Converse "Millie Bobby Brown" (2017) 1:15 (USA)

Converse taps Stranger Things' Millie Bobby Brown to delve into the world of Converse in movies. Well specifically, The Breakfast Club and Back To The Future. Because either Converse hasn't been in that many movies, or they didn't want to pay to license any more films. Apparently this is the first in a series of content starring the one we know better as Eleven and the iconic footwear brand. Brown has presence and charisma as always, but the spot's not really doing much beyond borrowing interest from today's culture as well as from yesterday. Granted, Converse has always done that, so it's to be expected. And I guess that's my problem with it. There's nothing new here. If anything if feels more like a sixty second segment you'd see on a reality show rather than a commercial.
Although the editing is close to batshit crazy, there are some nice stylistic moments here and there. The point about footwear making the film character is valid. And it's nice to see Ally Sheedy again. Those of us who were alive when the movie came out wish she hadn't cleaned up her look for Emilio Estevez, but it was the 80's after all and you were meant to conform. Millie Bobby Brown probably wouldn't know that though, since she was born in 2004. Her concept of the 80's is missing those cultural contexts which is why she is relegated to saying quasi-intelligent things like "Film characters in Chucks, they’re the ones you're rooting for." Costume designer Stephanie Collie who has worked on 52 films and was definitely alive in the 80's could have shed some more interesting perspective on that Yuppie decade. But then we wouldn't have such deep insight from an twelve-year old to ponder and it's more important for Netflix to have a Stranger Things 2 tie-in. Makes you wonder why Winona Ryder wasn't included here; here first movie was in 1986 after all.
Regardless, can we please end the love affair with the 80's now?

Client: Nike (Converse)