"Brats" documentary about 80s stars - Had absolutely no idea these people felt bad

[LuvOrlando]

Brats documentary about 80s stars, wow.

Had absolutely no idea these people felt bad about themselves and their careers suffered over their success, shocked articles made them feel this way because the more movies they would have made the more I and other fans would have shown up. Is this just brute force "negging?"

Just goes to show what is written is its own reality and different industries don't necessarily have anything to do with how everyday people feel, so weird. Feel really bad for all of them.

 

[Karalee402]

I haven't seen this yet, but I really want to! It really is amazing that when it all comes down to it, we're all just people with our own insecurities and hang ups, no matter what industry or how much "success" we have.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I watched it. No idea it was that big of a deal to have the group nickname.

 

[mjkacmom]

We watched with friends from the 80’s, everyone agreed it was so pathetic that Andrew McCarthy is so bitter, it was pretty obvious that the rest of them were just trying to be kind to him but didn’t feel the same way. Most had fantastic careers (hello Rob Lowe), Andrew did not. Big whine fest, embarrassing. The term brat pack made them famous at the time.

 

[gmi3804]

In the late-80s, a friend who lived in LA was a big fan of his and had an opportunity to meet Andrew McCarthy. She and a couple of her girlfriends were introduced to him at some industry show, and the first thing out of his mouth was, "So are we all going up to my [hotel] room?" What a pig! For the record, I never liked him.

 

[fly girl]

We watched with friends from the 80’s, everyone agreed it was so pathetic that Andrew McCarthy is so bitter, it was pretty obvious that the rest of them were just trying to be kind to him but didn’t feel the same way. Most had fantastic careers (hello Rob Lowe), Andrew did not. Big whine fest, embarrassing. The term brat pack made them famous at the time.

Hmm, I get what you are saying but I think it was more than just Andrew who was irritated with the term. I agree Andrew McCarthy took it the worst, but I think Emilio really didn't like it either. Especially because the article was focused on him. I think a few of them felt it downplayed their hard work, and prevented certain roles afterwards because of the moniker. Now was that true? Who knows, but I agree it seems like the only one who really had issues moving on after all of these years was Andrew. Although, like you, I hope he realized he has lasting power BECAUSE he was part of the Brat Pack.

I really would have loved to hear Molly and Judd's thoughts.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I am still watching it, not done yet, but it seems like it makes everyone sort of sad, it doesn't seem like anyone is happy about it.

I also find myself wondering how much they were pawed at since this way waaaayyyy before Me Too and any sort of call to order over inappropriate behavior, especially for the men.... like what they must have been through is unnerving to even consider.

Like I remember Drew Barrymore talking about how young she was she she was given drinks, Brook Shields navigating the crazy and then there is Corey Feldman and Corey Haim and other horrible stories with other stars - doubtful this group was treated well.

 

[dizneegirl]

At the time quite a few of them said they didn't like the name/way they were being grouped and portrayed together. I didn't think it was a secret at all.

 

[Imzadi]

Hmm, I get what you are saying but I think it was more than just Andrew who was irritated with the term. I agree Andrew McCarthy took it the worst, but I think Emilio really didn't like it either. Especially because the article was focused on him. I think a few of them felt it downplayed their hard work, and prevented certain roles afterwards because of the moniker. Now was that true? Who knows, but I agree it seems like the only one who really had issues moving on after all of these years was Andrew. Although, like you, I hope he realized he has lasting power BECAUSE he was part of the Brat Pack.

I really would have loved to hear Molly and Judd's thoughts.

I agree. This was during an era way, way before social media and how we now see many, many other celebrities and ordinary people, and teens being skewered and labeled for doing something. That group of actors were young, in their 20's, at their own times of "coming of age," figuring out who they were as they individually became successful, then to be branded with such a negative label which took over their whole identity.

It DID affect all of them and their ability to work. Almost each one of them didn't work for a long time after that time period.

We watched with friends from the 80’s, everyone agreed it was so pathetic that Andrew McCarthy is so bitter, it was pretty obvious that the rest of them were just trying to be kind to him but didn’t feel the same way. Most had fantastic careers (hello Rob Lowe), Andrew did not.

Actually Rob Lowe was in a cellphone sex tape that became infamous that torpedoed his own career for a time. It was when cellphone videos were pretty new, and he was one of the first casualties of when other people take videos then, without permission, leak to the public.

That event caused Rob to get sober, (and possibly therapy, as he talks like he's been in therapy.) He got married to his great wife who has been his rock during that down time. And they have 2 kids which also stabilized him..

