User reviews

I must concur with the other reviewers who have commented on the eerie accuracy of this film. I too attended high school in Texas in the 1970's, and this film is so flawless in recreating this time and place it lends the impression you were being documented without your knowledge. If you are of an age and background that permits you to relate to Dazed & Confused on this level, it will give you an unusual affinity for the film. This is exactly how we dressed and wore our hair, those are the cars we drove, the music we loved, that looks exactly like my high school (with only slight variations in paint colors), those seemed to be my teachers, and all of these people were the people I knew then. There is no question but that the author of this piece had to have been one of us.

As someone who was there, I hope I can clear up or offer some insight into a few of the points people have raised about the film. The drug use; well, it was the 70's. In my high school, really hardcore drugs such as heroin were virtually unknown, we talked about it but never saw it, but both marijuana and LSD were as common and available as sand in your shoes. My generation had a very permissive attitude toward these substances. My own clique would never have had the brass ones required to actually partake on campus, as getting caught would not have meant a detention but a trip to jail; on the other hand it was not infrequent to find us stoned in class. But we did leave campus to blow a joint, absolutely, (usually in either the home of one of us who lived nearby or a van that belonged to another of our group, parking at the shopping center down the street). In D&C we see Slater and some of his friends smoking weed right in the schoolyard, that didn't happen in my school. There wasn't a single teacher at my high school who would not have immediately recognized the odor of marijuana and sought out the source. With the clarity of thirty years hindsight, I remain of the opinion that we frankly had a healthier attitude on this subject than do so-called role models of today. Bad drug problems are bad drug problems, but the recreational use of marijuana is substantially less detrimental than either alcohol or tobacco, which both get a free pass because they're legal. Marijuana also failed to serve as a "gateway" drug in our clique, none of us were led by it into harsher substances. I'm glad I'm not in high school today.

One point of particular discussion I have noticed here on D&C's IMDb page is the movie's rather brutal depiction of hazing, "busting the freshmen". Several have reported that this did not occur at their school. You were lucky, and be glad of it. I attended high school in Dallas in the 1970's and this absolutely was a part of our life. I, like all girls, was spared the brutal whippings that Mitch and his friends have inflicted upon them by the seniors, but it absolutely happened to incoming freshmen boys and was generally sanctioned, or at least overlooked, by the adults in charge. For the record, YES IT IS ASSUALT AND BATTERY. Dang! What else do you call violently beating someone with a board until they cry? Battery, plain and simple. Outrageous, mean spirited and cruel, and frankly the homoerotic ass-fixated nature of this hazing paints a far more unflattering psychological portrait of those dealing out the punishment than of those receiving it. As girls we were at least not physically assaulted, but we did undergo some nasty initiation rituals, but usually only those of us trying to get into an organized club, not just all of us en masse simply because of our age (this is also depicted quite accurately in the film, what those poor girls endure from that bitch to get on the cheerleading squad, God love 'em). And it is likewise plainly obvious in the film just as it was in real life, the senior boys learned this bizarre monkey-like behavior from those bastions of simian progress, their "coaches", roles universally filled by academic failures who represent the Wooderson's of the future.

As disturbing as the hazing is, it belongs in the film because it was there, it was real, it was a part of our lives in that time and place, and I felt a delicious satisfaction when that one kid's mom met O'Bannion at the front porch cocking a shotgun. "I don't think so, creep!" You go girl! As both Mitch and Sabrina deal with the initiation rituals in a manner that is respected by their older peers and grants them access to the cool clique, it is too intrinsic to the storyline to be removed or whitewashed. I might add this is the only movie I have ever seen that captures this.

In summation, this is a movie directed at a rather specific audience. My friends who are of dramatically different age or grew up in a different part of the country do not generally relate to this movie nor enjoy it on the same level, although they often find it entertaining. But if you, like the filmmaker, were a Texas high school student in those amazingly permissive 1970's, and didn't particularly hate your life at the time, I think you'll absolutely love it. Highly recommended.

