Ferris Bueller's Day Off - I don't get it.

[Coventina]

I watched the movie once when it first came out.
It was OK, but I really didn't understand why so many people loved it.

My husband and I watched it again last night. He's from Chicago, and has always adored the movie.
I found all of the characters unlikable, and didn't really care what happened to any of them. (Although I guess I found some sympathy for Cameron, but very slight, as there wasn't really any on-camera evidence about what his life was really like).

I guess maybe if you're from Chicago it has some appeal, with all the Chicago landmarks and stuff.
Other than that, I really don't get it.

My husband said it was too highbrow for me, which just pissed me off.

Anybody want to try and explain why this movie is supposedly so great?

[The Polack MSgt]

1. No.

That movie sux.

There is a good looking Rotty in the movie, and that is pretty much all it has going for it

[Coventina]

6. Haha! That was my favorite part of the movie as well!

[customerserviceguy]

7. My favorite part was

Ben Stein saying, "Buehler, anyone, anyone?" It was probably the part of the movie that made it deepest into American culture.

[mr_lebowski]

29. Fun trivia fact ... he actually repeats 'anyone' in 1 scene, and 'bueller' in a different scene ...

All in all, I think it's a decent flick, not great.

It's no The Breakfast Club ...

But then, neither is anything else.

[Mike Nelson]

2. Well...

... I liked that movie very much. It reminded me of school days - but as a fantasy. I think some of the actors were too old and the events unnatural... but it just worked, somehow. It was surreal - how he talked to the camera... I loved the "Twist and Shout" scene.

[Boxerfan]

3. I take it your not a male though....

Just a boyhood fantasy thing. I didn't don't care about it as a movie but I "get" it.

[jberryhill]

4. Meh. If you have Amazon Prime and want highbrow

Then watch Chatterbox

[Shrike47]

12. If you're referring to a movie I saw in a drive-in in the 70's, I wouldn't call it highbrow.

Revealing, maybe.

[jberryhill]

25. The very same

The musical numbers are awesome.

[underpants]

5. Eh

I thought it was fun but didn't think it was all that.

The Big Lebowski is another one people gush over and I thought it was just ok. I don't think they really got to where they were trying to get.

[mr_lebowski]

30. I'm going to pretend I didn't just read this blasphemy ... (nt)

[Kali]

53. !

that's just your opinion, man.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

8. I just think it's a funny little story

about a Teen and his friends trying to have a fun day away from school before Ferris and Cameron graduate and go in separate directions and having to evade a snooty Principal, parents, and Ferris' vengeful sister. The characters are somewhat unlikable, especially in terms of how Ferris treats Cameron at the beginning of the movie, but they *are* high schoolers and somewhat immature, and they all do get some character development by the end. Despite some of his earlier selfishness and pressuring Cameron to steal his Dad's prized car, Ferris does agree to take the heat for what happens to Cameron's dad's car, Cameron finds his footing and decides to start standing up for himself, and Jeanie decides to stop holding a grudge against Ferris and even saves him from the Principal (Rooney), who winds up going through the grind because of his mad quest to "catch" Ferris skipping school. Ferris also decides that it's time to stop playing hooky and go back to school by the end, his parents being none the wiser to his antics. I suppose that, plot-wise and logistically, it probably falls apart under really close scrutiny but I think that when you watch it probably influences how you feel about it somewhat. I first watched it as a kid and it's always stuck with me. As has been mentioned, seeing some of the downtown Chicago landmarks, is a nice touch and the soundtrack is semi-iconic. The actors are also all well chosen.

[Coventina]

13. I guess I don't see what's funny about it. I didn't laugh once.

It was just a bunch of selfish jerks being jerky to each other with Ferris being the worst of them all.

The movie came out in 87, and I saw it in the theatre then, (I had graduated HS in 86), so I was pretty much in the target demographic, I suppose. But it left me cold then and it leaves me cold now.

I loved the other teen movies of the era like 16 Candles, Pretty in Pink, Breakfast Club, so, it's not like I considered myself above the genre.

[mr_lebowski]

32. The Breakfast Club is so epic it ruins almost all the others of that era for me ... nt

[pnwest]

39. I'm going to be murdered, but I hated

The Breakfast Club.

[mr_lebowski]

41. Naw, you're allowed to be wrong ... the world's an imperfect place ...

[Coventina]

44. My best friend in high school also hated the Breakfast Club

That's when I began to realize we were not going to be life-long friends....

