"Peggy Sue Got Married," released in 1986 and starring Kathleen Turner, centers around a woman whose marriage is falling apart due to infidelity. Peggy Sue goes to her high school reunion and faints when given an award. When she wakes up, she finds herself back in high school with a chance to avoid repeating her mistakes. Peggy Sue desperately tries to avoid her relationship with Charlie, her husband, and even has a beautiful night with one of the class rebels. In the end, however, she realizes she was destined to end up with Charlie and wakes up in the hospital with him by her side. The moral of the story: your fate can't be changed; it's destiny.
Released in 1996, starring Timothy Hutton and an all-star cast, "Beautiful Girls" is about a musician who's recently cooled off his relationship and has come home for his high school reunion. When Hutton returns, he finds many of his friends struggle with the same relationship problems he does. One married couple suffers from infidelity because the husband has never gotten over his high school sweetheart. Hutton even finds himself smitten with the 12-year-old girl next door, played by Natalie Portman. This high school reunion movie sends the message that when people fall in love with ideals, they can never measure up to reality, and many people refuse to see the real love that's right in front of them.
John Cusack stars in this 1997 high school reunion movie about a hit man assigned a job in his own hometown. It turns out, Cusack's hit will be happening at the same time as his high school reunion. When he returns, he reconnects with Minnie Driver, a former flame, who hosts a radio show. Sparks fly between Cusack and Driver. At the reunion itself, Cusack begins to question his choices in life and ends up realizing that the target is Driver's father. Blending humor with action and violence, "Grosse Point Blank" reflects on examining the paths chosen in life, and changing them when the time comes.
"Romy and Michele's High School Reunion," released in 1997, is a quirky comedy starring Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow. The two woman, who were "nothings" in high school, have returned to show that things don't always turn out as expected. Romy and Michelle storm onto the scene with confidence and style, claiming they're the inventors of "post-it" notes. Unfortunately, their success story is a lie; they're roommates who don't even have boyfriends. In this film, it's clear that pretending to be what you aren't isn't the way to go.