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It's not necessarily a traditional review, but it's my own analysis of "Heathers." Check it out on Epinions: http://www.epinions.com/content_230596644484
THE STRONG AND THE WEAK

Despite the touchy subject matter, “Heathers” is a movie about the true distinction between the strong and the weak.

“Heathers” is a film that cut past the cheery surfaces of John Hughes’ slew of 1980’s movies (“Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club”), and created something much deeper, and certainly darker. In the same way that “Heathers” departed from idealistic teen movies of its time, “Heathers” is also not simply a dark teen satire; it is a witty analysis of the subjectivity of who’s strong, and who’s weak.

The film focuses on four teenage girls who rule their Ohio high school. Three of the girls are named Heather and they used to be a trio, until Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder) joined their very exclusive clique. When a teen rebel James Dean-type named J.D. (Christian Slater) comes to town, Veronica becomes involved in various murders and mishaps. Still, the film is less about a body count, than it is about the hierarchy of power, and how the seemingly strong turn out to be weak.

Veronica and the Heathers are perceived as ultra-confidant by their peers, but the differences in the girls’ self-esteems become strikingly apparent when the girls interact with each other. Heather Chandler (Kim Walker) is the “queen of mean,” the commander-in-chief. Heather Duke (Shannon Doherty) is the one who wants Heathers’ position, and Heather McNamara (Lisanne Falk) is the girl who’s there for the ride. What is ironic about the Heathers is that besides the leader Heather Chandler, Veronica has more power than the other two Heathers. It’s strange because Veronica just joined the Heathers, but she plays Vice President to Heather Chandler’s President. It’s possibly a reflection of Veronica’s inner strength. Veronica is outspoken and not scared of Heather Chandler like the rest of the Heathers are. It seems that Veronica would have her confidence even if she wasn’t popular, because Veronica has a strong personality and sense of self.

The movie’s main plotline is the murder spree that ensues when Veronica meets J.D. Since Veronica is a strong individual, she’s not content with being popular and nothing else. Or as Veronica describes it, “they’re [the Heathers] people I work with, and our job is being popular.” Seemingly by accident, Veronica and J.D. kill Heather Chandler, which begins a chain of other murders, which Veronica and J.D. disguise as “suicides.” The murder spree that occurs is a result of pathos on Veronica and J.D.’s behalf.

During a dream sequence that Veronica has, her rebellious boyfriend J.D. plans to kill Heather Duke. When J.D. is sharpening a chef’s knife, Veronica says, “Someone will just move into Heather Duke’s place, and I could be next.” But technically, Veronica should have been the next in line to replace Heather Chandler, because Veronica is stronger than Heather Duke and Heather McNamara, and the one that Heather Chandler confided in the most. For instance, when Veronica comforts Heather Duke when she was throwing up in the bathroom, this scene shows that Heather Duke’s weaker than Veronica. And in the later scene when Heather McNamara tries to overdose on pills, Veronica stops her. This shows that Heather McNamara is weaker than Veronica. So this brings to mind the question: did Heather Duke immediately take Heather Chandler's place because the position was open, and Heather Duke wanted the position so badly? And that being so, is it true that Heather Chandler's position was clearly open to Veronica, but Veronica had no desire to take Heather Chandler's position? The fact that Heather Duke pounces on the chance to be Heather Chandler shows how much Heather Duke lacks her own personality.

In most societies, people are pressured to conform to a standard. All of the Heathers’ peers perceive the Heathers and Veronica as four pretty girls who dress well, go to parties, have the full attention of men, and are the envy of women; none of the students realize that Veronica is a stronger person than all of the Heathers combined. Visibly, Heather Chandler is viewed as the strongest, yet the reason for that perception is subjective. If a person’s definition of strong means snapping at people, playing cruel pranks, and performing fellatio on random frat boys, then Heather Chandler is a strong person. Veronica’s statement to Heather Chandler sums up the true feelings of how Heathers’ peers feel about her. “Do you realize that everybody thinks you’re a piranha?” When Heather Chandler goes down on a frat boy, she is conforming to the rules of being “cool.” The scene of Heather Chandler rinsing out her mouth after pleasing the frat boy shows how much a victim of society Heather was. When a frat boy tried to make passes at Veronica, she set him straight.

The issue of “teen suicide” is not what the core of “Heathers” is about. “Heathers” is an analysis of humanity; from the way people treat each other to how people react in situations. The movie shows that in life, there will always be some kind of social structure. Adults have their own social hierarchy, as do teenagers. When the teenagers become adults, they will still have a social hierarchy. Humans seem to need a social hierarchy to survive; it’s survival of the fittest, which is what life is all about. By using intelligent humor, “Heathers” slickly conveys its points about human behavior. As J.D. puts it, “the school is society.”

If you want to watch a movie that makes you think, yet makes you laugh, “Heathers” is for you. “Heathers” explores the dynamics of power and how the truly strong stand on their own two feet. “Heathers” makes the distinction between strong and weak so very clear.