“Five students, one detention, countless laughs: Discover the extraordinary friendships formed in the unlikeliest of places.”
Watch the original version of The Breakfast Club
Prologue:
The stage is set at Shermer High School, an institution that breeds both academic brilliance and social strata in equal measure. It’s a chilly Saturday morning, a day most teenagers spend sleeping or enjoying their youthful freedom. However, five students find themselves within the school’s desolate confines, serving detention. They are a motley crew. A quintet of personalities as diverse as the spectrum of high school sociology itself. A rebel, a princess, an outcast, a brainiac, and a jock. They are bit players in the high school drama, thrown together by fate and a letter from the administration.
The school echoes with their individual solitary footsteps – the rhythmic tapping of Claire’s designer heels, the rebellious stomp of John’s worn-out boots, the hesitant shuffle of Allison’s sneakers, the anxious patter of Brian’s dress shoes, and the aggressive tread of Andrew’s athletic footwear. Each footfall a symphony of their persona, a testament to the vast chasm of differences that separates them. Entrusted to the care of their authoritarian principal, Mr. Vernon, the five quintessential representations of the American high school life find themselves bound by the hours of detention in the school library, their stories yet to unravel, their identities yet to clash, and their bonds yet to form.
Chapter 1: “The Saturday School”
A dull, naked bulb hanging from the library ceiling buzzes with a monotone that breaks the eerie morning silence. The air smells of musty, forgotten books and the faint aftertaste of the janitor’s overused chemical cleaner. The five teenagers march into the huge library like soldiers going into battle, each one eyeing the other with tentative suspicion. This, in essence, was their battleground for the day, a war of words and worlds, fought on the landmine of teenage angst.
John, with his rock music t-shirt, torn jeans, and leather jacket, saunters in with a devil-may-care attitude, his eyes glinting with an unspoken challenge. Claire, clad in expensive designer clothes, tiptoes gingerly, her eyes passive yet curious, flicking judgmentally like a dainty deer in headlights. Allison, cloaked in her gloom and oddball black attire, skulks into the library, her actions a mime show of teenage rebellion. Brian strides in, his checkered shirt and clean-cut appearance conflicted with the nerdy glasses perched on his nose, his face a picturesque canvas of anxiety. Finally, Andrew stomps in, his varsity jacket hugging his muscular frame, the embodiment of every jock stereotype, his eyes betraying an unexpected hint of weary sadness.
They settle into designated seats, forming an arc of diverse personalities around the majestic table sitting in the heart of the library. The tension is palpable. Their differences an invisible wall that separates them, the silence a deafening roar that punctuates their co-existence.
Enter the antagonist, Principal Vernon, a man with a hawk-like gaze, imbued with an air of authoritarian ardor, a man who relishes the power his position grants him. His eyes, cold and calculating, survey the group in front of him. “You’re here for the next eight hours,” he declares, his baritone voice echoing through the library, assigning an essay about who they think they are, a question that holds more profundity than the principal can comprehend.
As he departs, leaving the students to their thoughts and apprehensions, the grand clock hanging on the library wall ticks ominously, counting down the hours. The students stare at one another, taking in the contrasting personalities, the day ahead spinning a chaotic yet intriguing web of interactions, the weight of their stories yet to unfold, their fates ominously intertwined on this Saturday morning at Shermer High School.
Thus begins the journey of an unlikely group, their paths converging in the most unexpected of ways, their stories painting a vibrant tableau of teenage life. Welcome to the Saturday School, the birthplace of the Breakfast Club.
Chapter 2: “Tower of Babel”
The Shermer High School detention room was a melting pot of personalities that Saturday. The clicks of the clock were deafening in the deafening silence of the room, filled with five students who were as different as could be. It was a scene waiting for an explosion, a potpourri of contradicting characteristics. And just like a match to the fuse, the spark was initiated by the person you’d least expect, the silent and mysterious outcast, Allison.