Demi definitely talks as someone who has gotten massive therapy. She admits in the video she was in rehab at a very young age, and it was a condition to being in her first movie, even before being labeled as one of the "Brat Pack." And she's been in and out of rehab since as she continues to struggle with alcohol.

So, those two didn't get their sunny attitudes to positively turn around this event on their own.

Emilio had his father to help him negotiate being in the business. Plus he watched his brother Charlie Sheen implode his own career and life a couple times, as well as his ex-SIL, Denise Richards. So he's been able to get a different perspective, seeing all of them go through their own stuff.

Molly & Judd don't want to talk about it to this day, as it affected and followed them so much. NOT wanting to talk about it doesn't sound like they feel it's affected them in a good way.

Had Andrew had better or different therapy, maybe he'd be in a different place within himself and thus his career, similar to Rob & Demi. Which is exactly what he said in the documentary.

Spoiler: What Andrew says toward the end of the documentary

Andrew meets with the writer of the article who made up the "Brat Pack" term and says something like how in being branded that term, "I was no longer in control over my career and life and the trajectory it was going."

We see this now, with teen bullies posting about fellow students on social media, and once these kids get labeled an identity they didn't create themselves, and feel it can't be changed, some commit suicide. For some, at a young-ish age, this isn't just an easy thing to shrug off.

Rob actually helped him a lot when they talked. They should have talked years ago, after Rob was able to turn his own life around.

I feel people who don't get what they went through and how being branded negatively affected them are kind of sour graping (wrong metaphor,) painting those with mega-success with a "broad brush." As in, any publicity, even negative publicity is a good thing. Andrew is stating, no, it's not.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Nice assessment @Imzadi

 

[_19disnA]

Didn't watch but I think it's the same with most child/teen stars. Some outgrow their roles and move on to other careers. A few continue to remain in the business as adults. Likely some who always had a reputation of being hard to deal with never realize that and are quick to blame other reasons for why they are no longer employed.

Clearly any actor who agrees to appear in such programs tries to put their own positive 'spin' on what really happened in an effort to enhance people's opinion of them.

 

[cabanafrau]

I haven't seen this yet, but I really want to! It really is amazing that when it all comes down to it, we're all just people with our own insecurities and hang ups, no matter what industry or how much "success" we have.

A while back I started wondering just how much it must get into a person's head to have things like their dating, love life, marriage(s) splashed all over front pages, radio airwaves, tv programs and now social media. Plenty of other things about high profile people are also trumpeted to the world that must be very awkward burdens, too. Makes me think of the Julia Roberts' line in Notting Hill about her broken heart being an open topic of discussion.

The fame thing seems like a trap to me, a very dehumanizing one. Serious respect to those people who can manage to navigate healthy and happy lives in the spotlight.

 

[shh]

We watched with friends from the 80’s, everyone agreed it was so pathetic that Andrew McCarthy is so bitter, it was pretty obvious that the rest of them were just trying to be kind to him but didn’t feel the same way. Most had fantastic careers (hello Rob Lowe), Andrew did not. Big whine fest, embarrassing. The term brat pack made them famous at the time.

I kinda agree...I was really looking fwd to watching this, but couldn't finish it. I turned it off about a 1/3 of the way in, totally bored and sick of his whining and complaining. He had incredible opportunities and exposure during those years...he's using the brat pack label as a scapegoat for his declining career...but that wasn't what sabotaged it.

 

[shh]

I agree. This was during an era way, way before social media and how we now see many, many other celebrities and ordinary people, and teens being skewered and labeled for doing something. That group of actors were young, in their 20's, at their own times of "coming of age," figuring out who they were as they individually became successful, then to be branded with such a negative label which took over their whole identity.

It DID affect all of them and their ability to work. Almost each one of them didn't work for a long time after that time period.




Actually Rob Lowe was in a cellphone sex tape that became infamous that torpedoed his own career for a time. It was when cellphone videos were pretty new, and he was one of the first casualties of when other people take videos then, without permission, leak to the public.

That event caused Rob to get sober, (and possibly therapy, as he talks like he's been in therapy.) He got married to his great wife who has been his rock during that down time. And they have 2 kids which also stabilized him..

Demi definitely talks as someone who has gotten massive therapy. She admits in the video she was in rehab at a very young age, and it was a condition to being in her first movie, even before being labeled as one of the "Brat Pack." And she's been in and out of rehab since as she continues to struggle with alcohol.

So, those two didn't get their sunny attitudes to positively turn around this event on their own.

Emilio had his father to help him negotiate being in the business. Plus he watched his brother Charlie Sheen implode his own career and life a couple times, as well as his ex-SIL, Denise Richards. So he's been able to get a different perspective, seeing all of them go through their own stuff.

