FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF
A film review by Chad Polenz
Copyright 1997 Chad Polenz
**** (out of 4 = excellent) 1985, PG-13, 103 minutes [1 hour, 43 minutes] [comedy] starring: Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller), Alan Ruck (Cameron Frye), Jeffrey Jones (Edward R. Rooney - Dean Of Students), Mia Sara (Sloane), Jennifer Grey (Jeanie Bueller), produced by Tom Jacobson, John Hughes, written and directed by John Hughes.
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off" portrays an attitude most adults, and therefore, most filmmakers ignore - the way the world is seen through the eyes of teenagers. This movie captures that essence all the while being a mainstream comedy and a hysterical one at that.
We meet Ferris Bueller (Broderick), and right from the get-go it's obvious (but not to his parents) he is faking an illness so he can stay home from school. This is the basic symbolism of which the entire movie relies upon, where all the adults seem out of touch. The fact the parents aren't smart enough to realize he's faking shows how clever kids can be. We also meet Ferris's jealous sister Jeanie (Grey), who has a bad case of sibling rivalry. This element drives a lot of the action and is a plotline not often found in most movies involving teens.
Ferris proceeds to narrate the film in a classy, funny way. He doesn't know much about math and science, but he does know a lot about life, people, and having fun. What he wants to do is take a day off and show his best friend how to have some fun. That friend is the depressed hypochondriac Cameron Frye, portrayed quite well by Alan Ruck. Ferris has a kind of psychological control over Cameron and when he tells him to pick him up Cameron refuses, but then guilt trips himself into going along with Ferris.
We also meet Ed Rooney (Jones), the Dean of Students who is obsessed with catching Ferris to show the example he sets is "a first class ticket to nowhere." Rooney is somewhat of the cliche anal-retentive administrator, but the atmosphere of the film is so zany and satirical even the typical elements seem fresh.
So Ferris, his girlfriend Sloane (Sara), and Cameron take on the city of Chicago. They take Cameron's father's Ferrari essentially to add to the risk. We also watch Rooney as he tries to catch Ferris and we really hope that he doesn't.
Unlike most comedies, the protagonists in this story aren't trying to overcome a conflict, they are just being themselves and doing and saying funny things. They do get into a few situations that could blow their cover, but their teenage wit and fast thinking save them every time.
Meanwhile, Jeanie and Rooney are so obsessed with catching Ferris their paths eventually cross and the result is a strange, but funny turn of events.
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is a genius comedy. It's very funny, original, well written, and well acted. It's not preachy in terms of symbolism, but its style is so brilliant it's in a class all its own.
(3/10/96) (1/18/96) (6/13/97) [also by Hughes: "The Breakfast Club," "Planes, Trains, And Automobiles"]
please visit Chad'z Movie Page @ http://members.aol.com/ChadPolenz/index.html
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