"Nothing like piling on old pancakes and syrup after a night of beer drinking."
Midway through Dazed and Confused, Marisa Ribisi's character, brainy redhead Cynthia, remarks that "I'd like to stop thinking of the present, like right now, as some minor insignificant preamble to something else." Richard Linklater's second film affirms this sentiment. The film is about those unfortunate souls who had to undergo the interminable "preparatory" experience of high school during that brief moment in the mid-1970s when cultural turmoil gave way to nondescript, "What comes next?" ennui. It's true that the film's structure resembles American Graffiti, but it's deeper and better than the earlier film. Lucas' main aim was to speak to his audience's sense of nostalgia. But Linklater sidesteps nostalgia and "That 70's Show"-type clichés to emerge with a funny, perceptive look at the in-between years.
The film takes places over the first day and night of summer in a small Texas town in 1976. It earns the much-abused moniker "Altmanesque" as it follows stoners, jocks, nerds, freshmen, and cheerleaders through the evening's exploits. But one of the best things about Dazed and Confused is that its characters are not segregated by the simplest terms or the most convenient definitions. In fact, this provides the central conflict of the film, as babyfaced quarterback Randall "Pink" Floyd (Jason London) must decide whether to sign a form pledging to abstain from drugs or illegal activity, turn his back on his more free-spirited buddies, and commit to his team.
The conflict serves as a subtly effective metaphor for the sociopolitical climate of the time; for Pink, to sign the form would be to take part in the hypocritical, empty values system of mainstream culture, one based on competition and aggression. Linklater takes sly jabs at the system later, with both small touches (the little leaguers chanting "Good game") to broader ones like the freshman hazing rituals, where otherwise non-violent seniors hurt and degrade the underclassman simply because it's tradition. A sociopathic twat like O'Bannion (Ben Affleck) may just be a logical by-product of such conventions, which is why his eventual comeuppance feels so liberating.
But I'm starting to sound like Mike (Adam Goldberg) and Tony (Anthony Rapp), Cynthia's two best friends, who spend most of the night spouting conspiracy theories and overanalyzing the behaviour of their peers. Because Dazed and Confused is, first and foremost, a film that coasts on the high of pure experience. Witness Wooderson (Matthew McConaughey) strutting like a king across a pool hall in slow motion, set to Dylan's "Hurricane" - it's one of those awe-inspiring moments where we witness the power of cinema to fully capture not only the images but the total experience of an instant in time. Dazed and Confused is filled with such moments, as though they were being filmed straight through the eyes of characters like wide-eyed freshmen Mitch (Wiley Wiggins) and Sabrina (Christin Hinojosa) or Slater (Rory Cochrane), the goofily likeable pothead who spouts an elaborate conspiracy theory involving marijuana, aliens, and George and Martha Washington. Think about it, man.
It'd be a colossal mistake to dismiss Dazed and Confused as simple teen fodder, filled as it is with so many priceless moments that reflect the experience of coming of age in the middle of nowhere. It's the rare comedy that can demonstrate so much love for its characters without becoming soft and patronizing. Even Wooderson, the creepy guy in his twenties who has a thing for high school girls, is given enough humanity to deliver the film's mantra - "Just keep livin', man. L-I-V-I-N." It's an attitude that pulses through every frame of Dazed and Confused. The film opens with a car coasting along to Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion" and closes with Pink and his buddies, driving along to Foghat's immortal "Slow Ride." We don't know where they've been in the beginning, and we don't know where they're headed in the end (well, to get Aerosmith tickets, actually, but you know, after that). In any case, what's important is that they enjoy the ride.
Sidenote: when I re-re-watched this film with my mum a couple of years ago, she informed me that "You just can't get pot like that anymore." Truth or nostalgia? Dunno, but I sure as hell wish I was alive back then.
This wasn't a completely uninteresting movie but it felt like a less entertaining version of American Graffetti. The one thing this movie really had going for it was its amazing soundtrack!
Great flick that rings true to life and totally brings back memories of high school despite this being set in the 70s...probably one of the most realistic high school movies I've seen.
I personally am a huge fan of high school movies and being a non-American, even if this film was dramatized, it is still an utterly fun and exuberant movie with lots of indulgent humour and really encapsulated a mood that resides with these people. I was really intrigued at how this film basically works like some ensemble piece and the only important sympathetic character in terms of drama is the guy who has to sign a paper and that paper is no just him, it is everyone else, everyone has an opinion, be it political or social or even revolutionary and with that theme, a film on a period is done without any particular act structure and yet is highly enjoyable.
