The Heartbreak Kid (1993 film)

The Heartbreak Kid
1993 VHS cover
Directed by	Michael Jenkins
Written by	Michael Jenkins Richard Barrett
Produced by	Ben Gannon
Starring	Claudia Karvan Alex Dimitriades Nico Lathouris Steve Bastoni Esme Melville Scott Major Bao Quach Harry Shiamaris
Distributed by	Village Roadshow
Release date	17 June 1993 (1993-06-17)
Running time	93 minutes
Country	Australia
Languages	English Greek

The Heartbreak Kid is a 1993 Australian romantic comedy film directed by Michael Jenkins, who, with Richard Barrett, also wrote the script. It stars Claudia Karvan as Christina Papadopoulos, a 22-year-old Greek-Australian teacher who falls in love with her 17-year-old, soccer-obsessed student, Nick Polides, played by Alex Dimitriades.

The film was based on the 1987 stage play of the same name. It was filmed in the inner suburb of Prahran, Victoria, with many of its real students co-opted as extras. Scenes at the teacher's family home were shot in Avondale Heights in Melbourne's north-west.^{[citation needed]}

In a 2024 interview, Karvan commented on The Heartbreak Kid saying that she doesn't "take responsibility" for the controversial storyline: "I didn't write it. I didn't direct it. I didn't produce it... I was a 19 year old girl. And it was a tough job. I felt like I was an adult, and I was playing a very adult role... I probably wasn't that equipped to do it. I got through and I did it, but it wasn't my favourite job." She also pointed out that a friend of hers had recently seen the film and was less troubled by the age gap than the fact that the Nick character "pretty much (stalks)" Christina.^[1]

Michael Jenkins and Ben Gannon developed the 1994 television series Heartbreak High as a spin-off of the film, with several cast members reprising their roles, reimagined in a Sydney setting.