Review of Dazed and Confused (1993) by Brandon W — 16 Jul 2011

This movie is pretty up front about its content from the rating it flashes across the screen before the movie, rated R for pervasive and continuous drug use something you don't see very often especially in teen movies which either obscurely hint at being used or use it as a one joke set piece in the story. But Richard Linklater had already established himself among Generation X indie film goers as a socially irresponsible and ballsy filmmaker who really did get the kids of the early 90s and spoke flawlessly to their sensibilities with his far less remembered cult classic debut Slacker. Hell it'd be pretty cool to be living in that era and aware of the movie scene and hear the man responsible for it planned to do an American Graffiti style day in the life tribute to the dope smoking hard partying teens of the 1970s. Linklater planned to attempt to capture the last day of school in 1976 in his mid west home town and seeing as how the town hadn't changed much they got some vintage clothes, old cars and a bitching soundtrack which would have included the Zeppelin cover of Dazed and Confused the title alludes too had Plant not refused (Page actually agreed, Plant can be overly cautious with their song rights). Still at this point sex, drugs and rock and roll were nothing new, this film would not make it on shock value alone. It would have to feel authentic, capturing accurate dialogue, attitudes and setting of 1970s youth and it would have to mean something when all the smoke had cleared. The movies lived on as a HUGE cult classic among teens especially stoners but so have plenty of bad movies, does this really measure up to the teen movie greats or is it all shock and no substance? Let's take a look...wait are you cool man?

The film covers a lot of ground and has a broad and colorful cast, but the main character is clearly rising senior football quarterback Randall "Pink" Floyd (Jason London who proves to be much more badass than his brother and doesn't over do the sensitive and savvy iconoclast role) who's coaches are making him and the rest of the team sign an agreement to not smoke, drink or party all summer which puts him at odds with his desire to play football but being a soon to be high school graduated adolescent not have any areas of his life mapped out or dictated for him. Least of all by single minded entities with no understanding of his wants and needs in life. Pink's group of friends includes his dealer who is throwing a party on this last day of school since his parents are going out of town but his cover is blown by an early keg delivery man and the party which entails our huge cast of the Texas towns high school students. Meanwhile the senior boys including asshole flunky O'Bannion (Ben Affleck here furthering my theory he should stick to being a douche) are beginning the brutal ritual of summer hazing that made this movie infamous where they brutally hunt down and paddle the rising freshman. Unfortunately for one such lad Mitch Kramer (Wiley Wiggins who if he wasn't drunk or high while they filmed this is a damn fine actor) his sister Jodi (Michelle Burke in a brief but memorable role) has pleaded mercy to him which means to put it delicately his ass is grass. Pink after the boy receives his beating like a man takes him under his wing to the nights long, humorous and infinitely relatable activities which take place in three acts basically across the town. Also along for the ride are two nerds looking for visceral experiences who are actually very well developed and great characters not archetypes (Adam Goldberg and Anthony Rapp who would play similar adult roles in A Beautiful Mind), loveable and fan favorite stoner Slater (Rory Cochrane a total scene stealer, a fresh performance for a character that EVERYONE has known someone like) and of course cradle robbing older guy Wooderson (McConaughey, you want to hate him in this but damn it you can't).

What I love about this movie is how unspectacular it is, we've all done, experienced or at least heard of most of this stuff and in the broad arcs most peoples experiences are spoken too however briefly in some cases. But it's interesting too see all this play out in such a cool way with such flair and uniqueness we rarely see in indie directors. The fact Linklater is able to make a scene where characters drive around high knocking off mailboxes and where a douche bag senior gets paint dumped on him speaks to his incredible flair as a director which unfortunately would not carry over into his mediocre other works like School of Rock and the Bad News Bears remake. The film is a remarkable and reverent look at 70s teen culture which succeeds not only because of its great music and cool styles but the fact the movie is shot like something from the 70s with more mundane subject matter really reminding me of early Spielberg. I love this movie and I think most teens do as well because it pretty much details what a perfect summer night in high school would have been with cool characters who in the films relatively short run time you can really relate to and grow to like. Tarantino said it best when he stated this movie's replay value is it seems like reliving an old party you go back to every time you watch it these characters seeming like old friends you haven't seen in forever. The film is also a how to for stoner flicks as it features that as an integral part of the plot but its only a cool plot device not all the movie has to say and is just as cool sober. But yeah it goes without saying watch this movie while high at least once.

The movie is seriously one of my favorites and easily my favorite teen movie and has remained that way for a few years now which is pretty impressive to me with how much my favorite movies fluctuate. The movie was immediately compared to American Graffiti but while Linklater and none of the actors had as distinguished a legacy as those involved in that legendary film comparing the two works this one is clearly the superior. It neither overly glorifies or demonizes its ballsy and very real subject matter but presents it warts and all to either entice or horrify the viewer. I haven't even touched on how this movie functions as a comforting hand on the shoulder too the Generation X members who made Slacker big enough Linklater could handle the production on this and make it as tight and authentic as it is. Generation X is of course most famous for the music movement grunge it produced which in depressing detail was lyrically about disillusionment with their own generation and a feeling of worthlessness and being lost in the world. The real purpose and function I think of this movie is too almost place a comforting hand of the shoulder of the youth Linklater made his movies for and show how all adolescents of every generation have these same feelings which is for my money a beautiful and admirable cause. If you haven't experienced this movie it's well worth watching especially to those still in high school. This is one of the greats guys, go watch it.