MovieChat Forums > Some Kind of Wonderful (1987) Discussion > Keith's entire life savings bought earri...

Keith's entire life savings bought earrings?!?!

posted 13 years ago by True_Love
18 replies | jump to latest

I love this movie. It's in my top 5 favorites of all time!

But there's still just one thing I don't get. We know Keith saved up enough money for his first year's tuition. I don't know what tuition was like in 1987, but let's say it was $10,000 - $15,000 for the first year (depending on which college he was going to attend). It seemed like Keith had been working and saving up money for a while... from the way Keith and his dad have spoken. Plus his interest growth added to his total savings.

So he spent all that money JUST to buy those earrings?!?! I wouldn't say a pair of diamond earrings equals today's YEARLY college tuition!

[–] lnternet_explorer 13 years ago

he also bought/rented that car.

[–] True_Love 13 years ago

Isn't that the car he was fixing up at the garage? I think he took it without permission, no?

[–] Washingtonnative (2613) 5 years ago

Yep, he swiped the car!

[–] apbryant 8 years ago

And paid for the meal at that expensive restaurant, plus paying off the guard at the bandshell and at the art gallery.

[–] DenLilleHavfrue85 13 years ago

I can appreciate this movie as a John Hughes 80's teen movie now that I'm older, but ironically I hated this movie when I was around 12 and saw it on TV because I thought it was ridiculous. He spends all of this money on a chick that he doesn't even know who he thinks is setting him up to get his face smashed in?

"I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful."

[–] erikriveros 12 years ago

it is the car that he was working on in the shop and i too think he took it without permission

it is better to have a gun and not need it, than to need a gun and not have it

[–] lil_miss_independent92 11 years ago

It's not only for the chick....remember? It's also to get everyone back who had more money and power than he did...he wanted to feel what it was like....that was HIM using HER.

"In Vino Veritas"

[–] Cloudburst2000 12 years ago

Well, you are WAY WAY overpriced for college tuition in 1987. It probably would have been around $2000 maybe even less given which state it was. I went to college in 1993 to a state college and my tuition was no where near 10000-15000. That was the price for going to a nice private school. I think my tuition was around $2500. College prices have soared since the mid-1990s so $10,000-15,000 is way to high for a state college tuition in 1987. So Keith probably bought a pair of earrings valued at around $1000. He also had to rent the car and pay for other various things for the date. And since Keith earned the money, it was his to do with as he pleased. I wouldn't have spent it on earrings for a girl I barely knew. If he wasn't going to college (which he seemed pretty adamant about), he probably should have saved it to buy a used car. No way was Watts' car lasting much longer. But in the end, it was Keith's money so it was his choice how to use it.

[–] patkav6 11 years ago

Not sure if it was mentioned but he also took her to an expensive dinner, he had a nice suit that may have been new and the rental car. I'm sure he still had a few bucks left over. The idea was that most of his bank roll was gone.

[–] bmoviebimbo 11 years ago

He also bought a monkey suit, and took her out for a nice meal in a restaurant where everyone else seemed to have drivers, so I'm guessing even though he ordered a hamburger, it was a pricy one.

[–] jgroub 8 years ago

Not to mention two servings of beluga caviar - which is $100 an ounce or somesuch.

I want the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.

[–] lil_miss_independent92 11 years ago

He also brought Amanda to a fancy dinner...

"In Vino Veritas"

[–] karchad 9 years ago

he bought Amanda earrings, used his entire life savings, and thought it was a setup to make him look stupid! What kind of moron is Eric Stoltz! "Hmmm, these guys and girls think I'm a moron, but I'll show them, I'll spend all my money on the girl who's setting me up!" Yep, makes sense to me.

[–] benilana 8 years ago

I was in college then, and tuition for a state university in California (where the movie is set) was about $5-8k/year including room & board. And the car was "borrowed" from his shop. I loved this movie, but it always bugged me that he bought those earrings, and that Watts wanted them. Watching it now (literally; it's on tv) and reading some of the comments, I can see the earrings to be more of a symbolic middle finger to the rich kids as well as to his dad's college dreams.

[–] desrozenko 8 years ago

Keith clearly didn't go to Jared.

I thought you came up here to have a nervous breakdown. ..I decided not to have one.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]