Some Kind of Wonderful: The 1987 Film and Soul Classic

Few phrases carry two separate cultural lives as neatly as “Some Kind of Wonderful” — for 80s teen drama fans, it’s the John Hughes-scripted film starring Eric Stoltz; for soul music lovers, it’s a 1967 single by the Soul Brothers Six. This article looks at both the movie’s famous lines, its critical reception, and the song that started it all.

Release year: 1987 ·
Director: Howard Deutch ·
Box office: $18.5 million ·
Original song artist: Soul Brothers Six ·
Song year: 1967

Among the key details about the film and song, these stand out:

What is the famous line from Some Kind of Wonderful?

What is the most iconic quote from the movie?

The most frequently cited line from the film is “I’ve been in love with you my whole life,” delivered by the character Watts. The line appears in the film’s climactic scene and has become a touchstone for 80s teen movie romance, according to IMDb quotes.

Who said “I’ve been in love with you my whole life”?

Mary Stuart Masterson, playing the tomboyish drummer Watts, says the line to Eric Stoltz’s character Keith. The moment is often remembered as one of the most heartfelt confessions in the John Hughes canon.

The implication: this single quote has outlived many other aspects of the film, becoming its most enduring cultural reference.

Is Some Kind of Wonderful a good movie?

What do critics say?

The film has a mixed-to-positive critical history. It belongs to the teen romance/coming-of-age cycle that John Hughes pioneered in the 1980s, as noted by Encyclopaedia Britannica. While it never achieved the box-office heights of “Pretty in Pink” or “The Breakfast Club,” it has earned a loyal cult following. Check current critic and audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

What is the audience score?

On IMDb, the film holds a rating that reflects its continued popularity among audiences who grew up with it (IMDb page).

The pattern: the film’s moderate box office and enduring cult status show how a well-crafted teen drama can find its audience over time.

Who originally did Some Kind of Wonderful?

Who sang the original version?

The original recording was by the Soul Brothers Six, an R&B group formed in Rochester, New York, in the mid-1960s (Wikipedia). The song “(She’s) Some Kind of Wonderful” was recorded in 1967 with John Ellison on lead vocals (YouTube upload description).

What is the history of the song?

The single became a regional hit in Philadelphia and reached the national Top 100, which helped the band secure a recording contract with Atlantic Records (Popdose music blog). Later, Grand Funk Railroad turned the song into a major hit with their version, cementing its place in rock history (Encyclopaedia Britannica).

What this means: the song’s journey from regional R&B to rock standard illustrates how cover versions can amplify an original’s reach.

The implication: while many facts are well-documented, the phrase’s open-endedness contributes to its enduring appeal across both film and music.

The pattern: each quote captures the emotional core of its respective work — one a confession of love, the other a celebration of admiration.

The dual legacy of “Some Kind of Wonderful” means that the phrase continues to evoke two distinct worlds: a 1987 teen drama about high school romance and a 1967 soul classic that defined an era. For a new listener discovering the Soul Brothers Six original, the 1987 film is just one reason the song endures — the melody and groove stand on their own. For movie fans, the song’s title gives the film an extra layer of meaning, and both the film’s iconic confession and the song’s enduring groove deliver on that promise of something wonderful.