In the Austin, Texas, area, several youths complete their last day at school and celebrate through the night.

"Dazed and Confused" failed at the box office in 1993-94, but has gone on to achieve a deserved cult status. It's one of the best high school comedy-dramas, along with "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982). The difference between these two is that "Fast Times" contains more goofy antics whereas "Dazed" is more of a docudrama with amusing flashes. In other words, although "Fast Times is generally realistic, excepting the over-the-top parts with Spicoli, "Dazed and Confused" is more like a slice from real life.

What makes "Dazed" work so well is that it gets the LOOK of the mid-to-late 70s just right, particularly the hair & clothing styles, although Slater (Rory Cochrane) seems like a nod to 90's grunge.

Secondly, the actors pull off the material. A large part of the film's success is the excellent casting choices. You get a few up-and-comers here: Matthew McConaughey, Milla Jovovich and Ben Affleck, along with one or two of lesser note (in regards to future success), e.g. Jason London and Parker Posey.

All the standard school archetypes are present: the jock who parties on the side, the bullies, the hot sister and her little long-haired brother, the black dude, the sexy Lib teacher, the streetfighter, the cool guys, the geekier crowd, the babes, the guy who graduated years ago but still hangs around, the mentors & mentees, etc.

Then you have the standard school experiences like setting up parties at a friend's houses when the parents are away, keg parties, running from bullies, dealing with coaches & teachers, flirting, the possibility of sex, hanging out, meaningless conversations, fights, smoking pot at school or in your friend's bedroom, etc.

Like "Fast Times," "Dazed and Confused" is a joy to watch because it successfully takes you back to the high school years with all its joys & agonies.

Some don't like it because it's more of a slice-of-life than a plot-driven, contrived story. The plot here is simple: It's the last day of school and the youths want to celebrate. If they can't do it at their friend's house they'll find a place at a park or local hangout, but they WILL party. The rest of the film involves their interactions within this context.

I've heard some complain that the movie conveys a terrible message. What message? There is no message. The message is that school's out and it's time to celebrate! Besides, there are a few positive points that can be mined from the proceedings: the arrogant bully gets what's coming, make a stand and fight when you have to (even if you get beat up), ultra-tight pants must be put on with pliers, be true to yourself, etc. But, really, this isn't a flick to look for deep messages, its simple purpose is to take you back to the school years (in this case, 1976) and all the fun & pain thereof.

Aside from those already mentioned, Michelle Burke stands out on the female front as Jodi, along with Joey Lauren Adams as Simone (she has such a beautiful, soothing voice). Then there's redhead Marissa Ribisi as Cynthia.

No review of "Dazed and Confused" would be complete without noting the excellent soundtrack. You get some great rock/metal of the 70s like "Sweet Emotion," "School's Out," "Stranglehold," "Do You Feel Like We Do," "Love Hurts," "Paranoid," "Rock & Roll Hootchie Coo," "Rock & Roll All Nite," "Slow Ride," "Cherry Bomb," "Tuesday's Gone" and many more.

The film runs 1 hour, 42 minutes, and was shot in the Austin, Texas, area.

GRADE: A-

When I entered grade 9, I never really got an initiation. Sure the older kids asked me if I was a minor niner, but I said I was in grade 10. They never paddled my ass, drew a penis on my face or made me push a penny on the bus floor with my nose. I got through grade 9 with ease. I also never grew up in the 70's so I thought I might miss the whole generation thing with Dazed and Confused. Even though it was made in the 90's.

Who would think that a film about high school kids beating up younger ones, getting drunk and high and partying all night would make a good film? Well, I did for one.

Dazed and Confused is not the first teen party film I've seen, but it is one of the best, so good that it transcends that genre. Can't Hardly Wait is suppose to be my generation party film, I think, but I feel more connected to Dazed and Confused then any other. Probably because Linklater is dedicated to his craft and isn't looking to cash in on a certain craze. I can honestly say this is his best film.

