Review #1138: Dazed and Confused.
Cast:
Jason London (Randall "Pink" Floyd), Wiley Wiggins (Mitch Kramer), Sasha Jenson (Don Dawson), Michelle Burke (Jodi Kramer), Christine Harnos (Kaye Faulkner), Rory Cochrane (Ron Slater), Ben Affleck (Fred O'Bannion), Adam Goldberg (Mike Newhouse), Anthony Rapp (Tony Olson), Marissa Ribisi (Cynthia Dunn), Catherine Avril Morris (Julie Simms), Matthew McConaughey (David Wooderson), Shawn Andrews (Kevin Pickford), Cole Hauser (Benny O'Donnell), Milla Jovovich (Michelle Burroughs), Joey Lauren Adams (Simone Kerr), Christin Hinojosa (Sabrina Davis), and Parker Posey (Darla Marks) Directed by Richard Linklater (#645 - School of Rock)
Review:
It seems only natural to cover this film, released in the years after other coming-of-age teen comedies such as Porky's (1981), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Sixteen Candles (1984), but with an intent to stand out from those by trying to depict high school without trying to verge into any unnecessary drama while having an assortment of 70s songs wrapped up in a small-town movie without too much plot. I suppose the best words to describe it would be to just describe it as something wrapped in a time capsule with a bunch of albums and a bunch of items of leisure stuffed inside that will certainly take some people back while being handy entertainment for others. With such a big group of actors and characters like this, it's interesting to see who doesn't get lost in the shuffle too much and stick out. London is a pretty fair lead to follow along with, a casual kind of guy that proves useful for a few laughs. Wiggins is also pretty casual, fitting in with what the film wants to go without looking out-of-place. Others such as Jenson, Burke and Harnos are okay, and Cochrane is pretty amusing to be around with. Affleck, in one of his first film roles, stands out handily, making something out of his bully material that can certainly seem familiar - for better or worse. Goldberg, Rapp, and Ribisi, playing an intellectual trio occasionally mixed in with the fun times, prove to be alright with having a few awkward laughs. Easily, the one who stands out is McConaughey, starring in his second ever role (appearing in a bit role in My Boyfriend's Back the same year), doing well with what he is given that makes for such amazement. He just sticks out with the way he chooses to interact in this landscape, whether when talking about a car or when talking about "livin'", it's easy to see in retrospect how he became such a prominent star. It is clear that there was a dedicated effort to capture an exact feel for the setting of the summer of 1976, with one-sixth of the six million dollar budget going towards licensing for usage of the songs featured from "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" by Rick Derringer to "Slow Ride" by Foghat.
The movie isn't really about anything too deep in particular through its 102 minute run-time, but what it shows through its numerous characters is people certainly having some sort of good time. There isn't any kind of overtly cliche characters, everyone seems to just blend in, for lack of a better term that will prove interesting to follow through with for the most part. There isn't too much of an aim beyond just where it wants to show, but it isn't just a nostalgia trip that worships the "glory days" of high school; obviously the lens one views that era of their lives is different for a teen from the 1970s than a kid from the 2010s, and it'll play into how they see scenes in the film such as the scenes with the teens at the main hangout place or the casual conversations that go on there or elsewhere, or the scenes involving hazing the incoming freshman or the scene with neighborhood cruising while wrecking mailboxes. Perhaps having good memories of the times of the youth make this a great sit-through. I can look back on my times of youth decently enough, but I can't for the life of me think that I need to recollect these memories too much, but perhaps that's not the whole point. I myself am not too hard on movies for relying a bit on nostalgia, just as long as it doesn't go overboard - which the movie does fine with. The film resonated with me more often than not, but I can't find myself thinking that this is anything too particularly great, just being a decent feature. It will serve as handy entertainment for those who are curious to seek it, whether if looking for a decent time, palatable music or a trip to a different age.
Next Time: Spooktober officially begins.
Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.