With a sudden shriek that shattered the silence, Allison grabbed everyone’s attention. Eyes swiveled towards her as she sat doodling eccentric images in a sketchbook, a smirk playing across her previously expressionless face. Her strange behavior, far from being a source of concern, acted as a catalyst, sparking off the first barriers of communication.
Attempting to restore order, the jock, Andrew, tried his best to mediate the situation. He was all brawn and heart, but his lack of tact was comically evident, leading not to a solution but, instead, to a series of hilarious misunderstandings. Claire, the princess, watched this drama unfold with a bemused expression, her perfectly outlined eyes rolling at their childish antics.
Meanwhile, John, the ever rebellious, seized the opportunity to fan the flames of chaos further. His sarcastic comments and provocative behavior triggered animated arguments, turning the detention room into a battleground of words. The brain, Brian, found himself uncomfortably sandwiched in the middle of it all, not knowing whether to intervene or recede further into his shell.
It was a verbal tag-of-war, a cacophony where everyone spoke but no one listened. The students were like disparate ingredients in a salad bowl, tossed together but not quite blending. However, what started as anarchy was paving the way for something unexpected.
In-between the commotion, threads of understanding began to weave themselves. As the students continued to banter, defend, and contradict each other, they unknowingly started understanding each other’s perspectives. What was mistaken for disdain was quite often a mask for personal insecurities. The constant clashing unveiled a side of them that was more nuanced than the stereotypes they carried on their backs.
This Tower of Babel was a battleground, yes, but it was also a place of revelation. In that detention room, under the relentless ticking of the clock and the scrutinizing gaze of the power-hungry Principal Vernon, five young souls began to learn the art of empathy – unconsciously and in the most hilariously chaotic way possible.
Personalities clashed, misconceptions were shattered, and the many layers they had carefully built around themselves began to peel off. As the hour went by, tension slowly started to give way to reluctant acceptance. The process was far from being over, and the drama was just beginning to unfold. But as the day wore on, in the midst of the chaos and miscommunication, they began to see glimmers of understanding. It was the start of an unusual friendship, the kind that could only be forged in the crucible of Saturday detention. A friendship that was as bizarre as it was unique – a friendship that came to be remembered as the ‘Breakfast Club’.
As they stepped out the detention room that afternoon, little did they know that they were stepping into the pages of a story that would be told and retold for ages. Little did they know that they were embarking on a journey of self-discovery, a journey that would teach them to look beyond the surface, to see beyond the stereotypes, and to understand beyond the obvious. A journey that was just beginning in the Tower of Babel.
Chapter 3: “The Hidden Depths”
The room had a single, stark feature: silence so heavy that it could choke you. It was a weird collection of individuals cocooned in their thoughts, forming an odd debris of a broken system called the education. Five students, all from different walks of life, all outcasts in some way or another – each one pondering over the grotesque torture of a Saturday detention. Somehow, destiny seemed to have cast them all together in this comedy of errors.
John Bender, the rebel, broke the silence as his lighter’s flicker echoed in the room. His leather jacket creaked while he pulled out a cigarette, smirking at the principal’s rule of “no smoking.” The room’s atmosphere suddenly got disrupted by the tiny spark’s glow, a lingering symbol of disobedience. His rebellious nature was a silent cry for attention, a hero in his story, vilified by the world.
“Cigarette?” he offered, holding out the pack to his issues’ comrades. The group stared back blankly – the princess, the jock, the brain, and the outcast. A fine blend of teenage stereotypes, all chained by their individual stories.
Claire Standish, the princess, grimaced at the sight of the cigarette. She was a porcelain doll, dressed in pink and everything chic. The girl born with a silver spoon, who seemed to have it all, yet her story was hidden under layers of designer labels and glossy lip balm. Clare had always been the center of attention, showered with compliments for her grace. Yet behind her every smile, the loneliness remained camouflaged. A princess trapped in her invisible castle, yearning to break free.
