Passable in Pink

by Mike Sacks

in Pink is the latest book from best-selling author Mike Sacks ( And Here's the Kicker, Poking a Dead Frog, Stinker Lets Loose ). Passable in Pink deftly sends up the 1980s and John Hughes movies while addressing the vital Will Addy Stevenson go to the senior prom?Addy is suffering through her sophomore year at suburban Chicago's Northridge High. She lives on the "wrong" side of the lake with her father, a struggling advertising copywriter ("Where the hell is the goddamn beef?") and her ever-boozy mom ("Get me another drink, baby, and really make it sing."). Addy's younger brother, Spaz, her soon-to-marry older sister, Princess, and a visiting international transfer student add to the mix.Her world is turned upside down when she meets Roland McDough, the "most beautiful Richie boy" at Northridge High. Is he actually interested in Addy, or is he just playing a game?Are you ready to jump back into the cool, neon-glazed, high-topped reality of the 1980s? Do you miss those kick-ass tubular synth-rockin' sounds and delicious phantasma-gaseous smells? When was the last time you put on your Members Only jacket and danced the Safety Dance?A loving send-up of a bygone era, this is one book in which Every Breath You Take will remind you of How You Used to Be.

Genres: Audiobook, Fiction, Young Adult, Humor, Comedy

272 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2020

Reviews

[Stefanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got about halfway through and gave up. Completely unfunny- just a knock off of a mash-up of 80s movies (Sixteen Candles, Pretty In Pink, Ferris Buehler...). Disappointed- terrible even with good cast and even if you love the 80s.

[Stacey Kennedy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't understand how this isn't copyright infringement- or maybe John Hughes' family gave permission for this book to be produced (altho I doubt it.) This is a poor Sixteen Candles knock off. The family lines up with Sam's family (down to the 'princess' older sister marrying an Italian guy speedy quick and a Chinese exchange student Long Love Wang aka Long Duck Dong). There is also an Anthony Michael Hall 'Geek' character (Grimer) following Addy - Sam around like a puppy and the cool rich kid love interest that was Jake. It is ridiculous! How could this be sold as an original of any kind? It isn't. Disappointed.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's one joke in this entire script: (spoiler alert) it's hahaha aren't 80's movies stupid?, as if being made by a cynical twenty-year-old who's watched _Pretty In Pink_ and looked at his mom's yearbook and therefore knows all of the decade and can totally be funny while making fun of it.

Which was funny. For about the first ten minutes. For the next five hours, this joke/premise is dragged into the town square, beaten to death, resurrected and then beaten in six other town squares until it's not so much interesting as it is like a pathetic injustice that you feel you must witness so that it never happens again.

I'm giving it a star for some obscure 80's references, even if those references were twisted and abused.

I wish I could have my five hours back.

[Mel Kenney · Rating 1 out of 5]

Such a disappointment. There is not one single original thought in Passable in Pink... even the title reminds me of Pretty in Pink. I'm surprised that Cameron Crowe (Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and John Hughes (Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Pretty in Pink, and Breakfast Club) has not knocked Mike Sacks with a lawsuit for stealing their stories.

The only reason I finished listening is because I made a game out of identifying the audiobook scene with the above movies.

I do not recommend. It totally missed the mark.

[Holly Corson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible. Unoriginal. Let's just mix up 80's teen movies and copy their story lines almost word for word. I thought the narrators and music were terrible. Do not waste your time.

[Cassandra Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

The weirdest combination of late 70’s-80’s movies rolled into one story. Kind of like a car crash, you really want to stop reading, but can’t help yourself 😆😆

[Kristy Mills · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is this what actors were doing during the covid quarantine?

The narration was great. And the beginning really had me intrigued. I was excited about it. I LOVE 80’s movies. I realize this was making fun of them and at first I was enjoying it. But all the cliche’s and references to every John Hughes movie ever made, got old.

I’m really liking this style of audiobook, with a cast of narrators, it’s fun to listen to. But a typical movie is about 2 hours, this was almost 6, and I just got tired of it. About half way through I was ready for it to be over. It was supposed to be funny, but it was not my kind of humor. I thought it was dumb, and the same jokes were made over and over.

[Val · Rating 3 out of 5]

It suppose to be a sweet love teen 80s reflection but it won’t be funny if you aren’t a fan of the 80s/80s movies. I truly dig the sound effects in the background in order to picture the surroundings but the story wasn’t what I thought it would be. It did try to give that sense of humor about the 1980s...I giggle every now and then. Soon enough, the sense of humor got old towards the end.