It boasts an young cast of early talent, like Ben Affleck, Matthew McConaughey, Adam Goldberg, Rory Cochrane, Milla Jovovich, and so on. I think it's great to see all of today's actors in a film like this, just having a good time.

The film has a great soundtrack that embodies that time era, as it should. Dazed and Confused is a film that I can enjoy no matter what mood I'm in. So many teen high school films these days are moronic and try way too hard to be funny to immature kids. This is a true high school film that has heart and doesn't need to stoop to that low level, even with it's content being so childish.

Sit back, relax and enjoy Dazed and Confused.

There are spoilers in this review...

What a great, great movie. If you want to know what being in High School in the mid 70's was like, rent this film. I grew up in the metro Manhattan area. We didn't have the freshman hazing, and few of us could afford the cars (although we sure knew about them and lusted after them), but the rest of this movie is so dead on about my experience of High School in the 70's that it's scary. Every character in the film corresponds with someone that I knew during that time. Yes, there was a lot of pot smoking, yes, obtaining beer was quite easy for underage kids...I used to buy it in bars when I was 16. We made pipes in shop class. We hung out and had parties at night, drove the streets drinking beers and smoking joints listening to the same music. There were no youth centers though. The girls that I knew were as beautiful, and also struggled to get into their jeans. They used pliers too, but they also put them on while they were wet to further get that skintight look. There was no HIV virus to worry about, Herpes was not a big thing then, the biggest worry was getting pregnant. Everyone was having sex... All of these facts also were no big deal. Most of my peers grew up just fine, and now are upstanding pillars of the community. Many today would like you to believe that this is an example of the road to ruin. It was an incredible great time. The film has interesting character development, with the same types I remember. Philosophers, heads (now called stoners), bullies and waifs. This is my American Graffiti and it is perfect. Waxing nostalgic? Perhaps, but anyone that didn't live through that time will sill love the dialog in this film, as it deals with the universal experience of that point in one's life. This is high school in the 70's. Check it out.

"Dazed and Confused", which takes place during the 70s, was one of the best movies of the 90s. It really is phenomenal how much talent was in this ensemble; if you want to see Adam Goldberg, Matthew Mcconaughey, Milla Jovovich, Joey Lauren Adams, Parker Posey, or an almost completely unrecognizable Ben Affleck (playing the sort of role he would almost never play again, an a**hole) before they were stars, look no further. And of course this was an early movie for director Richard Linklater, who had made the relatively unknown "Slackers" previously and who would go on to make "School of Rock", which was almost as good as "Dazed and Confused".

Taking place on the last day of school in a small suburban town, "Dazed and Confused" is a brilliant ensemble piece rivaling anything done by Robert Altman that covers the broadest spectrum of teenagers imaginable. We see the nerds, the potheads, the jocks, and the cheerleaders, as well as the incoming freshmen, as they celebrate the beginning of summer. Some celebrate less than others, of course; freshman hazing is a big part of the movie, both male and female. The dialogue is fresh and unexpected; lines about George Washington's proclivity for marijuana, why you just gotta love high school girls ("I get older, they stay the same age", as McConaughey's character says), and the herd mentality when a fight breaks out demonstrate how all-over-the-map the dialogue can be, and it's always affecting and usually quite funny.

Of course, it's the acting and the characters that really steal the movie, and it really is amazing how many people in this movie went on to bigger things. As I said before, Affleck was the most surprising, but Mcconaughey had the most memorable role as an older dude who can't seem to let go of his youth, a slick slimeball who chases after under-age jail bait. And he has never been funnier or better than he was in this. Eventually, his character will wake up and the kids aren't going to want to hang out with him and the girls aren't going to want to sleep with him anymore, and he's going to have a rude awakening. But for the time being, he's all macho cool swagger, and Mcconaughey pulled off the part perfectly. Parker Posey is also excellent, playing a senior bitch (but only because she's "supposed" to be) unleashing a humiliating hazing on the incoming freshman girls.