[mr_lebowski]

48. Sounds like it was for the best (nt)

[Proud Liberal Dem]

56. I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy it (which is fine)

I was just trying to share what I got out of it.

Cheers.

[lapfog_1]

9. I would try, but it is just too highbrow for you.

I kid! I kid!

Jeez, what a idiotic thing to say to you.

It's a coming of age story about someone who has "it" (coolness to the max) and the adults are either incompetently jealous or clueless (his parents). He is simply so cool that he "gets away" with everything.

In reality, it's the same audience "edge of your seat" high wire act where you just KNOW the main character is about to be found out (caught by the principal or his parents or his sister) and somehow escapes...

If you have ever seen "Being There" with Peter Sellers... it's the same sort of plot line.

A decent comedy.

It is also a John Hughes "teenagers are the center of the universe" style movie ( like Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink ), most of which are popular because lots of people are nostalgic about their teen years (which is odd because most teenagers don't seem to actually enjoy their teen years).

Anyway, there is a lot of eighties references that don't really allow this movie to age well (clothing styles, slang, situations).

On the other hand, it is probably Charlie Sheen's best movie performance (again, I kid).

P.S. I like it mostly because of the Yello hit "Oh Yeah" at the end.

And the iconic post credits scene where Matthew Broderick comes out of the shower and tells the audience that it's over and to go home. Reprised brillantly in "Dead Pool".

[Coventina]

14. As I said in a post upthread, I loved the John Hughes movies, so I wasn't anti-teen movie.

And, I didn't find Ferris Bueller funny at all. I didn't laugh or smile once in the whole movie.

I dunno, maybe I am just stupid.

[Coventina]

15. Oh god! I hate that song. I always hated it from the moment I first heard it.

It was used in a bunch of movies in the 80s, and way overplayed on the radio.

[lapfog_1]

18. It's completely mindless...

and if you hated it... you probably really hate this :

I find them silly and sort of catchy... the humor is in the completely mindless lyrics and repetitive music.

[Coventina]

19. No, I always liked that song.

Something about the Yello just grated on my nerves.

[LizBeth]

10. A light, fun, nothing movie. No more. Nothing to get.

[Laffy Kat]

11. I never liked it either.

I watched it once and was, meh.

[Thomas Hurt]

16. When I first saw it was just a movie about a rebellious kid when I wasn't.

Thinking about now, Ferris is just a young version of the a hole in the WH.

Does what he wants and gets away with it all. Though Ferris is probably smarter than Trump.

[Coventina]

21. I actually was a bit rebellious, but I don't think my rebellion actually hurt other people.

Ferris is really unkind to everyone around him, and uses them to further his own agenda.

I don't think I did that kind of thing.

[Thomas Hurt]

40. Yep, that too, has that in common with Trump as well.

Of course that is a movie, Trump is and always has been a real life sociopath.

[2naSalit]

17. After all these years

I have not seen it and now I guess I'm glad I never bothered.

[DonaldsRump]

20. This scene made the movie for me

[Coventina]

22. I don't get why a German parade would have a karaoke machine with the Beatles

and why people there to see a German parade would go goofy over a high school kid lip syncing to them.

It just makes zero sense to me.

[DonaldsRump]

23. The Fab Four spent some of their critical years in Hamburg

Plus they're the Beatles!

B/t/w, they broke up 50 years ago today.

[mr_lebowski]

34. Just cause I'm a pedantic PITA ...

Karaoke and Lip-Synching are two different things

Also, it's not a Beatles song

CT

[Coventina]

36. You're right! My bad!

And yes, I did actually know that the Beatles were covering the Isley Bros.
The original is vastly superior to the Beatles' version.

[mr_lebowski]

42. To be fair, there have been many times I've witnessed Karaoke where I sincerely wished ...

That I was watching Lip-Synching

[Coventina]

43. Hahahahahaha!

[Captain Zero]

63. but I thought the parade was in Chicago, right?

But the Porsche coming off the blocks and flying out the window.

You have to admit. THAT was funny.

[Harker]

24. I didn't think much of it.

I didn't particularly care for "Catcher in the Rye", either.

Guess I'll just continue to pick my own favorites.

[Lars39]

26. I read somewhere that the whole thing could have been a dream

and in that context it does make sense.

[Bradshaw3]

27. Right there with you on all

Didn't like it, didn't think it was funny, didn't like any of the characters. Oh yeah, your husband needs to look up the definition of highbrow.