[Jamie Dyer Colman · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was every John Hughes’ flick and every bad teenage drama, after school special, and terrible decision of the 80s combined. The satire was not lost on me as it unfortunately was on others who have reviewed this book. It was just ridiculous enough that it was still bitchin’. Not grody at all, okay?!

[Scott Erickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very funny book, laughs on every page (sometimes TWO on a page). An absurdist parody of John Hughes films - most specifically "Pretty in Pink." I'm not hugely into those films, so I probably missed a lot of references and in-jokes. But no matter, because the humor transcended parody. The humor was both silly and smart, which is a great combination.

[Les Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good laugh from beginning to end, a great send up of ‘80s teen movies in general and John Hughes films in particular. Judging by some of the other reviews, the satire was so on the nose that some readers/listeners didn’t realize it was satire. The title should make that obvious, but…

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, this book will appeal to a certain subset of Gen-Xers who liked John Hughes movies but cringe at them—mostly—now. The cast is great in the audiobook. The story makes no damned sense, but it’s not supposed to. The characters are utterly vapid, but they’re supposed to be.

[Jen L MyF · Rating 1 out of 5]

It missed the mark!

I anticipated an ironic 80s teen movie and this didn’t deliver.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

End was a little anti-climactic, but every 80s teen movie spoofed made for an amazing listen.

[Dianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

*1.5⭐️

listen. i'm not saying this production was awful i'm just saying that it's the audiobook equivalent of 'this meeting should've been an email'. this audiobook that inexplicably dragged on for almost 6 hours should've been a quick and tight satirical short story.

(or even better: this comedic audiobook that was so tedious to get through it took me six months and the decision to delete my audible account to actually finish it should've been a three minute college humor sketch on youtube in 2011)

[Marc Steiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun with flaws

As promised, this bizarre semi retro novel spoofs quite effectively the John Hughes teen comedies of the 1980s. As one would suspect, this includes problematic caricatures, thin subplots, unrealistic situations, quirky music and unusual fashion. There is some sag in the middle, some odd choices throughout, and multiply repeated jokes.

Enjoyable but a caveat that it is best for those with familiarity with the material, music, and era it satires.

[Lizz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a story scraped together for reasons that are entirely unclear to me, from the remains of every John Hughes movie, plus Freaks and Geeks, and maybe Revenge of the Nerds. Not unenjoyable, but also not good. And for the love of god will someone tell the 1980s they don’t need three adjectives in every sentence.

That said, team yoids for life.

[Keith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I could not finish this book.

A celebration of petulance and snobbery, I just couldn't finish any more. Usually I pass on such a book and would never start it, but the introduction reminded me of the movie Pretty in Pink. I thought I would be reading something more similar to that classic 80s film.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, quick listen on audible. For lovers of the John Hughes' 80s films, this is right up your alley. Fun references to lots of 80's pop culture. Story mimics that of Pretty in Pink. Not terrific but "passable".

[Shannon Karcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehhh... it’s got a few moments that made me think, “Oh! That’s such and such 80s movie!” But really, it was something I trudged through just to finish. The cast was great and now I want to go listen to some Sioux and the Banshees but other than that it was nit all that great.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened on Audible and the narrators were outstanding! There were some laugh out loud moments and fun music interspersed throughout. After a while I got tired of the story so I think two hours would have kept my attention but it started to drag a bit towards the end

[Niki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written I think to try and remind us of all of classic movies from the 80's. Girl from the wrong side of the tracks, hot popular shows interest in her, screws her over. How will she survive? It isn't a book that I would recommend with so many other options.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to love this, but it was meh. It wasn't funny enough nor ironic enough. It felt awkward (maybe the point.) I laughed a few times and overall enjoyed it, but it fell short. The narrators also felt and sounded super old (which may have been the point as well.)

[Catherine Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very funny book, but I didn't finish it because it kind of falls into a rut, in my opinion. Once I had read and appreciated about half of this, I just gave it up. It's one joke; a very funny joke, but only one.

[Sairah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I am a John Hughes fan so found this parody mashup entertaining. Made me laugh out loud several times.
Light and fun to listen to.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun play on 80’s teen drama. Awesome cast. Okay story.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book. If you’re a child of the 80s and in love with all things John Hughes, you’ll enjoy this spoof of a tale. There’s dark humor and good music along the way.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book ended ok, but it pokes fun of all the 80s classic movies...

[Carmen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of sad about this one. Addie was downright annoying. I thought I would enjoy the throwback to the 80s but it was an exact mesh of all the brat pack movies.