And yet Grand Funk Railroad got no royalties: "Some Kind of Wonderful"

Hey, kids, did you ever wonder what would happen if the "Pretty in Pink" cast switched sexes? Look no further, and get some more of that John Hughes teen angst right here.

We all know how Hughes ruled the '80s. The man was connected to no fewer than 413 teen movies, and I think he had a hand in "Out of Africa" and "Gandhi," too. "Some Kind of Wonderful" is one of the less popular offerings thrown into the Hughes blender -- no Judd Nelsons or Molly Ringwald's here -- but that didn't keep the missus from TiVoing it, and me from watching it with her as some quality family time. Hey, it's better than Lifetime.

I'll also admit that while this movie is no kind of special, I do have a soft spot for Mary Stuart Masterson, who's particularly cute here as the tomboy/drummer friend of Eric Stoltz ("The Fly 2"). We're to believe that Stoltz is the movie's hero, literally from the wrong side of the tracks. (We see him walking down railroad tracks during the opening credits. Gee, Hughes, hit us over the head, why don'tcha?)

Anyway, it's a stunningly simple story: Stoltz has a thing for Lea Thompson, the school hottie ... although not nearly as hot as in "All the Right Moves" (boobies!) or even "Red Dawn." Meanwhile, Masterson pines for Stoltz, who's oblivious to the point of insanity, even after they having "kissing practice" in the garage where he works. Oh, Mary, I'd never be so clueless. Masterson was a mere 20 years old vs. Stoltz and Thompson being 25 -- 25! -- when this movie was made. You know, it's too bad she never hit it really big. What a cutie.

Throw in Craig Sheffer as Thompson's boyfriend/our villian, John Ashton -- a classic "that guy" -- as Stoltz's college-pushing dad and Elias Koteas as the high school punk, and you have all the ingredients for true Shakespearean drama. I shouldn't be too hard on the movie, since it's certainly watchable and could be a lot worse. And you have to admit that Hughes could write some solid lines when we wasn't being too melodramatic. High school? Melodramatic? No!