“But that’s against the rules,” she pointed out, the pitch of her voice a bit higher than her usual, inadvertently drawing attention to herself.
Then there was Andrew Clark, the jock, star of the wrestling team, popular and attractive. His life was the stiff wrestling mat beneath him and the shrill whistle of the coach. His was a life dictated by a relentless pursuit of physical perfection and peer acceptance. Underneath the facade of strength was a boy burdened by expectations, trapped in his father’s manifestation of manhood.
Brian Johnson, the brain, with his pens neatly arranged and glasses perched on his nose, was a silent observer. School was his battlefield, his mind the weapon, and the grades, his victories. He lived in a constant fear of failure, a ceaseless quest for perfection amid the academic chaos. His story was etched between the lines of his textbooks, the academic pressure being his constant companion.
Finally, Allison Reynolds, the outcast, with her dark hair and vacant eyes. A girl disconnected from the world, drawing solace from her solitude. Her silence was her shield, and her eccentricities, her sword. Her story was an unfinished poetry on the edges of a torn diary, her secrets hidden under her worn-out overalls. The world perceived her as weird; she saw herself as unique.
John, despite his rugged exterior, was an attentive observer. He looked at each one, realizing that they were all flawless performers on life’s grand stage, masking their vulnerabilities under their carefully crafted masks. His attempt of breaking the ice was met with a loaded silence, making him retract the offer.
Unfazed by the lack of response, he flicked the lighter on, the flame dancing wildly for a moment before it found solace in the tip of his cigarette. Smoke rings bloomed in the air, each perfect circle a symbol of his defiance and their shared rebellion. The shared silence prevailed, each student locked in their thoughts, chained by their invisible battles.
One by one, as they delved into their stories, the room started to feel less like a prison cell. For the first time in their lives, they were all seen, not for what they were but for who they were. Their stories unveiled a certain raw, human part of them, something that the school failed to acknowledge. The room filled with tales of laughter, sorrow, and self-deprecation. The tension that had once divided them slowly faded away, replaced by a strange camaraderie. Through the thread of their shared pain, an unlikely friendship started to weave itself.
As their stories poured out, one could see the walls of stereotypes crumbling. The princess was more than her tiara, the jock more than his victories, the brain more than his intelligence, the rebel more than his disobedience, and the outcast more than her silence. These were stories of resilience, of strength, of navigating through life’s complexities, of finding humor in unlikely places, and of realizing that life, too, is a comedy of errors.
Chapter 3 was an unexpected turn towards a shared camaraderie and laughter amidst the battles that each one fought. The Saturday detention, initially a symbol of punishment, gradually transformed into a platform of shared understanding, and the silent observatory became a stage for humor, stories, and confessions. As they say, the world is indeed a stage, and they were all merely players, each playing their part to perfection.
Chapter 4: “Unexpected Bonds”
The detention room, a dreary world of gray walls and flickering fluorescent lights, took on a new life as the unlikely quintet started to connect on a level beyond their superficial high school identities. The space between them, once filled with the stinging silence of alienation and apprehension, began to bristle with laughter, conversation, and an unprecedented sense of camaraderie.
John Bender, the rebel who always seemed to wear his bravado like a suit of armor, revealed his vulnerability with a self-deprecating joke that dissolved the room into fits of laughter. His iconic, brash exterior was like an abstract painting – daunting from afar, but intriguing and layered upon closer inspection. The easy camaraderie he fostered in the room was a surprising shift that played out against the odds.
Eloquently poised Claire stood as a beacon of prestige and popularity, a picture of perfection sewn together by the threads of societal expectations. Yet, as she jokingly mimicked Principal Vernon’s arrogant strut, her eyes gleamed with a sincere desire to relate and connect beyond her princess persona. Her humor, though unexpected, served as the bridge that began to close the chasm separating the divergent personalities.
