While
watching Richard Linklater's (Before Sunset,
The School of Rock) semi-autobiographical
homage to his high school days in Dazed and Confused, it's almost
impossible not to think about another film that similarly captured the essence
of a time and place for teenagers in an older era, George Lucas's
American Graffiti. In many ways, the films are
linked, not only due to the similar structures and styles, but that they also
bookend the Vietnam era for American youth, with the older film taking place as
we were just on the verge of the national and international tumult that marked
the 1960s, while the other depicts the aftermath. Whereas American Graffiti
featured a group of teens that seemed to know and embrace what was to be
expected of them, though they were a bit naive as to how complicated that would
be, the kids in Dazed and Confused only know that the only thing they
didn't want to do was what was expected, as they rejected parental guidance,
school rules, and the local authorities in the quest for finding their own
identity among their peer group, mostly out of sheer boredom.
The setting is a rural Texas town in 1976, on the last day of school. The
graduating seniors are hazing the incoming freshmen, while the rest of the
regulars get ready to party until dawn. Some of the younger teens are shown the
ropes by the more popular, older kids, while the never-ending quest to get laid
and get high are on the agenda for those about to go to college. Beer runs,
mailbox vandalism, and fistfights are but some of the rites of passage for those
about to move on from their social positions.
One of the first things you'll notice about Dazed and Confused is the amount of
future stars that are part of the cast. The film would mark early prominent
roles for such up-and-comers as Matthew McConaughey (Lone
Star, Edtv), Ben Affleck (Mallrats,
Chasing Amy), Cole Hauser (Good
Will Hunting, Pitch Black),
Adam Goldberg (Saving Private Ryan,
According to Spencer), Milla Jovovich (The
Fifth Element, He Got Game), and Parker Posey
(Party Girl, The
Daytrippers), to name but a few (Look close
for a young Renee Zellweger in a non-speaking role during the party in the park).
It also solidified the career of writer-director Richard Linklater as a force to
be reckoned with, handling such an ambitious project with a variety of
personalities, putting forth a heavy emphasis on authenticity, and pulling it
off seamlessly (who knew that there are people that actually remember the
1970s??)
Despite the relative inexperience of Linklater and his sizable cast, Dazed and
Confused still flows by with finesse, despite the loose structure and lack of a
central plot. Momentum is achieved through a series of intersecting
interactions, excellent characterizations, and good young character
actors -- sometimes it's fun just to listen and observe their conversations and
observations. Although there are a few serious moments, Linklater does do wise
to keep things simple, not trying for an ending with an overreaching dramatic
payoff, as other similar films have done. It stays fun and irreverent
throughout.
Dazed and Confused isn't really a traditional coming-of-age film, or even a definitive
testament on its generation, but it does effectively capture many of the
prevailing attitudes of the era, in fashion, music, and the rampant social irresponsibility.
It's funny, insightful, and a sure hit for those who grew up during that
tumultuous era, where the only thing to look forward to was the next hit.
