Dazed and Confused (1993)

**_The last day of school in 1976_**
In the Austin, Texas, area, several youths complete their last day at school and celebrate through the night.
"Dazed and Confused" failed at the box office in 1993-94, but has gone on to achieve a deserved cult status. It's one of the best high school comedy-dramas, along with "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982). The difference between these two is that "Fast Times" contains more goofy antics whereas "Dazed" is more of a docudrama with amusing flashes. In other words, although "Fast Times is generally realistic, excepting the over-the-top parts with Spicoli, "Dazed and Confused" is more like a slice from real life.
What makes "Dazed" work so well is that it gets the LOOK of the mid-to-late 70s just right, particularly the hair & clothing styles, although Slater (Rory Cochrane) seems like a nod to 90's grunge.
Secondly, the actors pull off the material. A large part of the film's success is the excellent casting choices. You get a few up-and-comers here: Matthew McConaughey, Milla Jovovich and Ben Affleck, along with one or two of lesser note (in regards to future success), e.g. Jason London and Parker Posey.
All the standard school archetypes are present: the jock who parties on the side, the bullies, the hot sister and her little long-haired brother, the black dude, the sexy Lib teacher, the streetfighter, the cool guys, the geekier crowd, the babes, the guy who graduated years ago but still hangs around, the mentors & mentees, etc.
Then you have the standard school experiences like setting up parties at a friend's houses when the parents are away, keg parties, running from bullies, dealing with coaches & teachers, flirting, the possibility of sex, hanging out, meaningless conversations, fights, smoking pot at school or in your friend's bedroom, etc.
Like "Fast Times," "Dazed and Confused" is a joy to watch because it successfully takes you back to the high school years with all its joys & agonies.
Some don't like it because it's more of a slice-of-life than a plot-driven, contrived story. The plot here is simple: It's the last day of school and the youths want to celebrate. If they can't do it at their friend's house they'll find a place at a park or local hangout, but they WILL party. The rest of the film involves their interactions within this context.
I've heard some complain that the movie conveys a terrible message. What message? There is no message. The message is that school's out and it's time to celebrate! Besides, there are a few positive points that can be mined from the proceedings: the arrogant bully gets what's coming, make a stand and fight when you have to (even if you get beat up), ultra-tight pants must be put on with pliers, be true to yourself, etc. But, really, this isn't a flick to look for deep messages, its simple purpose is to take you back to the school years (in this case, 1976) and all the fun & pain thereof.
Aside from those already mentioned, Michelle Burke stands out on the female front as Jodi, along with Joey Lauren Adams as Simone (she has such a beautiful, soothing voice). Then there's redhead Marissa Ribisi as Cynthia.
No review of "Dazed and Confused" would be complete without noting the excellent soundtrack. You get some great rock/metal of the 70s like "Sweet Emotion," "School's Out," "Stranglehold," "Do You Feel Like We Do," "Love Hurts," "Paranoid," "Rock & Roll Hootchie Coo," "Rock & Roll All Nite," "Slow Ride," "Cherry Bomb," "Tuesday's Gone" and many more.
The film runs 1 hour, 42 minutes, and was shot in the Austin, Texas, area.
GRADE: A-

**A nostalgic film, aimed at those who lived through that time and those experiences, but which was not intended for other audiences and ended up fatally forgotten.**
I'm not sure what Richard Linklater was thinking when he decided to make a comedy film about the last day of school for a group of teenagers in 1976. I've never lived in the US, but I've noticed that American culture gives a big relevance to High School, and that these educational institutions are very different from their counterparts in my country. Around here, this level of education is just an antechamber with two exits: the job market, with all its hardships, and University. Perhaps Linklater was nostalgic about his own teenage past? If that's the case, I completely understand him, even if I don't really miss my time at High School.
The script is based on the nonsense of teenagers, which correspond to the stereotype that we always find in teen movies: they want alcohol, drugs, sex and the perverse fun that comes from pranks done, in a more or less consensual way, to freshmen. This will work very well with teenagers. For other audiences, it's debatable. And since today's audiences don't find it amusing to see a film where a group of teenagers is looking to get drunk, high or have sex, I understand why this film has fallen into oblivion, where it perhaps deserves to remain.
The big point where this film manages, somehow, to have value, is the professional and very focused way in which most of the cast worked. Despite being a weak film, there is no doubt that it represented an opening of doors for the careers of many of the actors. Matthew McConaughey is a clear case: this film was the film debut of the actor who, many years later, would win an Oscar for “Dallas Buyers Club”. Ben Affleck is another similar case: the actor had done some minor work, mostly for TV, before entering this film. Mila Jovovich, actress and model, also didn't have a notable career before this film. In addition to these names, the film features actors such as Jason London, Adam Goldberg, Rory Cochrane and Wiley Wiggins.
On a technical level, the film only stands out for the quality of its soundtrack, which brings together a kind of collection of great songs from the late 70s. Nostalgics will smile and recognize Bob Dylan, Alice Cooper, KISS, Aerosmith etc., names that we still consider illustrious today, with songs that almost everyone knows. But let's be frank: a lot of good actors, an excellent soundtrack and a massive dose of nostalgia are enough to turn this film into something really worthwhile? Personally, I don't think so.