Allison, the outcast who reveled in her eccentricity, was an enigma cloaked in silence. Her antics, initially perceived as odd, turned into a source of amusement as she used exaggerated gestures and bizarrely creative artwork to communicate. Within her silence was born an uproarious visual comedy that broke barriers, making her an unexpected nucleus of unity.
In the midst of this whirlwind of personalities, Brian, the brainy introvert, bloomed. His nervous laughter and witty comebacks became an unanticipated source of levity. His genius, often confined to academia, found a unique playground in the minefield of humor. From sharing hilariously complicated strategies to escape detention to teasing hints at his slight crush on Claire, Brian’s transformation was akin to a caterpillar breaking free from its cocoon, blossoming as an unexpected butterly of wit.
Andrew, who had lived his life in the binary of victory or defeat, learned to appreciate the nuances of life. His character, which had been hitherto defined by his excellence in athletics, started to evolve, as he participated in the shared mockery of the principal and self-deprecating anecdotes of high school life. His laugh, once reserved, now echoed freely around the room, as he connected with his peers beyond the stereotypes that had previously defined them all.
As the time passed, the room resonated with laughter and unburdened conversations, painting vibrant streaks of happiness on the dull canvas of what should have been a dreary Saturday detention. The shadowed nooks and corners seemed to dance in bright light as the group took on the challenging task of making the most out of their circumstances, smashing their predefined stereotypes, and embracing their authenticity.
The walls that had separated the rebel, the princess, the outcast, the brain, and the jock began to crumble, replaced by the burgeoning growth of unexpected companionship. Despite the looming specter of Principal Vernon, the palpable dread of the detention room morphed into a haven of self-discovery and shared amusement, a stage for the unruly yet enchanting performance of reality, far out of the austere reach of their high school norms.
As the chapter came to a close, the reader was left with a sense of exhilarating unpredictability. The characters, once viewed as mere sketches of high school stereotypes, had unfolded into a compelling tapestry of in-depth personas, their stories interlinked with the raw threads of shared teenage angst, glimmers of humor, and the invigorating rush of youthful rebellion. The simmering pot of contrasting personalities had started to blend, brewing a delicious and volatile mix of unexpected connections, uncharacteristic laughter, and genuine empathy.
Chapter 5: “The Great Escape”
The morning had gradually morphed into afternoon, the bright sun streaming through the library windows. John, Claire, Allison, Brian, and Andrew found themselves in a shared predicament, one that seemed to originate from an irrational stream of circumstances. They had, against all odds, formed a bond, a camaraderie that even they hadn’t anticipated.
Realizing the absurdity of their confinement, an audacious plan was devised: they were going to escape the detention that was eating into their precious Saturday. The idea, initially brought up by John, had been met with skepticism. But as the reality of their situation sunk in, even the brainy Brian and the aristocratic Claire saw merit in it.
The plan was simple in concept, but fiendishly intricate in execution, for they had to outsmart their nemesis, Principal Vernon, who took an almost sadistic delight in their collective discomfort. The library would serve as their operation center, filled with humor, whispered plans, and shared anxiety.
John, the ringleader, started pacing around, making use of his rebellious charisma to motivate the others. Each of them had a role to play in this audacious plan. John focused on outlining the critical path, while Andrew, capitalizing on his physical prowess, would act as the inside man. Claire, with her charm and social savvy, would keep Principal Vernon distracted. Allison, the outcast, brought unpredictability to the mix, her spontaneity adding a wildcard advantage. Brian, the brains of the group, was responsible for orchestrating the technical aspects of their ambitious plan.
As they commenced their mission, the adrenaline rush was palpable. The tension was periodically broken by spontaneous bursts of laughter as they stumbled through their roles, bringing levity to the overwhelming situation. The hilarity of their escapade was heightened by the ridiculous lengths they went to outwit their principal.
Principal Vernon, completely oblivious to the elaborate scheme unfolding under his nose, first fell prey to Claire’s flattery. She spun tales of her lost bracelet with such conviction that the principal soon found himself engrossed in a wild-goose chase. Meanwhile, Andrew snuck out to unlock the doors, his nerves giving way to exhilaration for his part in this daring act.