"Hangout Comedies" are a favourite of mine, and "Dazed and Confused" is one of its main gems. It's realistic and familiar portrayal of teenagers is seldomly replicated, the soundtrack is one of the best ever and it's so addictingly rewatchable. Rory Cochrane and Matthew McCoughney steal the show with their hilarious dialogue and the idea of finding yourself in the midst of teenagehood resonates.
Although "Dazed and Confused" is considered one of the quintessential high school movie classics, I never expressed much interest in it. High school was an absolutely miserable experience, and the kind of people in this film are the kind of people I tried to avoid at all costs. They're cruel, immature, pathetic, and quite frankly dumb. However, the beauty of Linklater's film is that it's almost sarcastic in it's nostalgic love for the 70's. You look at a character like the one played by Sasha Jenson and you could see him turning out like Matthew McConaughey's David Wooderson in a few years - lingering at the "good times" and unable to move on. The kids who shun this world entirely, like Adam Goldberg's Mike Newhouse, seem to have gotten little out of their high school experience and only occasionally seem to enjoy a night. Linklater is a great director, and it's another testament to his work that he's able to create a typical high school film while trying to avoid many cliches of the genre.
The story begins at the last day of school in Summer of 1976. We're introduced right away to both the graduating juniors and eighth graders - it's a yearly ritual that the juniors make the now freshman's life a living hell the minute they officially graduate Junior High. Randy Floyd (Jason London) is one of these juniors, although certainly one of the most compassionate in a group of neanderthals. Later in the film, he takes a freshman he's harassed, Mitch Kramer (Wiley Wiggins), out for a drive and to become part of the group. This hazing is nothing more than ritual - it only exists because the ones who had to suffer through it want to make sure they get to do it as well. It's completely cruel, unnecessary, and rather disturbing at times.
What instantly turned me off about the film was how typical a lot of this was. You had the burnout, the hot blonde, the jock, the timid freshman, and the creepy older guy hanging out with the high school kids all acting like kids in a high school movie would act (opposed to kids that are actually in high school). Maybe things were far different in the 70's, but I know that in my graduating class the "hazing" wasn't anywhere nearly as excessive. Perhaps Linklater was going for satire, but I found it a bit too campy for my tastes. There are certain expectations and things you should take into consideration when you're essentially watching nothing more than light entertainment, but there's only so much of the freshman-senior goosechase you can watch before feeling tired.
The film, however, takes a charming turn as the latter half of the film is spent at a party. What I really loved about how this was done is that because of the depth of the characters, we didn't get typical contrivances regarding the "last day of school" films. There wasn't a guy desperate to get in a girl's pants before he moves away, or freshman set out to do nothing more than get drunk (although one does) - things just happen and unfold. There's no reason for anything. High school is portrayed as a simple pass-time, or, as Mike proclaims, "a minor, insignificant preamble to something else."
This story would have failed without a cast as good as it was. The two standouts for me were certainly Adam Goldberg, who added great foil to the constant onslaught of stoners and jocks, and Rory Cochrane, who is about as charming as a stoner can get. The most surprising thing about these performances is that a few of these kids never went on to do a whole lot more. Wiley Wiggins appeared in Linklater's "Waking Life" - but other than that his repertoire is rather shallow. He's certainly a talented and appealing kid, and I would have expected him to be a huge star.
"Dazed and Confused" is not only Linklater's love letter to high school in the 70's, but a sometimes touching and ultimately satisfying look at nostalgia and "failure to launch" (see what I did there?) Everyone reflects on high school as the glory years - however, as one character so eloquently puts it, "if I ever say these were the best years of my life, remind me to kill myself." It's uncertain to know exactly how Linklater views high school - whether he was more like Mike's character or Randy's character, but he does an excellent job at essentially portraying an irresistible innocence out of some absolutely morbid and unhumanitarian behavior. It's true, high school is essentially a minor preamble to a larger whole - but this film argues that you shouldn't take that insignificant existence for granted.
Great characters. Great cast. Great soundtrack. It was interesting to see some familiar faces before they were actually famous. The story line was so simple but there was just something about the movie that you can't help but like.
