Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

Director: John Hughes

Writer: John Hughes

Cast: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Jones, Jennifer Grey, Cindy Pickett, Lyman Ward, Edie McClurg, Charlie Sheen, Ben Stein

Synopsis:

High school senior Ferris Bueller (Broderick) devises an elaborate plan to skip school one day. He talks his frequently-depressed best friend Cameron (Ruck) into stealing his father's classic Ferrari to head into Chicago for a day of fun with his girlfriend Sloan (Sara). While the kids enjoy their day in the big city, their high school principal, Ed Rooney (Jones), is convinced Ferris is playing hooky and is determined to catch him in the act. However, Ferris suspects as much and plans accordingly. 1980s Teen hijinks ensue.

First Impression:

This film didn't really interest me on its release. I was 10 years old and more concerned with the doings of the Transformers and G.I. Joe. As a result, I ended up catching it on video when I was about 15. The film was obviously a bit dated at that point but seeing as I was a teenager, and in high school, the film really spoke to me, and I found it quite enjoyable. It's one of those films that speak to an entire generation and has been held up as a gold standard for teen comedies since its release. It's been quite a while since I've watched it, and I'm excited to jump back into it.

Story/Direction: 

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once and a while, you could miss it."

This is an odd comedy for me. I love the film and always have, but there are very few parts of it that make me laugh out loud. Even when I watched it for the first time. There are funny bits, of course, but they're more chuckle-inducing than anything. That's not to say the film is bad; it's just Hughes' writing style, I think. Hughes is always thought of as the filmmaker that was the voice of Gen X or, at the very least, for the youth of the 80s. While his comedies have many funny moments, he punctuates them with a lot of pathos as well. You see this with Dell's character in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, in young Kevin McAllister in Home Alone, and we see it in this film as well. The film is certainly marketed around Ferris and his quest to take a day off and all of the silliness coming from that, but to me, Cameron is really the main character in the film. 

That's an odd thing to say, I know, especially since Ferris' name is right there in the title. Ferris provides a lot of background info through his asides to the camera and lends to the belief that he's the main character. However, as the movie goes on, we discover that Ferris wanted to take the day off in the first place to give his friend, who is constantly depressed, a fun day. Also, we don't really see an arc in Ferris. Throughout the movie, he stays constant, he has his life together, despite his penchant for mischief, and he never once doubts that the day will be pulled off without a hitch. 

Cameron, on the other hand, goes through much more of a journey in the film. He starts as a chronically depressed teenager miserable with his home life (a trope found in most Hughes films). He reluctantly agrees to join Ferris on the fun and reluctantly agrees to let Ferris drive his father's incredibly rare Ferrari. He begins the movie as a timid kid, and by the end, he is ready to deal with his problems at home head-on. It's a satisfying arc and what makes the movie for me.

Another interesting story is the sub-plot involving Ferris' sister Jeannie (Grey), who has clearly grown up in her brother's shadow. Jeannie is jealous of Ferris because he always seems to get away with everything. By the end of the film, Jeannie has also come to terms with her feelings towards her brother and even helps him out a bit when it seems like Rooney has finally caught him.

Acting:

There weren't many big stars cast in this film; at least they weren't big stars at the time. Of course, Broderick nails the part of the affable Ferris. Ferris is a difficult character to play when you think about it because he could easily come off as a prick or arrogant. Fortunately, Broderick and his oodles of charisma see to it that this is not the case. Plus, his asides to the camera are some of the most amusing parts of the film.

I also have to give a shoutout to Alan Ruck, who plays Cameron. One of the reasons I feel that this is really Cameron's movie is Ruck's performance. Let's face it, we all wanted to be Ferris Bueller growing up, but most of us were really Cameron in some way. That's what makes Ruck's performance so good. He really nails the teenage angst but does so in a way that makes him a compelling character.

The rest of the cast does a great job, with Jennifer Grey's Jeannie (I'm not sure there was another actor in the 80s that could do resting-bitch-face as good as Grey) being a particular standout. Jeffrey Jones is also terrific as Ed Rooney. Jones was one of the best character actors in the 80s, and he does a great job as the film's antagonist. And, of course, I have to highlight the first film appearance of Ben Stein, who gave us one of the great quotes in movie history: "Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?"

Visual/Special Effects:

There really aren't any special effects in this movie. It really doesn't even have a distinct visual style. It's just kinda there. Gee, that's two movies in a row without much to write in this section. Don't worry, though; next week's review, I'll have plenty to add here.

Score/Soundtrack

Most of the memorable music in this film stems from its soundtrack rather than its score. Honestly, there are very few bits in the film when I realized there was even a musical score playing. No, most of the music that people will remember here is from the soundtrack, which includes many popular hits of the day, including that 80s comedy staple, "Oh Yeah" by Yello. There's also some older stuff, such as Wayne Newton's "Danke Shoen" and the Beatle's "Twist and Shout." All in all, it's a solid soundtrack.

Action:

There's not a ton of action in this movie, and most of it comes from one scene near the end of the film where Ferris runs to try and get back home before his parents do. There is a fair bit of slapstick, most of which stems from the Bueller's pet rottweiler, but it all lands and works pretty well.

Final Verdict:

I still love this movie, even if it doesn't cause me to keel over laughing. It's a wonderful time capsule of an era where the only thing we had to worry about was the Russians. Check it out if you dig comedies or really if you enjoy good movies in general. It's a classic, and it's comfort food.