985’s science fantasy comedy Weird Science could be considered the raunchiest John Hughes film. The film starred Anthony Michael Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith as Gary and Wyatt, high school nerds who use a computer program to bring their perfect AI woman, Lisa (Kelly LeBrock) to life. Some 1980s films wouldn’t work in any other decade, and Weird Science could be one.

The outlandish plot gives way to a lot of comedy, which the leads excelled at. When they were coming up with the plan for Lisa, Gary tells Wyatt he wants her to “aerobicize,” referring to some popular 1980s workout trends. The line could be a throwaway, but Hall’s delivery and the way it perfectly captures the time period makes it memorable.

Weird Science

John Hughes’ 1985 comedy Weird Science tells the story of two high school students who create a virtual woman using their computer, only to have her come to life. Anthony Michael Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith star as teenagers Gary Wallace and Wyatt Donnelly, with Kelly LeBrock playing the artificially created Lisa and Bill Paxton and Robert Downey Jr. in supporting roles,

Release Date

August 2, 1985

Cast

Bill Paxton , Robert Downey Jr. , Ilan Mitchell-Smith , Anthony Michael Hall , Robert Rusler , Kelly LeBrock

Runtime

94 minutes

9 “Spend A Little More Time Trying To Do Something With Yourself And A Little Less Time Trying To Impress People. You Might Be Better Off”

The Breakfast Club (1985)

The Breakfast Club may have been the John Hughes film that taught the most important life lessons. The Breakfast Club might be most memorable for its final fist pump scene set to “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds, but multiple quotes stuck with people. One comes from the strict Vice Principal Vernon (Paul Gleason).

Though he judges the students based on stereotypes and is often at odds with them, he does have one line that could help them. For high school kids, sometimes nothing is more important than fitting in. The line comes after Bender and Vice Principal Vernon antagonize each other, and while he could be cruel, the quote shows that part of him did care about Bender’s future.

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8 “Keep The Change, Ya Filthy Animal.”

Home Alone (1990)

After an extremely successful 1980s, John Hughes came out swinging in 1990 with the Christmas movie Home Alone. Home Alone starred Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, a young boy who accidentally gets left home alone when his family leaves for Christmas vacation without him. It also made Culkin a major star.

When a pair of thieves played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern learned he was home alone, they attempted to rob the wealthy family, leaving Kevin to defend his home. During the movie, Kevin watches a violent fake film where a character says “Keep the change, ya filthy animal” after killing his enemy. Kevin replays the clip as one of the robbers stands outside his window, making him believe the character is actually in the house with a gun.

Home Alone

Home Alone tells the story of Kevin McAllister, an eight-year-old who is left behind in his Chicago home when his family flies to Paris for the holidays. Not only must Kevin keep himself safe while his mother flies back across the world, but he must protect his home from the Wet Bandits – serial burglars who are targeting the McAllister House. Kevin must use every trick in the book to keep the Wet Bandits from stealing Christmas before his mother returns.

Director

Chris Columbus

Release Date

November 16, 1990

Cast

Macaulay Culkin , Joe Pesci , Daniel Stern , John Heard , Roberts Blossom , Catherine O’Hara

Runtime

103 minutes

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7 “That’s Why They Call Them Crushes. If They Were Easy, They’d Call Them Something Else.”

Sixteen Candles (1984)

The first of the three Molly Ringwald and John Hughes collaboration films was 1984’s Sixteen Candles. While Sixteen Candles hasn’t aged well, its script has multiple iconic lines. Jim is the main character Samantha “Sam” Baker’s father, who forgets her 16th birthday along with the rest of her family because they’re focused on her older sister’s wedding.

Sam’s 16th birthday only got worse with a series of unfortunate events unfolding throughout Sixteen Candles. Jim eventually apologizes for forgetting Sam’s birthday and gives her advice about her crush on her classmate Jake, whom she ends up with. Anyone who ever had a crush, teenage or otherwise, can probably relate to this John Hughes quote.

Sixteen Candles

In John Hughes’s directorial debut, Molly Ringwald stars as Samantha Baker, a high school student in suburban Chicago whose sixteenth birthday is marred when her whole family forgets to celebrate the occasion due to her older sister’s wedding. Navigating a school dance and a seemingly unrequited crush on an older boy, Sam’s sweet sixteen becomes a day to remember. Anthony Michael Hall, Michael Schoeffling, and Gedde Watanabe also star. 

Release Date

May 4, 1984

Cast

Molly Ringwald , Gedde Watanabe , Anthony Michael Hall , Haviland Morris , Michael Schoeffling

Runtime

93 minutes

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6 “A Person Should Not Believe In An -Ism; He Should Believe In Himself.”