STILL A FAVORITE, STILL ENJOY WATCHING THIS ONE. ITS GOT A 70'S FEEL TO IT THATS REAL, MAKES YOU REMEMBER THE GOOD OLD DAYS, GREAT CAST... INCLUDING MATTHEW MACONAHEY'S KICK ASS PREFORMANCE.
It's a 70's period piece - much like it's 80's predecessor Fast Times at Ridgemont High - so therefor it can never get old. When it first came out, it was a cast of nobody's, but looking back it is certainly an ensemble cast made up of future stars. Very music-based and not to be taken more seriously then what it is...fun in the 70's during the last few days of school to open up the summer break.
Dawson: Well, all I'm saying is that I want to look back and say that I did I the best I could while I was stuck in this place. Had as much fun as I could while I was stuck in this place. Played as hard as I could while I was stuck in this place... Dogged as many girls as I could while I was stuck in this place.
Following the success of the plotless, dialog driven film that was Slacker, Richard Linklater follows up that film with a high school comedy set in 1976 on the last day of school.
Pickford: Slater-san, how's it goin'? Slater: Fixin' to be a lot better, man.
While not plotless like Slacker, the basic setup this time involves a 24 hour period where we follow a number of characters into the night where a huge kegger becomes the eventual main setting for everyone.
Tony: So, you're not gonna go to law school? What do you wanna do then? Mike: I wanna dance!
The movie features a hug cast of future stars, including: Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck, Milla Jovovich, Cole Hauser, Parker Posey, Anthony Rapp, Adam Goldberg, Joey Lauren Adams, Nicky Katt and Rory Cochrane. While these actors all feature prominently, the major characters would probably be Wily Wiggins (later star of Linklater's Waking Life) as a junior high schooler entering high school and tormented and later invited to the party by high schoolers and Jason London (twin brother of Jeremy London of the similarly structured film Mallrats) as a high schooler considering his life as a jock.
Wooderson: Say, man, you got a joint? Mitch: No, not on me, man. Wooderson: It'd be a lot cooler if you diid.
The movie also boasts an impressive 70s soundtrack. Its a huge list of classic rock songs that easily took up the majority of the films budget just to get permissions.
Cynthia: Maybe the 80s will be like radical or something. I figure we'll be in our 20s and it cant' get worse.
Has the increased budget affected Linklater's work in terms of production? No, here his writing is still a major staple, made better by his chance to get more from what he is able to work with.
Wooderson: That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age.
The movie is also very funny, very entertaining, with a number of insightful moments and featuring a lot of quotable moments that make it worth replaying and enjoying.
Mike: I didn't think drugs and alcohol were such a big deal they had to resort to Neil McCarthy-ism to get rid of it. Pink: I think they're just worried that some of us are having too good a time.
I honestly don't have time to describe why I love this movie. Mostly, I guess, I feel that it captures a culture and time of my life that I feel a lot of longing and nostalgia for. I never smoked pot when I was a teenager and I was a baby during the time this was set. But I knew these people, I grew up with them. We had similar experiences and that sort of weirdness that surrounds both being in and leaving high school is dead on.
An old-style teen dramedy. It sure does look old. That's the best thing I can say for it. I guess it's a nostalgic look at the insanity of youth in the 70s. Not funny, just aggravating. The cast is amazing too but there's no story! None! And every character young or old is such a total jerk-off that I would've loved for them all to die in the end. Now that would have been amazing.
I missed some bits of it here and there, so I have yet to see the entire thing at once, but it was better than I expected. And seeing some of those actors back then is fun.
the greastest stoner movie ever losts of big name actors great moviemust see must own and remember I get older and they stay the same age lol Matthew McConaughey
This movie is awesome makes you want to live in the 70s and have one of those awesome partys. McConaughey is offical cool in my books after seeing this only one bad thing not enough milla jovivich.
ok, everyone loves this movie but, I don't get it.... it didn't seem like anything special and I barely liked any of the characters... perhaps I would have liked it better if i had seen it when i was in high school?
This was a good look into the night life of an american teen. I remember nights like this where my friends and I would wander aimlessly looking for something to do and this flick captured that feeling and chaos and adventure. The casting worked well as we see some big stars inhabiting the roles of these direction-less teens. The music is as much a character as the folks on screen and the flick boasts an impressive soundtrack.
It's the last day of school and the class hierarchy bickers or meshes together in the 'party of your life', or so it seems. There's a silly message found amongst the laughs, but the mischievousness that you would expect from stoner clans entertains... dude.
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