I've said in the past that I'm not one to love movies with little plot. I typically need something that pulls the story along, and it can't just be a "day in the life" kind of thing... which is precisely what Dazed and Confused is. But did this one break that mold? The film takes place on the last day of school in May 1976. The main conflicts include Pink (Jason London) not wanting to sign a form for football that means he can't drink or do drugs; a kid named Mitch (Wiley Wiggins) who is moving into his freshman year of high school and is trying to avoid the seniors, but ends up hanging out with them all night; and Mike (Adam Goldberg), Tony (Anthony Rapp), and Cynthia (Marissa Ribisi), who question their inclusion in life as they know it. The film also co-stars Rory Cochran, Joey Lauren Adams, Milla Jovovich, Cole Hauser, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, Matthew McConaughey, and a bunch of people that didn't really become famous.While I was still moderately bothered with the fact that essentially nothing happens during the hour and 45 minute time span, I still liked the really liked the movie. A lot of the characters come in and out of the story, some more important than others. I do think that there were a handful of unnecessary characters that bogged down the film a little bit, and it could have been slightly more focused in its unfocused...ness.
The acting was solid all around. The iffiest was probably Wiley Wiggins, but I gave that a pass considering he had the most interesting story to me. But on the whole, it's good that the acting held up, as movies like this rely on the actors since there is no real story to drive the film. However, the other best thing that drives this film is the soundtrack. I recently had a discussion with one Kai Parker who declared that this film had one of the best soundtracks ever. Now that I've seen the film, I have to agree. I really loved the soundtrack, and it held the movie together as if it were a character in and of itself. I feel the music was really at the heart of this film.
In the end, it's hard for me to say how I really feel about the movie. It was fun and charming, but the lack of cohesion makes it not my cup of tea. So while I did end up liking it quite a bit, it's not one I can say I would be revisiting over and over. However, I might just have to get the soundtrack, because that is something I could check out frequently. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be negative or trying to discourage anyone from this film. It's actually really well done. It's just, again, not my favorite type of movie.
I Am McLovin!
(P.S. For the record, I had a tough time choosing between this and a Keanu 'Whoa'. So, needless to say, this is on the higher end of this rating.)