[samnsara]

28. it was stupid but I liked the music..

...but it was better than Porkys!...

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

31. It was okay, but essentially it's overrated in my opinion.

Plus, it's mid-morning at least before the kids start out on their adventure, and we see stuff that would have taken eight or so hours to do, and somehow they pull it off before the end of the school day.

[John Fante]

33. It's a light-hearted comedy with a number of funny moments. That's it.

Disagree about the characters being unlikable. Even the vengeful sister is endearing in her own way.

[Coventina]

37. What, exactly, is funny in the movie? I didn't laugh once.

[John Fante]

45. Odd question. Am I supposed to break down every joke for you?

I can't show you in an objective way why I found it funny. I just did.

[Coventina]

46. Well, you said "a number of funny moments".

I was wondering what was funny, because I didn't apparently "get" any of the jokes.
None of the situations struck me as funny either, so I was just wondering what was supposed to be funny.

[John Fante]

50. If I list the moments that I found funny, you're just going to reply

with "I didn't find them funny" so what's the point? You're entitled to your opinion, I'm entitled to mine.

[Afromania]

35. When I was young I loved this movie.

I caught part of it again a number of years back and wasn't able to watch it. It's like most movies and not everybody is going to enjoy it.

[unblock]

38. i love that movie! it's a riot!

i think almost everyone fantasized about skipping school and having a great day instead. actually skipping school couldn't possibly work out anything remotely close to what the movie depicts, but everyone can relate to the *fantasy* of an incredibly awesome day that you can't have because you're stuck at school.

it's meant to be a fantasy, with over-the-top stereotypes. no principal is actually so singularly obsessed with any one student like that, but in the fantasy, it leads to massive pain and humiliation.

plus the "talking straight to the camera" thing was novel at the time. years later "the office" made great use of the "turn head to face the camera and give knowing look" move, but ferris did it first.

[mucifer]

58. Talking to the camera stuff was done in the 50s by George Burns on his tv show.

[vercetti2021]

47. It was an okay movie

I love the fight club theory behind it though. That Cameron was imagining it all in this head. Ferris never existed but only in his mind.

[Shermann]

49. I wouldn't say it's highbrow

It's the opposite of that. It's not a movie you should overthink.

It's mostly just some quirky, well-acted characters who turn a day which should be a bust into a great one.

[Beakybird]

51. "Potatoe" head, Vice-President Dan Quayle declared that this was his favorite all-time film.

He's the one who declared that the importance of the Middle East is that it stops the Near East and the Far East from encroaching on each other.

[Backseat Driver]

52. Hated the movie but enjoyed seeing the fate of that precious car! n/t

Give me Rocky Horror Picture Show, Weekend at Bernie's, or The Bird Cage, any day!

[tazkcmo]

54. I agree

Boring as hell. Same with Breakfast Club. Blecch. I never did like teenager movies. The Outsiders is the only teen movie I liked but could have died happy after reading the book.

[flibbitygiblets]

62. Same here, both Buehler and Breakfast were lame and full of themselves

Why either are considered iconic is beyond me, and I was the target demographic. 16 Candles, now that was funny as shit (albeit more than a tad racist, in hindsight).

[Miguelito Loveless]

55. Actually, "Parker Lewis Can't Lose"

an early 90s Fox pastiche of the movie, is funnier, and the characters are WAY more likable.

And it had a Weird Al cameo.

[mucifer]

57. I didn't like that spoiled kid. I found Ferris REALLLLY annoying. I'm from Chicago you should watch

The Blues Brothers if you want something good from Chicago in that era.

[Coventina]

60. I love the Blues Brothers movie!!

Below, Tikki recommends "Adventures in Babysitting" which is a GREAT movie that uses a lot of the highlights of Chicago!!

[Tikki]

59. I don't know all about Ferris Bueller's Day Off..I think the film title says it all.

I do love "Adventures in Babysitting".



Tikki

[Coventina]

61. I LOVE "Adventures in Babysitting"!!!!

You're right, it's a GREAT Chicago movie!!!

[lunatica]

64. It was definitely not a high brow movie

It is about a smart alec but somewhat charming kid who takes advantage of his own cuteness to get one over on the adults. It is a fantasy most high school kids have. Getting away with breaking the rules. It appeals to that fantasy. It’s also about friendship and growing up and taking it seriously.