Runtime: 102 minutes
Directed by: Richard Linklater
Starring: A great cast
From: Gramercy Pictures
NOW I remembered why I don’t love this movie like everyone else.
For those who haven’t followed me on Letterboxd for that long, note that once in awhile I’ll have a hot take. This includes me not liking ANY movie from Park Chan-Wook, hating One Battle After Another, thinking that the atrocious Suspiria remake was a miserable, interminable 2 ½ hours at the cinema, and the ultimate: loathing Everything Everywhere All at Once. Me mainly liking Dazed and Confused for its all-timer soundtrack and an all-timer performance from Matthew M is mild in comparison.
Note that I did see this movie once in high school and the other time was as a freshman in college; it probably was the fall of 2000 when I was at a party pal’s apartment with some others. Drinks were had as this was one of the films seen; I didn’t leave that place and head back to my dorm until after 5 AM! I was just like one of the characters in the film, chastising mother aside.
I’ve stated before that slice-of-life movies usually aren’t for me. That’s what I remembered most from those viewings literally decades ago, along with the soundtrack and the Wooderson character. In 2026, I still don’t typically love slice-of-life movies, even if it was about the last day of high school and I was reminded in part of various experiences I had in high school. Unfortunately, I was reminded that someone I once knew said that “all women are either prudes or sluts” as I heard similar comments made by one character in the backseat of an automobile. The 70’s setting was of course of interest to me, along with all the excellent rock/pop songs that you’d hear in late May of 1976 playing throughout.
The biggest gripe I had then and still have now: why IS that horrible subplot concerning the town tradition of all high school seniors hazing 8th graders the summer before they enter high school? Did this EVER happen, anywhere? It was totally unpleasant, first off, and I have a hard time believing this was a thing no matter what I hear otherwise. This certainly did not happen in my Illinois hometown. The fact that this was a theme that ran throughout the movie was a massive turn-off. Preposterous to me was that a star quarterback was thinking of quitting the football team because… the coaches want the squad to sign a meaningless pledge about not drinking alcohol or smoking weed?! Huh?
I know it’d be a lot cooler if I did love the movie… I was happy when Matthew McConaugahey entered the picture-if only it’d been sooner than 40 minutes in. It wasn’t just that his character had the best dialogue and was the most memorable, overall gross nature aside; it was his performance that launched his career. I can’t explain the bad commercials he’s been in the past few years, but…
As unpopular as this statement will be, despite a quality cast (including Ben Affleck and his tremendous head of hair) along w/ the other positives, I’ll be happy to never see the film again. It also doesn’t make me want to do a deeper dive on the filmography of Richard Linklater. Before Sunrise and Before Sunset are legendary; Before Midnight, on the other hand… now there’s another take even spicier than my ambivalence towards Dazed & Confused.
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