Dazed and Confused

Starring: Jason London, Joey Lauren Adams, Milla Jovovich, Shawn Andrews, Rory Cochrane, Adam Goldberg, Anthony Rapp, Sasha Jenson, Marissa Ribisi, Cole Hauser, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, Matthew McConaughey, Nicky Katt, Deena Martin, Michelle Burke, Renee Zellweger (uncredited)
Directed by: Richard Linklater
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
1993

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: High school and junior high students interact on the last day of school.

Review:

Tim: Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused is considered a classic, and for some good reasons. Linklater has this amazing ability to capture what it's like to be young at a certain time period. I wasn't alive in 1976, but you feel the authenticity of this film. That's a big reason why so many people responded so powerfully to it- Linklater is able to capture something real and genuine about youth. That's probably the best part of this movie, the thing that makes it special. It helps that the cast is superb. All in all, this was a very influential film and one that deserves to be seen.

It's impressive that Linklater assembles such a huge cast. The movie isn't long, but even at 1 hour, 42 minutes, we are able to connect with and get to know a surprisingly large cast. So many directors would have failed at this, but Linklater deftly balances time with each of the characters. This allows the movie to feel less about a person or a few people and more about a community, more about a time period. As you watch this movie, you do begin to feel like a resident here. You know the people- some of them you know better than others, some are just acquaintances. Some you like, others you despise. I love how Linklater was able to draw us in and make us feel a part of the town. We feel like we're involved in the action more than just watching it.

It's also fun seeing so many famous actors in smaller roles here. Joey Lauren Adams and Milla Jovovich were fun to see. Adam Goldberg does a very good job with a smaller role. Cole Hauser really embraced his role and while his acting wasn't top notch, he delivers a memorable performance. It was a lot of fun seeing Ben Affleck in an early role. Matthew McConaughey doesn't have much screen time, but he truly makes a lasting impression. It's so funny to hear him utter the "Alright, alright, alright" line here since it's followed him continuously since this film. It's just such a perfect delivery and I love that he's still associated with that line. You could also look for Renee Zellweger in a tiny uncredited role. I didn't realize she was in this and totally missed her. Really, Linklater put together a very good cast.

I guess one of the raps on this film is that it's more about painting a picture of a time period than really telling a powerful story. Yes, some of the storylines get wrapped up, but it's not really about that. It's more about transplanting you to a place and time. That's reflective of life, since plots don't get neatly wrapped up in life. It's somewhat unsatisfying in this medium, though. It's not a major flaw, but it's one of the consequences of making a movie in this way. I did think the whole hazing thing took up a little too much of the film, but I understand why it was important to the overall film

Still, Dazed and Confused is a very good movie. It helps you to understand what it was like to be young in the mid 70s. Linklater is a master of that and this is one of his most influential films.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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