Wrong Side of the Tracks: Some Kind of Wonderful

Where Some Kind Of Wonderful begins

The first scene we see in Some Kind of Wonderful is Watts playing the drums — already fighting the status quo. And there it is: that huge red heart painted on her drum. Loud. Visible. Unapologetic.

Then we see Keith walking on literal train tracks. And Amanda’s house right next to them. The movie is basically shouting at us: wrong side of the tracks. It’s obvious. Almost too obvious. But we get the point.

Amanda isn’t technically one of the rich kids, but she’s pretty, popular, and dating the rich guy — so she’s basically part of that world. Guilty by association. We see Keith staring at her and it’s clear there’s a crush there.

But this blog isn’t really about Keith.

The Underdog

When we first see Watts — that short haircut, bleach blonde on top and dark underneath, red fingerless gloves with fringe on the side, ripped jeans, white tank, black leather jacket, drumsticks in hand — she oozes confidence.

She walks tall. Has attitude. Doesn’t need approval.

We see that sass right away in her back-and-forth with the bad boy, Duncan — and she doesn’t flinch for a second. She gives it right back. Calls him a wimp with that sharp little delivery only she could pull off.

She doesn’t enter the movie as the love interest.

But we quickly realize there’s something simmering underneath.

That’s when it stops feeling like loyalty and starts looking like a crush.

The Locker Room

And then there’s the locker room scene.

You can feel her self — consciousness as she looks around the locker room, silently comparing herself to the other girls. Like most of us back then, she's just trying to figure out where she fits. It’s a short scene, but it tells you everything.

That's high school, I guess.

I definitely saw myself as the ugly duckling back then. No style. Shy. A little awkward. Just doing my best to survive that place.

I didn’t hate myself.

I just didn’t think I was the Amanda Jones type.

Feelings. Unfortunately.

Watts doesn’t care what people think.

Except when it comes to Keith.

At first it feels like she’s losing her best friend more than gaining a crush. But then we see it. The jealousy. The eye-rolls. The smack talk about Amanda.

“Go get your skag, and let’s roll.”

It’s funny. It’s sharp. And it's definitely coming from somewhere.

Then she tells him she can’t be friends anymore. And he just sits there confused. Keith, you’re an idiot.

When she says,

“The only things I care about in this goddamn life are me, and my drums, and you.”

Damn. She basically throws her heart on the table and walks out. And Keith? He just sits there.

I remember being so annoyed with him for not getting it. Watching her cry in that scene got me every time. My younger self wanted to jump into the screen and give her a hug. Maybe even kick the chair out from under Keith.

But I’m not one for violence. So let’s move on.

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  Watts and Ray in a scene from Some Kind of Wonderful.

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  Watts playing the drums in Some Kind of Wonderful.

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  Keith and Watts lying together in the final scene of Some Kind of Wonderful.

That Scene With Ray

We can’t skip the Ray scene.

The guy she flirts with to make Keith jealous. She is absolutely not into him — you can see it — but she commits to the performance.

When he asks,

“Do you know how much damage we can do to each other in an hour?”

That whole scene cracks me up every time.

It’s awkward. It’s dramatic. It’s teenage chaos.

But it also shows something important: Watts pretending she doesn’t care. Overplaying cool because it’s safer than admitting she’s hurt.

And I’ll be honest… part of me secretly wanted Ray to end up with her. He actually saw her.

The Garage

And then there’s the garage.

The “practice kissing” scene.

Is she using the situation to her advantage? Absolutely. Do I care? Not even a little.

Get it, girl.

The music starts building and you know exactly where this is headed. Watts takes control of the moment and I’m half cheering, half bracing for impact. It gets me every time.

They lean in like it’s no big deal. It’s absolutely a big deal.

It’s awkward and electric and pure teenage chaos.

And when she tells him to grow up? That little snap? I love it. She’s bold enough to push it forward and confident enough to pull back.

Then she stops it.

Then we see her blush, and for once, he actually notices.

It drove me crazy the first time I saw it. In the best way.

For a second, you think — okay. Maybe now he gets it.

Amanda Isn’t the Villain

Here’s the part I appreciate even more as an adult watching Some Kind of Wonderful.

Amanda isn’t the villain.

She’s pretty. She’s popular. But she’s also bullied by her ex and pressured by her friends. She’s navigating her own version of the wrong side of the tracks.

And the best part?

The movie doesn’t pit Amanda and Watts against each other in the end.

Earlier Watts warns her, “Break his heart and I’ll break your face.” I mean... fair.

But by the final scene, they’re cordial. Calm. Standing tall in their own ways.

No humiliation. No girl-on-girl destruction.

And I love that. ♥️

It Was Never About Keith

Halfway through Some Kind of Wonderful, this stopped being about Keith for me.

Normally, we’re trained to root for the guy to get the girl he’s been chasing.

But I was rooting for Watts.

She was authentic from the beginning. Tough and soft. Sharp and vulnerable. Cool without trying to be.

And when she tells Keith,

“Don’t go mistaking paradise for a pair of long legs.”

Tell him, girl.

That line alone says everything.

And when we reach the final scene — when he gives her the earrings?

Chef’s kiss.

She deserved them.

No makeover or personality transplant.

She stayed exactly who she was — drums, leather jacket, sharp tongue and all. She even apologizes to Amanda for misjudging her.

Honestly, part of me thinks Watts and Amanda should’ve split the earrings and become new best friends and left Keith to journal about it.

Watts' Mixtape

Head over to the playlist I put together for this post — the songs I imagine playing in Watts’ headphones 🎶. A little sharp. A little vulnerable. A little “I don’t care”… even when you do.

Put it on. Let it play.

Now I want to know —

Who were you rooting for the first time you saw Some Kind of Wonderful? Were you the underdog… or did you just feel like one? Did you ever pretend not to care when you absolutely did?

Comment below or just say hi. I’d love to hear where you stood.