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to iconic scenes. It sets the right tone immediately with Ferris’ opening monologue, which once again breaks the fourth wall. As a 1980s film, the monologue naturally starts with him watching MTV before he moves around his house, ending up in the shower.

Ferris gives great advice in his opening monologue, from how to fake sickness to your parents, to what people should believe in. As Ferris says in his monologue before referencing the song “I Am the Walrus,” the quote was inspired by John Lennon. The Ferris Bueller’s Day Off soundtrack also features the Beatles in the famous “Twist and Shout” scene.

5 “Whether Or Not You Face The Future, It Happens.”

Pretty In Pink (1986)

Another quote from Pretty in Pink comes from Duckie, Andie’s best friend who was secretly in love with her. Though Duckie had a hard time when Andie started going out with Blane, he pushed his pain aside to support her, making him one of the most beloved characters in a John Hughes film. Hughes was one of many who didn’t like the Sixteen Candles ending where Andie ended up with Blane instead of Duckie.

Earlier in the film, Andie accuses Duckie of purposefully flunking his classes because he’s afraid of the future. When Andie says he’s not facing the future, he deflects by saying it doesn’t matter because it’ll happen anyway. Though Duckie’s line was delivered as a flippant defense, its meaning holds a lot of weight.

4 “Well, You Think What You Want About Me, I’m Not Changing. I Like Me. My Wife Likes Me. My Customers Like Me. Cause I’m The Real Article. What You See Is What You Get.”

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Hughes may be best remembered for his coming-of-age films, but he moved away from teenage characters in 1987 for Planes,Trains and Automobiles. The film stars Steve Martin as Neal, a high-strung marketing executive, and John Candy as Del, a kind but irritating salesman. When their flight is deserted, they travel together for three days.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles was another comedic hit for Hughes in the 1980s. However, it wouldn’t be a Hughes movie without some emotional messages mixed in. Neal spends the film judging Del, who just keeps smiling until he emotionally lets Neal know he can try and hurt him, but he knows his value, likes himself, and won’t change.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Directed by John Hughes, Planes, Trains and Automobiles stars Steve Martin as Neal Page, a busy advertising executive who finds himself the unwilling traveling companion of salesman Del Griffith as the two attempt to return to Chicago for the Thanksgiving holiday. Beset by bad weather and a continuing comedy of errors in attempting to make travel plans, Neal and Del must work together, however unwillingly, to accomplish their shared goal. John Candy also stars alongside Martin as Del. 

Release Date

November 25, 1987

Runtime

93minutes

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3 “I Want You To Like Me For What I Am.”

Weird Science (1985)

Gary and Wyatt created Lisa as their perfect woman in Weird Science, but cheerleaders Deb and Hilly are their dream girls. After a party goes wrong, Lisa has a gang of mutant bikers crash their party, so the boys can save the cheerleaders and impress them. The ridiculous plan works, and Wyatt kisses Hilly before dropping her off.

However, Gary tells Deb the truth about himself. When she asks why, he tells her he wants her to like him for who she is, to which she replies, “whatever you are, I like it” before they kiss. This highlighted the difference between Gary and Wyatt and taught viewers to be true to themselves.

2 “The Whole Time I Was Just Thinking Things Over. I Was Like, I Was Like Meditating. Then I Sort Of Watched Myself From Inside. I Realized It Was Ridiculous – Being Afraid. Worrying About Everything. Wishing I Was Dead. It Was The Best Day Of My Life.’

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

Many believe Cameron is the true main character of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Cameron is Ferris’ hypochondriac best friend who has a controlling father that just makes him more anxious. Ferris convinces Cameron to take the day off and let them borrow his father’s prized red Ferrari.

Cameron spends much of the movie panicking about getting home on time and preserving the original odometer mileage on the car, so his dad never finds out what they did. As they wait for the mileage to go down, Cameron delivers perhaps his most relatable line. When they realize their plan didn’t work, Cameron trashes his dad’s car and decides to finally stand up to him.

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1 “You Know, I Have Just As Many Feelings As You Do, And It Hurts So Much When Someone Steps All Over Them.”

The Breakfast Club (1985)

This Claire quote from The Breakfast Club takes place in the same scene as Allison’s. As the group bonded in the library, Claire shared her trick of putting on lipstick without using her hands. While everyone else was impressed, Bender humiliated Claire and angered the rest of the group.

Bender wrongfully assumed Claire’s life was perfect, giving him the “right” to hurt her feelings. Claire stood up for herself, reminding him and viewers that everyone has feelings and nobody should “step all over them.” Claire and Bender somewhat controversially get together at the end of The Breakfast Club, but this scene is a turning point for them in the John Hughes movie.

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