The Essentials- #59
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
I think ditching school has been a fantasy for every
school child of every grade all around the world. I understand the importance
of school, which is why I have studied to be a high school teacher, but while
attending school as a student, I got sick of it. There were days where I wanted
to stay home, not get up early, stay relaxed for a full day. I think every
person has felt that way at one point in their schooling career, no matter how
great a student they were. I never ditched a day of school in grade school or
high school, but I certainly daydreamed about it. When I saw “Ferris Bueller’s
Day Off” for the first time, I was in 6th grade, and those daydreams
were heightened after my first viewing. I used to plan big, extensive ways to
ditch school and somehow have an epic day off of school, even though I didn’t
have a driver’s license or any means of successful travel, but it was a fun way
to stop myself from being bored. Not only did “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” give
me several fantasies over the upcoming years, it helped introduce the joy of
1980’s filmmaking, it showed that Matthew Broderick was capable of incredible
things onscreen and it quickly became of my favorite films of all time.
I love that the movie throws us into the fun of the
premise right away. Its early on a school day and Ferris Bueller’s (Broderick)
hands are cold and clammy. His sister Jeanie (Jennifer Grey), is not convinced
of his illness and tries to persuade her parents otherwise, but to no avail.
Ferris stays home, and as his family leaves for the day, he gets up and looks
at the camera. “They bought it” he says. I love that Bueller works as a
narrator through the entire film, giving the film a style that is engrossing.
As I said above, I think Broderick does solid work as Bueller, and is easily
the prize of Broderick’s career. I think he has a certain charismatic charm
that I think only Broderick can pull off when he’s at his best. The journey he
takes us on is spectacular to see unfold and it’s the power of Broderick that
makes the journey worthwhile.
After Bueller is done getting ready for the day he
calls his friend Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck) over and they hatch a plan to get
Bueller’s girlfriend Sloane Peterson (Mia Sara). Once the group is together,
Bueller and his friends hit the town, Chi-Town that is, and have a great day.
While also avoiding Bueller’s parents and Edward Rooney (Jeffrey Jones), the
dean of students at Bueller’s high school is up to Bueller’s nonsense and plans
to catch him in his tracks. The work by Ruck and Sara is equally awesome
compared to Broderick. The trio displays great chemistry as actors and they
really feel like a group of tightly-knit friends. They never come off as actor
acting in a movie. I particularly like Frye, because I feel I am the most like
him. Even if I ever did get away from ditching school when I was younger, I’d
spend the whole day nervous about getting caught, and that is Frye in a
nutshell. I think Jeffrey Jones plays a great, grimy, meatball of an educator.
I think he’s got real talent being kind of an anti-foil to Bueller in the movie
and he absolutely nails all of the big laughs in the movie.
I love the way director John Hughes uses Chicago in
the movie. He told interviewers prior to the film being released that he wanted
to really capture the city’s spirit. Not just the architecture or setting, but
the spirit of the city itself. To that Mr. Hughes I say mission accomplished.
The city of Chicago almost feels like a character unto itself and how the city
is used enriches the big story and emotional beats of the film. I love how
Hughes shot Chicago and the great photography by the wonderful Tak Fujimoto
really captures the essences of the city. Very well done.
This is John Hughes crowning achievement and it is
also Matthew Broderick’s crowning achievement. For those two reasons alone, you
should check this one out.
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