The women of “Pretty in Pink” deserved better

Cinematic exposition is a tricky thing. When we watch movies, we’re being plunked into a story already in progress. And unless you’re watching some outré arthouse film allowed to play by its own rules, there’s a finite amount of time for the director to communicate the essential building blocks of their story that are necessary for the viewer’s enjoyment. Done right, narrative exposition will tell an audience everything that they need to know about a character, while leaving just enough room for curiosity to take hold.