You have to give props to the writing. It's not a long movie, but it covers so much ground that it feels big. At one point, a character says that the 70s obviously suck. That may have been, but it's never looked cooler than it did in "Dazed and Confused". And the soundtrack must be mentioned too. The 70s was a decade full of musical highs and lows, and thankfully the soundtrack highlights the highs while ignoring the lows, and we have songs by Aerosmith, ZZ Top, Dr. John, War, and other seminal 70s rock figures (curiously missing: "Dazed and Confused" by Led Zeppelin, but that's forgivable). Brilliant; there's not a single clunker, and it adds to the free, easygoing atmosphere of the movie. "Dazed and Confused" is quite possibly the best "teen movie" ever made, and, from the point of view of someone who grew up in the 80s anyway, the best movie about the 70s ever made.

Dazed and Confused (1993)

Cast: Jason London, Rory Cochrane, Sasha Jenson, Wiley Wiggins, Michelle Burke, Matthew McConaughey, Adam Goldberg, Anthony Rapp, Marissa Ribisi, Shawn Andrews, Cole Hauser, Milla Jovovich, Joey Lauren Adams, Jason O. Smith, Ben Affleck, Christin Hinjosa, Parker Posey, Nicky Katt.

Directed by Richard Linklater.

"Dazed and Confused" is one of the best teen films ever made, and for many reasons. It stands the test of it's time, along with George Lucas' "American Graffiti" and John Landis' "Animal House". It shows the highs and lows of partying, friendship, and drugs. The plot is about upcoming seniors and freshmen in a Texas town on the full last day of School in 1976. The characters are very likable in this, well, at least most of them. Richard Linklater gives a great independent direction. This isn't a film that encourages kids to do drugs, but it shows a true portrayal of teenagers in a America, in a very fun way. "Dazed and Confused" is one of my all-time favorite films, and one that I can watch over and over again. Well done.

5/5 stars.

Dazed and Confused is a lot like the time in which it takes place. The film doesn't have much of note to say, but you get the sense that it has a good time just being there. By 1976, Vietnam was in the rear-view mirror, as were much of the struggles of the previous decades. It was almost like people were sick and tired of caring about things and just wanted to get wasted. Notice how nobody seemed to care when their teacher was trying to tell them about the 1968 Democratic Convention or our "aristocratic" forefathers. There is a certain innocence about the period that our up-tight and violent world of today could use right now.

Our film shows us the trials and tribulations of kids just looking to get high, drunk, or just save their butts from being paddled on the last day of school. Not much of note happens in this film. We just see kids doing what kids are still doing. They are all just out to have a good time. There are plenty of familiar faces in this cast, but nobody really outshines anyone else. The film is paced in a manner that doesn't let us get to know too much about the characters. We spend a minute or two with one group of friends, then we see what another group is up to. The most memorable scenes in the film are more painful than funny. We see next year's freshman class (girls and guys) get pummeled by the seniors. We see the destruction of property. We see a fight or two break out. Plenty of beer and pot are consumed by all. And there really isn't much else to it.

Linklater films the action from a completely neutral vantage point. There is nothing at all pretentious or preachy about any of the subject matter. We see some cool cars, tight jeans, long hair, and just about anything you would associate with this time frame. The film lacks the humor of Porky's or The Hollywood Knights. It also lacks the tragic desperation of The Last Picture Show. That said, this film is still worth taking a look at. Especially if you were in high school at the time. I was just a toddler in 1976, but I could still relate to these characters, and their need to party.

7 of 10 stars.

The Hound.

