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FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF
Review by Michael Jacobson
Stars:
Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jennifer Grey, Jeffrey Jones
Director: John Hughes
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby
Surround
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Studio: Paramount
Features: Commentary
Length: 102 Minutes
Release Date: August 5, 2008
"One of the worst
performances of my career...and they never doubted it for a second!"
Film ***1/2
Ferris Bueller was both a hero and an icon to those of us
who went to high school in the 80s. He
was exactly the kind of kid we all fantasized about being…smooth, charismatic,
and with an uncanny ability to outwit any and all grown-ups in his way.
His life was pure fantasy, but we embraced it because it was our
fantasy.
Now, 20 years later, Ferris
Bueller’s Day Off stands as one of the shining comic jewels from its time
period. It’s simply one of the
funniest films of the 80s, and it hasn’t lost any of its wit or charm over
time. It’s a good old fashioned
tall tale of one high school student and the lengths he will go to just to have
a day away from school.
Writer and director John Hughes definitely had his finger
on the pulse of the youth in his day, and he’s left his mark in movie history
because of it. And if he gave a
voice to my generation’s anger and insecurity in The
Breakfast Club, he also captured its humor and spirit of mischief with Ferris
Bueller.
I’ve called it a fantasy, and so it is.
Most of us who played hooky stayed at home in bed and watched a little
daytime TV. Ferris (Broderick), on
the other hand, spends an adventurous day in the city of Chicago with his
girlfriend Sloane (Sara) and his buddy Cameron (Ruck).
They go to the ball game, have dinner in an exclusive restaurant, take
part in a parade in the middle of downtown…all while driving a vintage and
mint conditioned Ferrari. It’s no
wonder why we all loved the guy so much.
I’ve also said the film is funny, and boy, is it ever.
This has to be one of the most commonly quoted movies of the last 15
years or so. My personal favorite:
“So THAT’S how it is in their family.”
(If you don’t know what I’m referring to, then you really
have to see this film). It’s
a comedy that relies on the balance of mixing the right actors with John
Hughes’ terrific screenplay, and it’s a blend that never fails.
Each actor finds the right comic stride, and the results are fall down
funny. The more you see the film,
the more you appreciate the sense of timing each performer brings to his role,
and it’s hard to tell whether it is Broderick, Jones, or the hysterical Edie
McClurg who brings the best brew to the party.
Jones is particularly good as Rooney, the dean who’s out
to bust Ferris and bring his whole little scheme crashing to the ground.
In real life, he would have done just that, but in this world, Ferris is
like a chess master…always thinking several moves ahead, and always able to
wriggle out of the crushing grasp of authority.
I can’t help but cite as an example the carefully
controlled use of swearing in the picture.
You and I both know that there’s nothing funny about a curse word in
and of itself. But when a choice
bit of profanity is used at just the right moment with just the right amount of
emphasis, or even lack thereof, it can produce a laugh as big as anything else.
There is one flaw in the picture…the delightful comic
energy is temporarily lost a little closer to the end. Suddenly, questions are asked along the lines of who are we,
and what are we doing with our lives. Important
questions, to be sure, but in this case, they seriously derail the train of
humor, and the film gets briefly lost in an existential fog.
This sudden case of seriousness is compounded by the fact that one of the
characters, Cameron, may actually have some deep issues affecting his life.
We know life is serious,
already…was it necessary to intrude upon our fun right at this moment to tell
us that?
Fortunately, the movie comes out of the fog just in time,
finds the track again, and speeds towards a hilarious, energetic, and satisfying
conclusion. And you definitely want
to say through the credits. I think
Yello’s “Oh Yeah” might be one of the most perfect uses of a song to
accompany what’s happening on the screen ever.
BONUS TRIVIA: Look for Kristy Swanson in a small role explaining Ferris' illness!
Video ***1/2
Paramount offers a very nice anamorphic transfer with this DVD. No complaints at all as far as evident grain or compression. All images are sharp, clear, and exhibit good coloring. This is one of the better looking 80s films on DVD available.
Audio ***
The 5.1 soundtrack is fine, coming to life mostly during
the many good songs that help the film maintain its energy...apart from that,
the multi channel track is mainly used for opening up the field of sound, rather
than discreet effects or cues.
Features *1/2
The disc includes an informative and interesting commentary from John Hughes and a bonus CD of 80s music.
Summary:
