PERSONAL ESSAY
Happy Birthday,
Breakfast Club.
My memories of a chance encounter with John Hughes.
The Breakfast Club turns 35 years young today. I was reminded of this remarkable birthday while listening to Bill Simmons’ Rewatchables podcast, which covered the influential film in depth. John Hughes helped define the culture of an era and the formative years of my generation.
Hughes chose to settle down at the height of his career to raise his family in Lake Forest, where I now reside with mine. I was fortunate to meet him at the Empty Bottle on the west side of Chicago. He was engaging and warm, and shared advice I have never forgotten: “It takes a lot of work to have good luck.”
Excerpt adapted from my original essay on johnwmanley.com.