Not what you might expect from a movie like this, but Dazed and Confused does deliver on many levels. Taking the setup from the classic American Graffiti and switching the setting to post-Vietnam in 1976, this is a coming-of-age story about a group of teenagers that for the most part represents what the entire young generation of that time was feeling and going through. The film covers one last day of school filled with many happenings including, hazing freshmen, playing mailbox baseball and getting shot at, as well as drinking lots of beer and smoking lots of marijuana. Writer and director Richard Linklater seems to have a good grip on the material and handles it with real sincerity and even sympathy towards some of the characters. The ensemble cast is well-cast and deliver the good dialog with a great sense of realism. Headlining it are a young Ben Affleck as a crazed senior determined to make the freshmen's summer miserable, Milla Jovovich who I don't think utters more than five lines in the whole movie, and Matthew McConaughey as an older guy who still hangs out with the high schoolers but is so cool and organizes the get-togethers.

This movie is very funny in some parts, but it is also very deep. It doesn't achieve classical status like American Graffiti or The Breakfast Club, but it is a strong and realistic portrayal that speaks to all people at that age where life is either far ahead or right around the corner. Indeed, there are many scenes with some "brainiacs" talking about President Ford and his political beliefs, then switching to deciding whether or not to go to a party. Also, I credit Linklater for not pulling an American Pie and becoming exceptionally crude and vulgar with this material. Yes, many teens do talk like this but not all teens rip off their clothes and have wild sex with each other.

All in all, a very good movie that gives a real sense of what it was like to live in the 1970s, and what it's like to be young in this country.

Im super surprised i ended up enjoying this movie actually. They did a really good job transporting the audience into the 70s era- and i gotta say- everyone in this film is literally gorgeous. I think the main factor that drew me in- was the humor. This is why its OKAY thats theres really no plot since the humor sets the movie up for sucess. I didnt expect it to be that funny either but it really was. Most of the characters were pretty likeable and i was so happy watching that revenge scene. One drawback would defintely be the fact that it looks like the director didnt know how to end the film- therefore becoming very boring towards the end and the appeal was quickly becoming lost. In all, its a pretty cool and funny movie and i would defintely watch again.

This became my all-time favorite comedy the first time I saw it. I was a small child in the 70's, but I do remember that era somewhat, and the characters in this movie reminded me so much of my teen-aged neighbors. The music is right on-one of the best soundtracks I have ever heard, a must-have for any 70's classic rock fans (in fact, it is so comprehensive, there are two volumes). Superb performances by Jason London, Sasha Jenson, Rory Cochrane, Milla Jovovich, Adam Goldberg, Parker Posey and Matthew McConaughey highlight this film, but the rest of the cast is just as great. It is no wonder that a majority of them went on to become major stars-everyone shines with this hysterically funny and nostalgic script written and directed by the amazing Richard Linklater. The movie flows beautifully, every scene is funny, and the chemistry of the characters is just amazing. Party at the moon tower!

Dazed and Confused is a classic "stoner" comedy but at the same time is a classic comedy. It's one of those films that doesn't get lopped into just the Cheech & Chongs and Fridays but branches out to an entirely new audience that can really appreciate it. I love watching this movie and then thinking to myself how far Richard Linklater has come since. He's still a well respected director who can lure big actors into his independent masterpieces. After watching Dazed and Confused one may often want to get in a time machine and travel back to the 70's, since we can't do this we repeat a viewing. The remarkable thing about this movie is that each time you watch it it actually gets better. You become more familiar with the characters, and suddenly you're incredibly comfortable with them. After a certain point it's as if you're hanging out with the characters, you know them so well. Linklater is a fantastic director who always has amazing characters, Dazed and Confused does not disappoint.

Dazed and Confused has a lot in common with Fast Times at Ridgemont High; both movies contain a lot of future stars playing teenagers, both have lots of terrific Rock tunes on the soundtrack, and both derive laughs from their characters and situations and not through jokes, pratfalls and other typical Hollywood clichés. One difference between the two films is that Dazed and Confused is a period-piece, filmed in 1993 it takes place in 1976, and directer Richard Linklater does a marvelous job capturing the habits, the styles and the attitudes of the era. In that regard maybe this movie is more inspired by "American Graffiti" than Fast Times at Ridgemont. But it doesn't matter because to me D&C is the best of them all.