John’s calm spotted Allison’s erratic behavior and realized its potential. Given her reputation for bizarre acts, Allison’s sudden panic attack didn’t raise suspicion but successfully diverted attention away from the group. Add to that Brian’s quick thinking and technical prowess as he hacked into the school’s PA system, playing a pre-recorded message that lured the principal away.
Their plan, filled with hair’s breadth encounters, mischievous diversions, and laughter-inducing strategies, was an unexpected comedy of errors. Yet, under all these comic layers, a heart-stirring blend of camaraderie was being brewed.
Everyone played their part to perfection, with many humorous and nerve-wrenching moments. The plan unfolded beautifully, each misstep adding a new depth to their escape. At last, the group found themselves standing outside, the afternoon sun kissing their faces. They’d made it – the exhilaration took over as they laughed, high-fived, and hugged each other in celebration of freedom.
In the end, it wasn’t about the escape. It was about what they discovered along the way – friendship, acceptance, and resilience. They had turned an ordinary Saturday detention into a memorable adventure, making it their shared secret, lesson, and victory.
“The Great Escape” was not just an escape from the detention that Saturday, but an escape from their own stereotypes, insecurities, and loneliness. It was a hilarious rebellion against the established order, a teenaged adventure that morphed into a profound journey of self-discovery.
Chapter 6: “The Transformation”
As the sun began to sink, casting long shadows down the halls of Shermer High School, the five remained in the library, their sanctuary within their shared prison. No longer were they a rebel, a princess, an outcast, a brain, and a jock—they were simply John, Claire, Allison, Brian, and Andrew. The animosity and suspicion of the morning had melted away, replaced by a camaraderie that still felt fragile, like a soap bubble just waiting to pop. But for the time being, it held.
John, with his brash exterior and sharp tongue, was the first to break the silence. He reached into the depths of his personal history, his words tumbling out with an unexpected vulnerability. His humor, though still biting, did not slash as deeply—it had transformed from a weapon to a shield, protecting his open heart. Even as he regaled them with outrageous anecdotes about his home life, there was an undercurrent of tenderness.
Claire, the picture of affluence and popularity, took her turn next. Her transition was marked by a shedding away of her carefully constructed mask—revealing her to be just as flawed and human as the rest. Amidst her confessions of pressures to be the perfect daughter, her unease painted with rosy humor, a new Claire emerged: strong, insightful, and deeply empathetic.
Allison, the quiet observer, had been a mystery to them all till now. Her admission of compulsive lying served as a pivotal point. She, too, began to transform before their eyes. She started sharing, her voice a little more solid, her stories painting pictures both humorous and heart-wrenching—of her loneliness, her fear of being ignored, her longing to be seen. In turn, her anecdotes, weirdly humorous, showed a brilliant, eccentric mind that was just looking for some connection.
Brian, the embodiment of scholarly pressure, took a deep breath before his revelation. He spoke of his academic expectations, the unnerving fear of failure, his suicide attempt—all delivered with an unexpected dry humor that made the despair digestible. He took them by surprise—not merely a ‘brain’, he was a cauldron of emotions, fear, and bravery—a youth on the cusp of manhood.
Last was Andrew. Underneath the layers of his sweat-streaked letterman jacket, the jock transformed as he confessed the brutal truth of his bullying incident. This wasn’t a simple tale of athleticism; there was a child desperate to please, to be more than his physical prowess. His humor was self-deprecating, his transformation, a lesson in humility.
Their stories, while individually unique, were thematically universal. Their narratives illuminated the human condition in such a way that it was impossible to dismiss them as mere adolescents. They became real to one another, and to themselves.
But with each revelation, there was a palpable growth in their respective characters. They were shedding the clichéd labels that society so enthusiastically slapped onto them. Laughter echoed through the library—a shared bond, a shared understanding.
