1987

1987

Year: 2014

Runtime: 105 mins

Language: French

ComedyDrama

Seventeen-year-old Ricardo navigates a summer filled with teenage ambitions: losing his virginity, gaining access to bars, and acquiring a car, all while spending time with his friends. Driven to quickly earn money, he decides to leverage his Italian inheritance and resorts to criminal activity as a shortcut. However, his plans quickly spiral out of control, leading to unforeseen consequences.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – 1987 (2014)

Trace every key event in 1987 (2014) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Ricardo's teenage life and a forbidden crush

In 1987, 17-year-old Ricardo navigates teen life with a crush on Sarah while juggling a girlfriend named Marie-Josée. He has a car and spends weekends partying with his three friends, often getting drunk. The year marks the start of a reckless streak that drives his decisions.

1987
2

Opening an underage bar after graduation

After they fail to enter a bar following graduation, Ricardo decides to open one for underage teens. He takes on responsibility for the venture and pushes forward despite the risks. The move pulls him deeper into the nightlife and its consequences.

Post-graduation
3

First night of work goes wrong

On his first night at the new bar, Ricardo is supposed to have sex with Marie-Josée and lose his virginity, but he instead breaks a BMW. The damage burdens the restaurant’s budget and he is fired. An argument with his father leads the latter to start making wine illegally.

First night of work Bar/restaurant
4

Ricardo and friends become thieves

One night Ricardo and his friends discover an expensive radio in a car and steal it to raise money. The theft marks the start of their descent into petty crime. Their new 'career' strains friendships and foreshadows more trouble.

A night after first job In a car
5

Bar entry brings Ricardo closer to Sarah

After finally gaining entry to the bar, Ricardo finds himself drawn closer to Sarah, despite ongoing tensions with Marie-Josée. The growing closeness introduces a tempting but complicated dynamic. The situation foreshadows coming conflicts.

After bar entry Bar
6

Prom day revelations: affair, relocation, NHL

On prom day, Ricardo learns Marie-Josée had an affair with someone from the bar he frequents, leading to a breakup. He also discovers that his bar project has been moved to a nearby region, and a friend has been admitted to the NHL. The day leaves him reeling and rethinking his plans.

Prom day
7

Ricardo pursues revenge with Sarah

To get back at Marie-Josée, Ricardo arranges a date with Sarah. The evening goes awry when Sarah announces her homosexuality, complicating Ricardo's feelings and plans. The moment heightens tensions and uncertainty.

Prom night Date location
8

Confrontation, drinking, and arrest

Ricardo finds Dallaire with Marie-Josée, triggering a confrontation. He drinks from his father’s wine and becomes intoxicated, and the police arrest him after finding the stolen radios. He tries to flee, worsening his predicament.

That night Police/bar vicinity
9

Ricardo blames Dallaire

Believing Dallaire tricked him into pursuing Marie-Josée, Ricardo blames Dallaire for the stolen radios. The accusation strains their fragile friendship and deepens the rift within the group.

That night
10

Morning argument with parents

The next morning, Ricardo quarrels with his parents about his reckless activities and his father's illegal business. Their clash is interrupted when Ricardo’s sister announces that Marie-Josée has called.

Next morning
11

A long bike ride to see Marie-Josée

Ricardo hops on a bike and rides 136 kilometres to Trois-Rivières to have sex with Marie-Josée. The grueling journey underscores his stubborn desire to reconnect, despite the mounting consequences. The trek reveals the depth of his obsession.

That day Trois-Rivières
12

End of the relationship and fading ties

It is later revealed that the relationship has ended after three years, and Ricardo never sees Dallaire again. The trio's friendship dissolves as their paths diverge, leaving Ricardo to reflect on the reckless years of his youth.

3 years later

Last updated: March 04, 2026 at 15:03

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1987 (2014) Timeline Questions Answered – Chronology FAQ

Find frequently asked questions about the 1987 (2014) timeline, including chronological order, nonlinear jumps, cause-and-effect links, and scene sequence clarifications. This timeline FAQ helps explain when key events happen, how moments connect, and why the story unfolds in that specific order.

Q1

Why does Ricardo decide to open an underage bar?

A.

After Ricardo and his friends fail to get into a bar following graduation, he sees an opportunity to create his own venue for underage teens. He views it as a path to independence, quick money, and notoriety among his peers. The plan pulls him deeper into adult nightlife and its consequences.

Earlier scenes show Ricardo constantly trying to access the bar, establishing his obsession with crossing into adult spaces.

underage barRicardograduationillegal bar
Q2

What triggers Ricardo to start committing crimes?

A.

After Ricardo is fired from the bar for accidentally damaging a BMW, he loses his job and faces pressure to earn money quickly. When he and his friends discover an expensive radio in a car, they steal it hoping to cash in. This theft marks the start of their descent into petty crime, driven by financial desperation and teenage recklessness.

The firing and argument with his father create financial pressure that pushes Ricardo toward desperate measures.

theftradiocrimeRicardofriends
Q3

Why does Ricardo blame Dallaire for the stolen radios?

A.

Believing that Dallaire tricked him into pursuing Marie-Josée while she was unfaithful, Ricardo lashes out and accuses Dallaire of setting him up. The accusation strains their already fragile friendship and represents Ricardo deflecting blame for his own poor decisions onto someone else.