This movie seems to be as personal to Linklater as it is to me, and its not so much about plot or big scenes as it is about realism and the overall flow...and it flows beautifully. The movie follows a group of high school juniors and another group of 8th graders (next years seniors and freshmen)through the events surrounding the last day of school in Austin, Texas in 1976 (the whole film takes place in approximately 24 hours). We observe the hazing, the partying, some introspective banter and many familiar rituals as the characters prepare not just for the summer, but for the next school year and beyond. This was the same general time period I was in high school, so this movie had a special impact on me.

At this point I need to mention Wooderson (McConaughey,in his film debut), a key character, he's that 20-something dude that still hangs with the high school crowd. Did every town in America have a guy like this or what? Wood, Dawson, Slater, Pickford; these guys all remind me of guys I grew up with in my hometown.

The greatness of this film is that it rings so true...the way the "jocks" party with the "freaks" (or "grits' as they were also called where I grew up), the way they just aimlessly cruise around in muscle cars until they find out where the party's at, or the mailbox bashing (here it was beer bottles thrown at signs), or even the bottle cap flipping...we did that all the time! The only thing i didn't see was a bong. (besides the one Slater was making in shop class..HEY, we did that too!) Yeah thats right -joints are better for cruising anyway.

This is the kind of movie to rent on one of those Friday nights where you have to work early the next day. I first rented this movie on one of those very nights. Its a great Friday night movie and why not? No heavy handed plot, lots of partying and good music, and it makes you feel good. Speaking of the soundtrack...Linklater makes great use of period music; We get the gamut of 70s pop/rock including Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, ZZ Top, War, Dylan and even Black oak Arkansas (remember them?)....Jim dandy to the rescue! This movie really took me back.

Dazed and Confused is also a bit of a curio because of all the young actors (who were all unknown at the time) who went on to star in other movies. You will see Matthew McConaughey (his best performance ever), Ben Affleck, Parker Posey (she's a riot), Adam Goldberg, Joey Lauren Adams and Milla Jovavich (ok,i'm reaching now), among others. My only complaint involving the cast is that Wiley Wiggins' (as Mitch Kramer) mannerisms are a bit irritating, but other than that everyone does a tremendous job.

This movie has become like a fascinating time capsule about that post-revolutionary decade of the 70s, a decade filled with great music, movies and television (seriously, what the heck has happened to entertainment in this country?)... so its worth viewing for historical and social aspects as well as its entertainment value.

But anyway, I hope you enjoy one of my personal favorites...a really cool, funny and realistic look at what teenage life was like in so many towns in America in the mid-70s.

It may be set in Texas, but it could just as easily be Ohio.

Just saw this movie again for the first time in a decade.... it is holding up fairly well over time, despite the numerous imitations (TV and otherwise) that this film (which is, itself, an imitation of Lucas' "American Grafitti") has inspired. Millia Jovavich makes an early appearance, as do several other future stars and would-be stars. The story is a slice of life type thing, which seems to come naturally to Linklater. Unlike Lucas' film, this one also focuses to some extent on female characters, and also doesn't force us to reconcile our own experiences of adolescence with the picture of a group of friends that happens to include one person from each social group... in Linklater's 70s nostalgia trip, the losers definitely hang with the losers and the jocks with the jocks.

Funny, not overly sentimental, not particularly distinguished, but a good film to laugh and enjoy an evening with.

Sometimes I write reviews and I can see people reading them, cursing my words and saying that I don't know what I'm on about. I'm well aware at how well Dazed and Confused was received, getting 5/5 ratings from the majority of viewers. I guess that means I just missed something about it and it didn't work for me.

