Review of Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) by Jake Y — 05 Mar 2013

"Ferris Bueller's Day Off" joins director John Hughes' other 80's classic "The Breakfast Club" as the greatest high school films of the 80's and perhaps of all-time.

While this is high praise, it's worth remembering that high school films will always have their flaws, and the claustrophobic setting of "The Breakfast Club" does a much better job of trapping those flaws than the more care-free Bueller.

Bueller itself is a fun movie, nonetheless. Matthew Broderick is charming in the lead role, and while Alan Ruck and Mia Sara do an admirable job backing him up, it's the minor roles - Jeffery Jones' obsessed principle, Jennifer Grey's jealous sibling and Charlie Sheen (before his "Two and a Half Men" era of self-parody) in a drug-addled cameo - that really fill this world and make this film a bit of fun.

The use of music is also very goodt. The "Star Wars" theme makes an inspired appearance and there's a classic "flashmob" scene using the Beatles' early hit "Twist and Shout". This quality use of music is typical of Hughes and adds to the film.

Overall, you could do a lot worse for a bit of fun than Ferris Bueller.