Earlier tension between Ricardo and Dallaire builds as both pursue Marie-Josée, creating rivalry that explodes into blame.

Dallaireblamestolen radiosfriendship
Q4

Why does Ricardo ride his bike 136 km to Trois-Rivières?

A.

After learning Marie-Josée has been unfaithful and facing mounting consequences for his reckless behavior, Ricardo rides his bike for three hours to Trois-Rivières in a desperate attempt to rekindle their relationship. The grueling journey reveals the depth of his obsession and stubborn refusal to let go, even when the relationship has already collapsed.

Earlier scenes show Ricardo's intense focus on Marie-Josée and his inability to accept rejection.

bike rideTrois-RivièresMarie-Joséerelationship
Q5

Does Ricardo end up with Marie-Josée?

A.

No, Ricardo does not end up with Marie-Josée. Their relationship fades after about three years and they eventually part ways. The film reveals this outcome as part of Ricardo's reflection on his reckless youth and the consequences of his choices.

Multiple betrayals and confrontations throughout the film build toward an inevitable breakup.

Marie-Joséerelationshipbreakupending
Q6

Why does Sara tell Ricardo she's gay?

A.

When Ricardo arranges a date with Sara as revenge against Marie-Josée, Sara reveals she is homosexual during the evening. This deflates Ricardo's expectations and complicates his feelings, as he had been pursuing her while simultaneously dealing with his girlfriend's infidelity.

Earlier scenes hint at Sara being different from other girls Ricardo pursues, though her sexuality is not explicitly foreshadowed.

Sarahomosexualitydaterevelation
Q7

What leads to Ricardo's arrest?

A.

After confronting Dallaire about Marie-Josée, Ricardo drinks heavily from his father's illegal wine. Police arrest him when they discover the stolen radios in his possession. Ricardo attempts to flee, which worsens his predicament and leads to formal charges.

The theft of the radios and Ricardo's pattern of reckless decisions build toward this inevitable confrontation with law enforcement.

arreststolen radiospolicewine
Q8

Why does Ricardo's father start making illegal wine?

A.

After Ricardo is fired from the bar and causes damage to a BMW that burdens the restaurant's budget, he gets into a heated argument with his father. Following this quarrel, his father turns to illegal wine production as a precarious backup plan to support the family financially.

The argument between Ricardo and his father directly precedes the father's decision to pursue illegal activity.

fatherillegal winefinancial problemsargument
Q9

What happens to Ricardo and Dallaire's friendship?

A.

Ricardo never sees Dallaire again after the events of that summer. Their friendship dissolves completely, representing one of the lasting negative consequences of Ricardo's reckless decisions and his tendency to blame others for his own mistakes.

The escalating rivalry over Marie-Josée and Ricardo's accusation about the stolen radios foreshadow the permanent breakdown of their friendship.

Dallairefriendshipseparationnever see again
Q10

What happens to Ricardo's friend who makes it to the NHL?

A.

On prom day, Ricardo learns that one of his friends has been admitted to the NHL. This adds another layer of complexity to the story, showing how different paths are emerging for Ricardo and his friends as they graduate. While the film doesn't detail the friend's trajectory, it contrasts with Ricardo's downward spiral.

Earlier scenes establish the group of friends with different ambitions and talents, making the NHL achievement a logical plot development.

NHLfriendpromgraduationdreams
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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about teenage mistakes like 1987

Impulsive adolescent decisions lead to messy, small-scale consequences.Explore other films where teenage characters make impulsive, often criminal, choices in search of quick money or status, only to face messy consequences. If you liked watching Ricardo's summer spiral out of control in 1987, you'll find similar stories of youthful rebellion and hard lessons here.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically follow a young protagonist who, driven by ambition or frustration, engages in increasingly risky behavior. Their initial success is short-lived, leading to a cascade of complications involving friends, family, and authority figures, culminating in a sobering but not devastating conclusion.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a specific tone of bittersweet nostalgia, where the thrill of rebellion is tempered by the inevitable consequences. They capture the high-intensity, fast-paced energy of adolescence, focusing on the immediate drama of poor decisions and their formative impact.

Bittersweet chaotic summer movies like 1987

Stories where a turbulent summer adventure culminates in a reflective, mixed-feeling conclusion.Find more movies about transformative, chaotic summers that end with a mix of regret and nostalgia. If you enjoyed the fast-paced, impulsive energy and bittersweet ending of 1987, these selections feature similar journeys of teenage ambition, friendship, and consequences.

chaoticnostalgicreflectiveteenageadventurousrecklessbittersweetsummer

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a condensed period—often a summer—where the protagonist's life accelerates through a series of self-inflicted crises. Subplots around friendship, romance, and ambition intertwine and collide, leading to a climax that forces introspection and a mature, albeit wistful, understanding of their actions.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their specific blend of a fast-paced, high-energy narrative with a medium-complexity plot and a distinctly bittersweet emotional resolution. They share a mood of nostalgic chaos, where the consequences feel both deserved and formative.

Unlock the Full Story of 1987

Don't stop at just watching - explore 1987 in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending - every page helps you truly understand what 1987 is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

1987 Summary

Read a complete plot summary of 1987, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

1987 Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in 1987

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape 1987. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning - ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in 1987

1987 Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of 1987 that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

1987 Spoiler-Free Summary

More About 1987

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about 1987: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links - all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About 1987