These breakthroughs were not without pain, not without tears, but they were birthed in a shared space, a shared experience. Each member of The Breakfast Club was forever changed by this single day of detention, each reshaped by the shared stories and redefined by the laughter.
So, as the final rays of the setting sun painted the school library in hues of gold, the Breakfast Club 2.0 emerged, transformed. No longer five individuals defined by their stereotypes but a tightly-knit group connected by resilience and laughter. Their transformations were a testament to the power of vulnerability, the strength of shared laughter, and the irrepressible spirit of youth.
This wasn’t just a comedy-drama, this was life in all its technicolor glory – resplendent in its highs, resilient in its lows, and ridiculously hilarious at unexpected turns. And as the final echoes of laughter rang through the now empty school corridors, one thing was clear: They had started the day as the rebel, the princess, the outcast, the brain, and the jock, but they ended it simply as themselves—John, Claire, Allison, Brian, and Andrew—unmapped, undefined, and undeniably transformed.
Chapter 7: “The Club that Never Ends”
As the last hour of their detention drew closer, the five found themselves huddled in a corner of the library, their initial animosity and indifference now buried deep beneath shared laughter, tears and secrets. They were no longer just five students serving detention; they were the “Breakfast Club,” an unlikely coalition bonded by the unexpected intimacy of sharing their stories and fears.
John, the rebel, was the first to break the silence. His eyes sparkled with a mischief that was softened by the day’s events. He looked at his newfound friends, his voice no longer filled with bravado, but with a serenity they hadn’t heard before. “What do we do now?” he asked, his question hanging in the air like a fragile ornament. He wasn’t just talking about their immediate future, but of the days at school that would follow this unforgettable Saturday.
Claire, the princess, looked at him, her attention diverted from her intricate nail-art. She had always considered herself an open book, but today she had read chapters from her life that she didn’t know existed. Through laughter and tears, she had shown her vulnerabilities to these people, and to her surprise, she wasn’t scoffed at. Instead, she was understood, accepted, and even appreciated. Shaking her head lightly, she replied, “John, I don’t know. I really don’t.”
The others turned their attention towards the jock, Andrew. His muscular physique contrasted the frailty in his eyes. Today, he had bared his soul to people he barely spoke to at school. His struggle to stand up against his father’s expectations, his guilt over bullying a nerdy classmate – all revealed amidst shared laughter and an occasional splash of sarcasm. He glanced at Brian, the brain and said, “I think we should stick together. Be there for each other. Isn’t that the point of today?”
Allison, the outcast, surprisingly nodded at the jock’s words. She had spent hours in silence, listening to their stories, sharing her own eccentricities, only to find acceptance in the least likely of places. The girl, who often felt invisible, now felt seen. The thought filled her with an indescribable warmth.
Brian, the brain, had written a letter to Principal Vernon during the day, voicing their collective thoughts and experiences. It was an open confession, a documentation of the day, and a revelation of their newfound perspectives. Handing the letter over to John, he shrugged a bit, stuttered, and said, “I guess we keep supporting each other, just like today.”
The last hour passed quickly. Conversations ebbed and flowed, tied together with the occasional burst of laughter and the odd moment of introspective silence. They had begun the day as strangers, enclosed within their individual cocoons of stereotypes, but the hours spent together had opened up surprising avenues of friendship and understanding.
As they left the detention hall, they knew the world outside hadn’t changed. Come Monday, they might fall back into their defined high school roles – the rebel, the princess, the outcast, the brain, the jock. But, they also knew that under that façade, they had changed irrevocably. A shared Saturday, a shared detention, and shared stories had bound them with invisible threads of understanding and compassion. They had formed the Breakfast Club.
Despite the uncertainty of what lay ahead, they walked away from the school building with a sense of contentment. They had learned more about life this day than any classroom could ever teach them. They had transformed, and so had their understanding of each other. The world might still see them for their stereotypes, but they saw each other for who they truly were.
