Sixteen Candles (1984) — Screenplay
On her forgotten sixteenth birthday, a teen endures family chaos and a geek's obsession while chasing her crush, hoping for a miracle before the day ends.
- Written by
- John Hughes
- Genre
- Comedy, Romance
- Studio
- Universal Pictures, Channel Productions
- Length
- 122 pages
Study how John Hughes balances laugh-out-loud set pieces with a disarmingly tender voice, toggling between broad teen comedy and intimate character beats. The script’s rapid-fire dialogue and ensemble pacing, from the frantic family breakfast to the school-day antics, offer a masterclass in comedic timing and romantic tension. A must-read for crafting relatable, chaotic coming-of-age stories.
Read the full Sixteen Candles (1984) screenplay in PDF, page by page, right here on Laper — or download the original script to study John Hughes’s scene work, dialogue and structure at your own pace. A free resource for screenwriters and film students learning Hollywood script format.