Comedies are the most unstable genre of films in the industry. They are almost totally dependent on the execution of the actors in the movie, they usually have a pretty flimsy plot, can be outdated very quickly, and usually are pretty raunchy. Comedies spring up every year, but its unlikely that one would remember them, simply because they almost never have any staying power, or much of anything to be truly memorable. So what happens when one sticks around for decades? You watch it. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, "Ferris Bueller's Day Off!"
Cast: Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller
Alan Ruck as Cameron Frye
Mia Sara is Sloane Peterson
Jeffrey Jones as Edward R. Rooney, Dean of Students
Jennifer Grey as Jeanie Bueller
Lyman Ward as Tom Bueller
Cindy Pickett as Katie Bueller
Edie Mclurg as Grace the secretary
Ben Stein as the economics teacher
Plot: A tragedy has befallen the Bueller household. Their son, Ferris, is extremely sick, and unable to go to school that day. His parents are worried, so as any good son would do, he assures them of his well-being and promises to get better. They leave the house nervous but proud of their son, who's become a good young man...
"They bought it." And so begins Ferris' day off, taking advantage of his parents to enjoy a beautiful day in Chicago. Rousing his best friend Cameron from his sickly daze, and rescuing his girlfriend Sloane from the clutches of high school, he and his compatriots take the Windy City by storm.
But Edward Rooney doesn't think Ferris is so wonderful, and neither does his sister, Jeanie. Both loathe him and are ready for some justice, and may just ruin his day off...
The Review: I saw this when I was about nine years old, watching a copy we recorded off TV, back when VCRs still existed. I loved it then and, after some maturity (maybe) I have a deep appreciation for the film.
The film starts off well, with a sweet, heart-warming intro about loving parents who care for their sick child...and then quickly drops the sappy stuff for some good fun.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is an iconic film, and it has earned that spot by having iconic lines and scenes. There's so many that it's really hard to keep track of them all, even if you've watched the film a lot.
Of course, being a comedy, it needs to be funny. But this film isn't funny. It's hilarious, and packs a marathon of laughs into its running time. When I first saw this I was paralyzed with laughter, and I still get a major kick out of it. The jokes are clever and witty, far better than the bilge we put out today.
But what's a Ferris Bueller review without mention of Ben Stein? I mean, come on..."Bueller...Bueller...Bueller..." classic moments with a guy who sounds like a complete bore. His economics speech is a hilarious piece of dull.
I stated earlier that a comedy depends on the actors and their execution of their roles. Since Broderick is the primary star, he needs to put up some good acting, and he thankfully delivers in the best role of his career. Ferris is a witty and likeable individual.
The rest of the acting crew is a pretty solid bunch, with probably Alan Ruck taking 2nd place for best acting in the film. His character is more developed than the others, so that's probably what gives him the advantage. But overall, everyone does a pretty good job.
And why do they do a good job? Because they enjoyed themselves. There's moments when you can simply tell that the actors were having a good time and enjoying themselves during the shoot. It makes their acting more convincing and more enjoyable to the audience.
I want to take a moment to say something a little personal. This is kind of a little laugh I get out of the movie, but I have a good friend who looks almost EXACTLY like Mia Sara, who plays Sloane. I seriously hopes she reads this just so she'll watch the movie and get a laugh out of it herself. Yes, its stupid, but then so was high school.
Another icon of the film was a car. A gorgeous car, a beautiful car. The Ferrari California 250 GT. Just awesome.
Another iconic scene was the "Star Wars" scene. It was so iconic, funnily enough, that the scene would be parodied by Adult Swim's Robot Chicken Star Wars special.
And of course, there must be a mention for "Twist and Shout." Simply THE scene of the entire picture. It's a rousing good time, and such an awesome song from the Beatles.
Not that the movie is all laughs, mind you. The movie does have some heart to it, but more on that in my bottom line..
The last scene in which Ferris makes a dash for home is another well-known scene, and like the one mentioned earlier, would be mocked. Family Guy would do a parody of the scene years later, in an homage to the greatest of comedies.
The Bottom Line: Comedies rarely seperate themselves from the rest of the pack. They almost never stay on top of the box office for long, and usually don't stick around for long. So what made Ferris Bueller so gosh-dang special? Like I said earlier, it has a heart to it. It wasn't just around for the laughs.
Throughout the entire film, Cameron is shown to be worrying and stressing over his parents, particularly his father, who seems to have a powerful vindictiveness towards his son. He's so tired of it that he's the only person I know who feels better when he's sick. In a crisis, he is finally forced to meet his resentment and anger towards his father head-on, and has to actually face what he hates. But what caused it? Ferris. Through the whole movie, its really about his desire to help his friend out, and show him a good time. Ferris, unlike a whole lot of other people in high school, actually GETS that high school is a time of freedom that really never comes around again. Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and take a look around once in a while, you could miss it. And since he has that knowledge, he tries to help Cameron, who being so stressed and pained by the problems in his life, he never stopped and enjoyed his life.
I made the same big mistake, and that mistake was being so consumed in the problems of today that I never really let go and enjoyed my time in high school. But now that its over, watching this movie again makes me realize that my time may not have been well spent, but was definitely a freedom that I'll never have again, and one that I will cherish, knowing the people and the memories I made will not fade from my mind. High school rocked.
Well, that's it for today, guys. This Friday, we will breach the Top 10 and start our way up some truly elite films. You think you've seen greatness yet? Think again.
You're still here? It's over. Go home. Go.
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