Andrew McCarthy’s new documentary is ‘brat summer’ canon

In the years since actor Andrew McCarthy was labeled a member of the Brat Pack — a moniker coined by journalist David Blum to describe a certain omnipresent group of actors who worked primarily in 1980s teen comedies — he has proven himself adept not just on stage and screen, but as an accomplished TV director and best-selling author. His books include: Walking with Sam: A Father, a Son, and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain and Brats: An ‘80s Story. But McCarthy still struggled to come to terms with the “Brat Pack” label. This struggle ultimately led him to his latest project, the Hulu documentary Brats. The very personal film follows McCarthy as he tracks down and interviews other members of the Pack about how the label impacted their lives and careers. This includes Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, and Demi Moore. McCarthy tells The Treatment that it was a process for him to see the label as not just something that boxed him in as an actor, but something that brought joy to many people. He says he hopes viewers will enjoy the ‘80s nostalgia of the film, but also see something of themselves in his conflict. And he talks about how fun it was to use some seriously iconic ‘80s music in his film.