“But definitely, of those movies, I would say Pretty in Pink is my favourite.”

He doesn’t think he’s as hunky as Fabio is. “Women don’t look at me like I’m Fabio; they look at me like I’m Duckie from Pretty In Pink.”

Blaine (Andrew McCarthy) has been blowing Andie (Molly Ringwald) off. She calls him and he won’t pick up. This was before texting so you could still pretend you weren’t home when people were trying to reach you. Andie confronts him at the lockers. “What about Prom, Blaine?” Blaine tries to pull some bullshit and pretends he asked somebody else. “Say it, just say it, Blaine. You’re ashamed to be seen with me. You’re ashamed to go out with me.” I loved this scene, because I secretly believed I was like Andie. Born on the wrong side of the tracks. Creative, honest and completely misunderstood. Andrew McCarthy does a good job crying in this scene, and that helps with the overall sadness quotient. I love John Hughes. I miss John Hughes.

Gerwig is a big fan of John Hughes and has said that Pretty in Pink was an influence on Lady Bird (the dress Saoirse Ronan wears to prom is an overt homage to the film).