We at Barking Mad about Films love an Australian music band called The Veronicas, a band made of 2 sisters named Lisa and Jessica, they got their band’s name from a 1988 black comedy called ‘Heathers’ a film I remember seeing and enjoying but hadn’t watched in a while
The Veronica’s self titled latest album includes a song called Did You Miss Me (I’m a Veronica) and the I’m a Veronica within the song is taken from the film as spoken by Winona Ryder so we at BMaF felt it was time to revisit the said film
Heathers was written by Mark Waters, (who would also go on to write another BMaF favourite, Tim Burton’s Batman Returns) and directed by Michael Lehmann who despite making some other enjoyable films such as Airheads and Truth About Cats and Dogs is now more likely to be found directing TV episodes including BMaF favourites Dexter and Californication)
The film is set in fictional school Westerbury High, where Veronica (played by Winona Ryder) tires of being part of a gang called the ‘Heathers’ (Three girls who all go by the name of Heather with the leader played by Shannen Doherty) We at BMaF imagine being called Veronica in a game of 3 Heathers obviously helped in the decision but it is more the cruel pranks the Heathers play on the other students that she dislikes
Veronica’s world is changed upon the arrival of new kid to school Jason Dean aka J.D. who pulls a gun out on known school bullies and shoots blanks at them, she finds herself drawn to this dark character and after a frat party where Veronica embarrasses one of the Heathers, she leaves the group to stand on her own after J.D questions if she is still a Heather, her reply is the band inspiring line ‘I’m a Veronica’
The Heathers want revenge and gang up to take on Veronica but she with J.D. take the fight to them and what follows is a dark tale of Murder, Suicide and Slushies which asks the question are J.D. & Veronica heading to Prom or Hell?
The dark plans involve fake suicides leading to attempted real ones, murder and even an attempt to blow up the school, I remember at the time thinking this was a great dark comedy but it is sad to think that what happens in this film now happens much darker in real life such as high school massacres yet this film does stand to the test of time, it is a great film about fitting in and how even the most confident of us have issues going on inside
Christian and Winona in the leads have never been better and the film has never been tainted by an inferior sequel unlike so many other great school based comedies, although this may just be down to the fact that despite the heaps of critical acclaim the film was not a box office smash (let’s hope that doesn’t mean it’s decided its needed for a dreaded remake)
Both writer and directer would work together again in the less popular Hudson Hawk but don’t let that put you off seeing Heathers,if you haven’t already, it’s a great film and worthy of its cult classic status
*I’m not actually a Veronica, but my wife is =)
If you’re interested in finding out more about The Veronicas, their website is The Veronicas
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