Last day of high school and Seniors turn into vicious creatures. Starved of freedom, these youths, who now are granted with independence, reek havoc on their town and soon to be freshmen who emerge naively unaware from middle school. Dazed and Confused premise is such; a chase from the seniors and evasion of the freshmen. Yet the action is overlyaed with scenes of placid enjoyment of the rest of the departing seniors.Set in the 70s, there is a cool hazy atmosphere that comes from the presiding hippy attitude at the time. This exhibition of chill is what makes the film so compelling. One enjoys seeing the realistic contentment that these kids feel when left to their own devices. Nevertheless, there is still the pressure of the future which is over hanging. This contrast resonates with teenage viewers and so it is reassuring to see kids who go through the same confusion.
The idea of driving around the streets until dawn is just perfect. The way that kids are resourceful with their time and accessibility is also proven when the seniors make their bats in Shop class to wield on undeserving freshmen, and when the kids' end of term party is prevented, amusingly, by a confusion with kegs of beer, they instead hold it in the middle of the night in the forest. They travel around, frequenting the convenient 24/7 drugs stores and youth clubs as their town provides spaces for entertainment, but no stimuli. The kids manufacture the themselves. In the forest, inhibitions disintergrate yet the atmosphere, mostly, is not crazed, it's full of enjoyment and languid euphoria that they have finished their college education.The film is not biased, the girls seem just as cool in their flared jeans, and ruthless (in the demolishing of freshmen) as they boys however though, the boys do have a slight edge as their group includes the experienced role model or person who leads them astray, David Wooderson (Matthew McConaughey).
There is a vulnerable naievity and curiosity, yet also a yearning for their futures to be eventful but a contempt to conforming to aid their fulfillment of their potential.
Each character interacts well to form a great documentary like film on one night, which firms their own character. This night they don't want to think about becoming the next NFL football quarterback, burdened with pressure, or how acting frivolously might ruin their Harvard chances. All they want is to remain youthful. Coming-of age is a very appropriate label. Linklater gives all the characters their own motives so when you watch the film a main character does not immediately appear, and if you do prefer a character, its more like who you would choose to be friends with if you were in the film. I watch the film for the stoner Ron Slater (Rory Cochrane) as his epigrams, with fervent passion, spoken with a Californian, stoned drawl. He is so excitable yet actually says some really inspiring things.
The lethargy is a common feature of American suburban films, and this film is similar to George Lucas's American Graffiti, another film that I adore. One of the most pure symbols of teenage carefree reveling, is when the kids take over the American football field, lying their, joyfully remeniscing . The patriotic rigour of the american football jocks on the field is overturned when the stoners, and dropouts lie on the grass in the middle of the night. This image is used in films like the Virgin Suicides, the nihilism of suburbia is embedded in American Culture.
Peace, Love, Dope
*****
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