Monday morning would arrive soon, and with it would come the potential of reverting to old roles. But as the shadows lengthened and the school building stood stark against the setting sun, they knew something fundamental had changed. The Breakfast Club wasn’t just a group of detention-bound students anymore. It had become a symbol of their shared experiences, their newfound understanding, a testament to an extraordinary day, and a promise for a different, better, future.
Some scenes from the movie The Breakfast Club written by A.I.
Scene 1
FADE IN:
INT. SHRMER HIGH SCHOOL – SATURDAY MORNING
Students, parents, and staff trickle in and out of the school entrance.
INT. HALLWAYS – CONTINUOUS
A cacophony of LOCKERS opening and closing, FOOTSTEPS, subdued LAUGHTER. Five disparate students walk down the hallway, their expressions ranging from disgruntled to apathetic.
INT. DETENTION ROOM – MORNING
PRINCIPAL VERNON, mid-50s, stern and authoritative, stands at the front, waiting impatiently.
PRINCIPAL VERNON
(Reading roll call)
John Bender. Claire Standish. Allison Reynolds. Brian Johnson. Andrew Clark.
Each student responds in turn, their voices laced with varying degrees of sarcasm and resentment.
PRINCIPAL VERNON
(Raising an eyebrow)
Well, isn’t this a colorful ensemble? Let’s get one thing clear: this is detention, not a social gathering.
They all look at each other, sizing up their mates.
INT. DETENTION ROOM – LATER
They all sit in silence, the room filled with tension.
JOHN
(Leaning back in chair)
So, what are you all in for?
Allison shrugs, Claire rolls her eyes, Brian pushes up his glasses nervously, and Andrew grumbles under his breath.
FADE TO BLACK:
TO BE CONTINUED…
FADE IN:
NEXT WEEK ON “THE BREAKFAST CLUB: TOWER OF BABEL”
Flashes of explosive debates, laughter, and unexpected bonding fill the screen; a promise of next week’s episode.
FADE OUT.
Scene 2
INT. SHERMER HIGH SCHOOL DETENTION – DAY
The detention room is filled with the low hum of apprehension and the smell of stale chalk. In each corner of the room are our main characters: JOHN, the rebel, slouched in his chair; CLAIRE, the princess, checking her reflection in a compact mirror; ALLISON, the outcast, drawing on her shoe; BRIAN, the brain, reading a textbook; and ANDREW, the jock, bouncing a tennis ball against the wall.
Suddenly, the heavy door creaks open. PRINCIPAL VERNON strides in, stern and imposing.
VERNAN: (sarcastic)
Morning, sunshine. Welcome to the best day of your lives.
He slaps a stack of papers onto a table.
VERNAN: (CONT’D)
I’ve prepared a little essay for each of you. You’ll each write a thousand words about what you think you’re doing here.
The students grumble.
BRIAN: (to himself)
Guess I can practice my narrative writing skills.
JOHN: (mocking)
“Misunderstood genius forced to interact with high school stereotypes.”
CLAIRE: (ignores John, flippant)
Mine will be about how this is a clear violation of my human rights.
ALLISON: (quietly to herself)
Mine will be blank…
ANDREW: (defensive)
Hey, I didn’t even do anything.
They all start writing – or not. Some offbeat MUSIC starts as the camera pans from one student to another. We see their personalities in the way they approach this task. The tension builds as they size each other up – each in their own bubble, in their own world. Yet, they are all in this together.
FADE OUT:
And so begins the long Saturday in detention for our Breakfast Club.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Scene 3
INT. SHERMER HIGH SCHOOL – LIBRARY – DAY
The group of FIVE STUDENTS sit haphazardly around a table. A silence thick with tension hangs in the air.
JOHN, rough around the edges, with a devil-may-care attitude, breaks the silence.
JOHN
So, does Princess here have a story?
He points sarcastically at CLAIRE, the seemingly perfect, well-dressed girl. Claire turns to him, annoyed.