Molly & Judd don't want to talk about it to this day, as it affected and followed them so much. NOT wanting to talk about it doesn't sound like they feel it's affected them in a good way.

Had Andrew had better or different therapy, maybe he'd be in a different place within himself and thus his career, similar to Rob & Demi. Which is exactly what he said in the documentary.

Spoiler: What Andrew says toward the end of the documentary

Andrew meets with the writer of the article who made up the "Brat Pack" term and says something like how in being branded that term, "I was no longer in control over my career and life and the trajectory it was going."

We see this now, with teen bullies posting about fellow students on social media, and once these kids get labeled an identity they didn't create themselves, and feel it can't be changed, some commit suicide. For some, at a young-ish age, this isn't just an easy thing to shrug off.

Rob actually helped him a lot when they talked. They should have talked years ago, after Rob was able to turn his own life around.

I feel people who don't get what they went through and how being branded negatively affected them are kind of sour graping. That any publicity, even negative publicity is a good thing. Andrew is stating, no, it's not.

I definitely appreciate your thoughtful and interesting take on it. I still disagree on the level of damage - many celebs have bounced back from far worse. They may have hated the brat pack name, but many of the fans thought it was clever, not negative. I'm not convinced it was that big a factor in hurting their careers.

What about the HUNDREDS of famous child/teen actors whose careers also faltered after their initial fame, despite their best efforts - and had no annoying nicknames to blame?

 

[AustinTink]

Meh. I enjoyed it. I was right smack in the middle of their target demographic when those brat pack movies were made. I had posters of Andrew and Rob in my room along with movie posters for Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, The Outsiders, etc. I have the book Brat that Andrew wrote and knew what the documentary would look like going in.

I loved all the flashback clips and photos shown throughout the documentary and enjoyed the backstories the various actors shared. I didn’t find it whiny. He and the others were just sharing their perspective staring at the hoopla from the inside out. The documentary did very well in the streaming ratings and the book has sold like hotcakes. Clearly, I’m not alone.

 

[Planogirl]

I thought it was just a play on the old Rat Pack name with Brat used because they were younger. I need to watch the documentary.

 

[LuvOrlando]

A while back I started wondering just how much it must get into a person's head to have things like their dating, love life, marriage(s) splashed all over front pages, radio airwaves, tv programs and now social media. Plenty of other things about high profile people are also trumpeted to the world that must be very awkward burdens, too. Makes me think of the Julia Roberts' line in Notting Hill about her broken heart being an open topic of discussion.

The fame thing seems like a trap to me, a very dehumanizing one. Serious respect to those people who can manage to navigate healthy and happy lives in the spotlight.

Same, at first it's all bells and whistles but once you are out there it seems all downhill unless you stay on top. In an industry all about youth it seems impossible to stay on top so no matter what else famous people accomplish it must feel like a deflation, which is a terrible thing.

 

[lisaviolet]

We watched with friends from the 80’s, everyone agreed it was so pathetic that Andrew McCarthy is so bitter, it was pretty obvious that the rest of them were just trying to be kind to him but didn’t feel the same way. Most had fantastic careers (hello Rob Lowe), Andrew did not. Big whine fest, embarrassing. The term brat pack made them famous at the time.

It was uncomfortable to watch him interact with some of them - for me, the energy between him & Emilio Estevez especially felt like 'Is this interview over yet?' almost right from the start. Even those who were beyond gracious you could feel something just sitting there.

I felt like Andrew lined every bit of that up with anger or frustration about the use of Brat Pack, even a few not wanting to revisit, when it seemed like some of it was a lack of connection to him himself. And I am not sure if he got that at all. But as a viewer it felt palpable & uncomfortable to see.

----------
All separate from enjoying the flashbacks & remembering the absolute impact of that era. I mean we regularly lined up for movies. Laughing. And some of them were sold out. The horror.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I thought Andrew McCarthy was whining and complaining about the whole thing. I never viewed it as a career killer, but then I'm not the actor(s) that this happened to. There were other people he interviewed, not actors but producers, casting directors, etc. and one lady who had dark hair said she (I don't remember her exact words) but took it more as flattery than insult. I thought, back in the day, it was cool, they were cool. I guess it's all how you look at it.

 

[gmi3804]

Poor Andrew. Trying to get perceived groupies to his hotel room. Guess he got turned down too many times. No sympathy for him, the pig.

The others, I can understand the frustration of being derailed by stereotypes of how their careers should go. Matthew Broderick escaped pretty cleanly, with dramatic roles and a thriving Broadway career.

I remember hearing about Neve Campbell, whose first love, and area of study, was ballet, who got cast in Scream and from then on was only considered for those types of roles. But she's a dancer first!