It's about the last day of school in an American High School, back in 1976. The older students are looking forward to generally beating up the younger kids (as is tradition... apparently - all I can say is that this didn't happen to me at school in Britain during the eighties and nineties and I'm glad it didn't!).

I found most of the characters either unlikeable or boring. I found it hard to root for someone who enjoys bullying people smaller than them (which is most of the older kids), just as I found it harder to identify with the younger ones who just sort of spent most of the film running away or waiting to take a hiding. Plus there's no real story. What you have here is a collection of scenes with numerous different characters all doing their own things on the last day of school. There's also too many characters. Many don't really have much impact and aren't really fleshed out enough to be believed in. I think it would have benefited with a smaller cast. Although, the cast is pretty impressive - maybe not when this movie was made, but, in retrospect, there are a fair few Hollywood A-listers all here in the younger (pre-fame) days.

However, as much as I didn't really like it, I had to give it credit for getting the 'look' of the period right on. It really could have been filmed in the seventies for the way it was presented. Plus the soundtrack was right up my street. For once a film set in the seventies didn't have a single Abba track involved and there was far more use of some 'classic rock anthems' such as Alice Cooper (hooray!).

I didn't hate it, I just didn't like it as much as everyone else apparently did.

With uncanny precision, the uproarious "Dazed and Confused" conjures the true gut feel of '70s high school culture, and encases it in a spot-on selection of era-specific songs that arrive with nearly magical timing. This is a film that somehow grows more deeply felt the further we get from its depicted era.

Here we have a snapshot of the last day of high school in 1976. Outbound seniors torment inbound freshmen, but where they'll party come nightfall is still TBD. It's a universally experienced plot that gives rise to incredible character sketches: Randy "Pink" Floyd (Jason London) is at a football-driven moral crossroads. Mitch Kramer (Wiley Wiggins) is a freshman with a bull's-eye on his back. Wooderson (Matthew McConaughey) is long-graduated, but loves those high school chicks. And Slater (Rory Cochrane) is our timeless philosopher-stoner; you know the type.

The 1970's were cool, we just didn't fully know back then. Eras that followed have served to retroactively pull back the curtain on the decade's endearing and enduring purity. "Dazed and Confused" evokes that essence like few have. - (Was this review of use to you? If so, let me know by clicking "Helpful." Cheers!) - WATCHED IT? THEN WATCHLIST: "Almost Famous (2000)," "Napoleon Dynamite (2004)," "Stadium Anthems (2018)."

This is honestly one of the best most simple movies ever. Just enjoyable to watch. Wish they could still make movies like this. Anyone who gave this movie a bad review was obviously a lower growing up and has no idea that this is how we partied at one time

This movie had absolutely no point. No plot, no climax.. A buncha kids get out of school and go to a party and do a lot of drinking and drugs. Flat liner from beginning to end. Good depiction of the 70's.

Richard Linklater takes a journey down memory lane with a trip to 1976, the last day of School. Nothing too deep as we follow a bunch of students out to have a good time in their own little way. With films like these, you expect the growing up pains and all that other teenage angst. But Linklater shows it how it really was and how I remembered it to be; with the simple things in life, like drugs, booze, love and just hanging out with the guys that made it fun.

This has to be one of the best teenager, high school flicks which tops most of the many other films i have viewed. It depicts male and female struggles with all the temptations that face youth and will continue for generations to come. (maybe even worse). The beginning of the film cautions the public that drug use is going to be viewed and it sure is clearly displayed through out the entire picture. Beer drinking is being digested like it is water on tap and bottoms up appears in more ways than in bottles. The classic act is destroying mail boxes and also a bowling ball being thrown into the back window of a car. One of the teenagers talks himself into getting a six pack of beer from a liquor store like it was taking candy from a baby. Lots of hot looking gals in tight pants being zipped up with pliers in order to get their nice forms skin tight. Very entertaining film and extremely realistic and down to earth. All the actors gave outstanding performances. Enjoy

I had been hearing good things about this movie for twenty-five years. It seemed like a perfect fit for me, since I grew up in the era and I love the soundtrack songs. (Especially "Stranglehold" by Ted Nugent and "Slow Ride" by Foghat.)

