20+ Iconic The Breakfast Club Quotes That Will Even Make Detention Better

Georgia Stone
Dec 12, 2023 By Georgia Stone
Originally Published on Jan 08, 2021
Edited by Luca Demetriou
The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American teen coming of age comedy drama film

'The Breakfast Club' has been one of the most groundbreaking movies for the '90s generation.

Wrought with pop references and a bit too familiar for the teenage audience of that time, the movie has been iconic in all its aspects. Starring heavyweights like Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, 'The Breakfast Club' is a realistic symbol of all things teenage.

Made in '85, this John Hughes movie is a quintessential '80s movie. The story revolves around five high school students who land up in Saturday detention due to various reasons.

Through the course of nine hours and a pressing deadline for a soul-searching essay, the students discover their struggles, their friendship, and the fact that they have more things in common than they would have ever guessed.

Like the movie, the dialogues from this film are iconic too, and therefore, we bring you some of the extraordinary quotes from the movie. You could also check out inspirational quotes from 'The Breakfast Club'.

If you like what you read check out: 80s movie quotes and Ferris Bueller quotes.

Relatable 'The Breakfast Club' Movie Quotes

One thing that the audience of the beloved movie cannot deny is that this movie gave us a lot of things to relate to. Right from the high school setting to the struggles of the characters. Here are some of the quotes that you can relate to.

1. "Brian Johnson: Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you’re crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are…

Andrew Clark: ...and an athlete...

Allison Reynolds: ...and a basket case...

Claire Standish: ...a princess...

John Bender: ...and a criminal...

Brian Johnson: Does that answer your question?... Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club."

-'The Breakfast Club'.

2. "I don't have to run away and live in the street. I can run away and go to the ocean, I can go to the country, I can go to the mountains. I could go to Israel, Africa, Afghanistan."

- Allison Reynolds.

3. “Claire Standish: I hate it. I hate having to go along with everything my friends say.

Brian Johnson: Well then why do you do it?

Claire Standish: I don't know, I don't--you don't understand...you don't. You're not friends with the same kind of people that Andy and I are friends with! You know, you just don't understand the pressure that they can put on you!"

-'The Breakfast Club'.

4. “Allison: You wanna know what I did to get in here? Nothing… I didn’t have anything better to do."

Allison: You're laughing at me!

Andrew: No...!

Allison: Yes, you are!"

-'The Breakfast Club'.

5. “I could disappear forever and it wouldn’t make any difference.”

– John Bender.

6. “Andrew Clark: My God, are we gonna be like our parents?

Claire Standish: Not me...ever.”

– 'The Breakfast Club'.

7. “We’re all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it; that’s all.”

– Andrew Clark.

8. “Allison Reynolds: When you grow up, your heart dies.

John Bender: Who cares?

Allison Reynolds: I do.”

-'The Breakfast Club'.

9. "You think he's funny? You think this is cute?... You go visit John Bender in five years. You'll see how goddamned funny he is."

-Richard Vernon on John Bender.

10. "You see us as you want to see us—in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain...and an athlete...and a basket case...a princess...and a criminal. Does that answer your question?"

-Brian Johnson to Richard Vernon.

11. "Brian Johnson: Like, when I step outside myself kinda, and when I, when I look in at myself, you know? And I see me and I don't like what I see, I really don't.

Claire: What's wrong with you? Why don't you like yourself?

Brian: 'Cause I'm stupid...'cause I'm failing shop!"

-'The Breakfast Club'.

12. "You ought to spend a little more time trying to make something of yourself and a little less time trying to impress people."

—Richard Vernon to John Bender.

'The Breakfast Club' Quotes For A Good Laugh

This movie seemed to have it all. The drama, the reliability and then the comedy too. We bring to you a collection of funny quotes form the film so that you can have a laugh at them (maybe while in detention). Characters like Barry Manilow, John Hughes, John Bender, Richard Vernon will surely make you laugh your heart out.

13. "Does Barry Manilow know that you raid his wardrobe?"

- John Bender to Richard Vernon.

14. "Don't mess with the bull, young man."

- Richard Vernon to John Bender.

15. "Two hits. Me hitting you. You hitting the floor."

- Andrew Clark To John Bender.

16. "Richard Vernon: Jesus Christ Almighty! What in God's name is going on in here? What was that ruckus?

Andrew Clark: Uh, what ruckus?

Richard Vernon: I was just in my office and I heard a ruckus.

Brian Johnson: Could you describe the ruckus, Sir?"

- 'The Breakfast Club'.

17. “It is now 7:06. You have exactly 8 hours and 54 minutes to think about why you are here – to ponder the error of your ways.”

– Richard Vernon to the students in detention.

18. "Brian Johnson: Did you know without trigonometry, there'd be no engineering?

John Bender: Without lamps, there'd be no light."

- 'The Breakfast Club'.

19. "Brian Johnson: You know, there's not supposed to be any monkey business.

John Bender: Young man, have you finished your paper?."

-'The Breakfast Club'.

20. "Andrew Clark: Why do you need a fake ID?

Brian Johnson: To vote."

-'The Breakfast Club'.

21. "Being bad feels pretty good, huh?"

—John Bender to Claire Standish.

22. "Brian Johnson: I'm a freaking idiot because I can't make a lamp?

John Bender: No. You're a genius because you can't make a lamp."

-'The Breakfast Club'.

23. "Claire Standish: Do you know how popular I am? I am so popular. Everybody loves me so much at this school.

John Bender: Poor baby."

-'The Breakfast Club'.

24. "John Bender: So you just stick to the things you know. Shopping, nail polish, your father's BMW and your poor, rich, drunk mother in the Caribbean!

Claire Standish: Shut Up!"

-'The Breakfast Club'.

25. "Claire Standish: Claire. It's a family name.

John Bender: Oh, it's a fat girl's name."

-'The Breakfast Club'.

26. "John Bender: Well, Brian, this is a very nutritious lunch. All the food groups are represented. Did your mom marry Mr. Rogers?

Brian Johnson: Uh, no. Mr. Johnson."

-'The Breakfast Club'.

27. "John Bender: Remember how you said your parents use you to get back at each other?

Claire Standish: Yes.

John Bender: Wouldn't I be outstanding in that capacity?"

-'The Breakfast Club'.

28. "Richard Vernon: Why did that door close?

Claire Standish: I think the screw fell out, sir.

Richard Vernon: Who took the screw? Bender, where's the screw?

John Bender: I don't have it, sir

Richard Vernon: Don't lie to me!

John Bender: I'm not lying! Screws fall out, the world is an imperfect place!"

-'The Breakfast Club'.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 'The Breakfast Club' quotes then why not take a look at 'Grease' quotes, or 'Footloose' quotes.

‍Maine Image Editorial credit: Blueee77 / Shutterstock.com

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Written by Georgia Stone

Bachelor of Arts specializing in French with Film Studies, Bachelor of Arts (Year Abroad) specializing in Literature, History, Language, Media, and Art

Georgia Stone picture

Georgia StoneBachelor of Arts specializing in French with Film Studies, Bachelor of Arts (Year Abroad) specializing in Literature, History, Language, Media, and Art

Georgia is an experienced Content Manager with a degree in French and Film Studies from King's College London and Bachelors degree from Université Paris-Sorbonne. Her passion for exploring the world and experiencing different cultures was sparked during her childhood in Switzerland and her year abroad in Paris. In her spare time, Georgia enjoys using London's excellent travel connections to explore further afield.

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