CLAIRE
Why do you care?
JOHN
Well, we’re stuck here, aren’t we? Might as well milk some entertainment out of it.
On the side, ALLISON, strange and silent, pulls out a piece of dandruff from her hair and uses it to sketch on a piece of paper.
BRIAN, a geek with glasses, interjects before Claire can reply.
BRIAN
Actually, that’s not a bad idea.
ANDREW, the muscular jock, seems surprised.
ANDREW
You’re agreeing with Bender?
BRIAN
Why not? It’s better than sitting here in awkward silence.
Andrew shrugs, conceding. Claire, looking uncertain, opens up about her pressures of maintaining an image. It’s funny and sad at the same time.
INTERCUT WITH:
BRIAN, shedding his ‘brain’ tag, shares a story about a disastrous attempt to fit in, trying to join a school sports team. Everybody laughs.
ANDREW, then, talks about his struggles with his father’s expectations. His story is filled with humorous anecdotes about his clumsy efforts to meet his dad’s high benchmarks.
Suddenly, Allison, the quiet girl, surprises everyone with an impromptu and absurd mime performance, pointing out the absurdity of their situations in a comedic manner.
The group laughs together, a sure sign of growing camaraderie.
EXT. SHERMER HIGH SCHOOL – DAY
The school bell RINGS, signaling the end of a very unusual and revealing day.
Scene 4
INT. SHERMER HIGH SCHOOL – LIBRARY – DAY
The sun is starting to set, casting long shadows across the rows of desks. The five students are sitting around, each lost in their thoughts. John breaks the silence.
JOHN
(leaning back in his chair)
Ever tried to outrun the school’s security?
Everyone looks at John, half-amused, half-intrigued. Brian scoffs, Claire rolls her eyes.
BRIAN
Why would anyone do that?
Andrew smiles, looking at John with newfound respect.
ANDREW
(smirking)
I did once. Coach dared me.
Allison looks surprised.
ALLISON
(interested)
What happened?
ANDREW
(grinning)
Got detention.
Everyone surprises and laughs, this is a newfound revelation about Andrew. John starts planning.
JOHN
(thinking seriously)
How about we try escaping? Could be fun.
A pregnant pause then everyone, even Claire, agrees. They start hatching their plan – discussing routes and diversions.
CLAIRE
(looking determined)
I have an idea.
Camera zooms out showing them pouring over a rough plan, their faces filled with excitement.
FADE OUT.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Scene 5
INT. SHERMER HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY – DAY
(As our five characters quietly plan their escape)
BRIAN
(whispering, eyes wide)
Okay team, Operation: Liberty is a go.
ALLISON
(nods, humorously serious)
These walls won’t hold us forever.
(John reclines in his chair, smirking at the group’s determination)
JOHN
(sarcastic)
Very dramatic, Ally.
ANDREW
(smiling)
We’ve got a principal to outsmart, remember?
CLAIRE:
(smirks)
Let’s do it.
(They split up. Brian and Claire distract the principal as John, Andrew, and Allison make the escape attempt)
INT. PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE – CONTINUOUS
(Clare and Brian faking a heated debate)
CLAIRE
(shouting, acting)
I refuse to sit with a plagiarist!
BRIAN
(defensive)
I did not copy your essay, Claire!
PRINCIPAL VERNON
(intervenes)
Enough! Let’s sort this out calmly.
(Meanwhile, the others make their way stealthily to the exit)
INT. HALLWAY – CONTINUOUS
JOHN
(whispering, joking)
Anytime now, Ally.
ALLISON
(rolls eyes)
I’m working on it, hotshot.
(They successfully reach the exit and wave Brian and Claire over)
INT. PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE – CONTINUOUS
CLAIRE
(grinning)
Gotta go, Principal Vernon. My essay awaits!
(The five reunites outside, laughing and celebrating their daring escape)
FADE OUT.
