FRIDAY NIGHT MOVIE REVIEW: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” stars Matthew Broderick (The Lion King, Godzilla [1998]), Alan Ruck (Spin City [TV series], Speed), Mia Sara (Legend, Timecop), Jeffrey Jones (Sleepy Hollow [1999], The Devil’s Advocate), Jennifer Grey (Dirty Dancing, Red Dawn [1984]), Cindy Pickett (Guiding Light [TV series], Sleepwalkers), Lyman Ward (Independence Day, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2), Edie McClurg (Frozen, The Little Mermaid), Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men [TV series], Wall Street), and Ben Stein (Win Ben Stein’s Money [TV series], Casper [1995]). It is written and directed by John Hughes (The Breakfast Club, Weird Science). When Ferris Bueller (Broderick) fakes being sick to have a grand day out on the town with friends, his whole town is wishing him better. All except his high school principal, Ed Rooney (Jones), and his sister, Jeanie (Grey), who will stop at nothing to make sure he gets in trouble for skipping school.

Man, this week has blown by incredibly fast. Seriously, is it just me or was it Monday a minute ago? I feel as though the older I get the faster time flies, and I’m sure Ferris Bueller feels the same way, considering that his opening and closing statements involve him telling the audience to slow down and enjoy the moment. It may sound cheesy, but it is true, at least for me. I’ve never seen “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” until now. Yes, it seems impossible, but that’s just the way it is. It’s not like I never wanted to, I just never had the opportunity. I initially planned to watch this before I graduated, so I can better relate to Ferris’, and more importantly Cameron’s (Ruck), dilemma, but things happened. Better late than ever, I say (no I don’t). There is a ton of praise surrounding this film. It’s insane how much references I’ve seen to this movie, how many people have recommended me it, and how much they talked about it. It’s considered a classic of the 80s, like other John Hughes films such as “The Breakfast Club” (which I haven’t seen). I had relatively high expectations walking into this one, and you know what? I had fun. I wouldn’t say that it was as supreme as it is made out to be, but it does deserve some praise, as this is a wonderful piece of cinema for all audiences to enjoy. Something John Hughes knows how to do is write such lovable tales revolving around fun characters you can follow along with in an adventure. I’ve seen this in his other releases, including “Home Alone” and some pieces of “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.” All of the characters were so well-written in this, from Ferris to even the teacher who gives the iconic lines “Bueller…Bueller…Bueller.” Everyone did a good job in their performances, especially Matthew Broderick, who killed it as Ferris Bueller (obviously). I had a good time watching our main figures roam around the city enjoying life, and their lessons that come out of it. It’s fast-paced, full of good, witty humor, and it leaves you smiling and pondering on life ahead; at least for those in or just out of high school. This aspect may not resonate with me later in life, but for the time being it was helpful to see. I liked the directing of this as well as the cinematography, showcasing the 80s in a good, not-too-flashy fashion. It’s what you’d want from a film made in that decade, with the many trends and styles working with the story instead of against it (take notes from “Mannequin” on how not to make an 80s release). Picking apart the story, there’s many things to give or take. I found myself taking a lot from it, as there was a lot that I could relate to. Out of the characters, I found myself in Cameron, as I’m one of those guys who is afraid to branch out to the world instead of embrace it. It’s something I need to work on if I want to become a filmmaker, but it was nice to see someone have the same issues in cinema. There were many more conflicts in this plot, with Ferris’ day off, his principal looking for him, his sister trying to bust him, and the whole town wishing him well. I will say that it did feel a bit congested at times, but for the most part Hughes was able to balance out everything. If there was anything else that I could say was a con of this feature, besides it being a bit too crowded in story arcs at times, it would be in nitpicks. Mainly silly things that would happen in this but seem absurd to happen in real life, such as Ferris getting on a float, and some things that aren’t really explained, like the principal sticking around the house after his car was towed or how Ferris got all his money. Every film is bound to have problems, and although this one had quite a bit from time to time, I had a good experience. The atmosphere of our characters’ adventure and their lessons, that get pretty deep at one point, are what drives this story to such brilliance. I can see why people love it so much. FINAL SCORE: 90%= Juicy Popcorn

Here is the trailer: