Review of Dazed and Confused (1993) by Harry W — 08 Mar 2014

The epitome of 90's teen movies, that is only made better by the soundtrack. Alice Cooper, ZZ Top, Kiss and Foghat are only some of the many great artists you will hear in the movie. The movie itself is also a spectacle with dialogue that makes you laugh and think at the same time.

Every single one of the main characters is elevated above the stereotypes of the usual jocks, bullies, nerds and stoners but the movie doesn't take itself to seriously. Richard Linklater's witty script continues the tradition of witty teen films that began with the comedies of John Hughes.

Ben Affleck, Rory Cochrane and Mila Jovovich found fame after the movie's release, and the cast carries the film from start to finish. But the biggest kudos go out to Matthew McConaughey. As David Wooderson, McConaughey's cool demeanour as a long since graduated student is a philosopher for Generation Y, a man who knows what to say at the right moment.

I also found that Wiley Wiggins as freshman Mitch Kramer was a well needed change from the main characters of other high school movies. Other stellar performances are the urbane trio of Cynthia, Mike, and Tony (Marisa Ribisi, Adam Goldberg, and Anthony Rapp) and Ben Affleck's Fred O'Bannion, a sadistic bully who gives off a self assured swagger and who is given the greatest act of revenge in high school movie history.

With its mixture of dry humour and an excellent soundtrack for all generations of movie lovers, Dazed will surely go down as one of my favourite films of the 90's, and one of the best films of all time.