So when I finally watched the movie last week, I was initially dazed and confused. I was expecting a different movie altogether. DAZED AND CONFUSED isn't sweet, like Pretty in Pink or 16 Candles. It's not poignant, like AMERICAN GRAFFITI, THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, or COOLEY HIGH. It's not funny, like PORKY'S or FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH. It's not even tragic or dramatic in the traditional sense, like ALPHA DOG or THE LORDS OF DOGTOWN. There are elements of all these films in the characters and the story line, but they all come together in ways that are strangely unsettling and even thought-provoking at times.

The first thing that shocked me was the idea of big kids "paddling" little kids for fun, in broad daylight. I could have understood if it was one bully, and he got punished at the end. Or if there was one kid who got picked on, and he stood up for himself at the end, like THE KARATE KID. But the idea that EVERYONE gets bullied in such a horrible way, and ALL the big kids are in on it, just freaked me out. How could that be true? And what would it prove? It's even weirder when a woman pulls a shotgun to protect her kid. Wouldn't she tell other parents? And the police? Where are the other parents? And the police? The movie doesn't give you any easy answers about what's happening or why.

Then there was the whole plot line of the popular jock who refuses to sign a pledge to quit using drugs and drinking alcohol. What's funny is that this guy gets off on hurting smaller boys, beating them a bat, and the whole town knows it. But the coach wants him to stop using alcohol and drugs. The beatings don't matter? Then there's the overly serious way they present the jock's struggle, like he's Paul Scofield playing Sir Thomas More in A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS. You can't tell if this is meant to be satire or real drama. You have to decide for yourself. And that's what makes this movie so disturbing.

The boys have tons of disturbing scenes in this movie, but the girls are just as dark and the sexual encounters are really frightening. During the "initiation" scene a girl about 14 years old has to go up to a senior boy and tell him that she's his and he can do "whatever he wants" to her. And the older girls FORCE her to do this! That's supposed to be funny? But then it's okay, because the boy senior takes her out for the evening and they get along just fine. So it's okay to have girls brutalized and debased by older girls because boys will take care of them? What message is this movie even trying to send?

Part of me wants to say the movie is just garbage, yet there's something about the flat, matter of fact way all these horrendous events are portrayed that makes it all seem true to life in a very complicated and disturbing way. There's no easy sentimentality about these characters, and no real "happy endings." At the end of the movie, the star jock doesn't necessarily do the "right" thing, but he does do his "own" thing.

And the movie is like that too.

Intelligent comedy-drama about the last days of a bunch of high school seniors having a big bash in 1976. Excellent film all around with a well written script by director Linklater and a superb cast that features McConaghey, plus one of the finest compilations of classic rock ever.

The 1950s has "American Graffiti" and now the 1970s has "Dazed and Confused." Both are well-developed depictions of life in America during those decades with a focus around high school, growing up and making important decisions about what to do and how to live life. Both also gather a killer soundtrack from each decade and the result is more about evoking nostalgia and showing those too young to know what life was like.

Director and writer Richard Linklater does good work with this film about high schoolers (mostly incoming seniors) on the last day of school. He's written characters that are fun and easy to identify (by stereotype sometimes) and identify with. The plot is just one giant misadventure involving alcohol, marijuana, high school hazing and a variety of "rebellious" activity. It never settles comfortably around one character, giving you enough to get to know them and be interested in what happens to them, but not enough to truly understand them or care about them. Linklater's focus appears to be showing the many ways that teens handled life and how they felt about it in 1976 through mishaps and comedic moments.

The cast is a lot of fun, especially because a lot of actors when they were a bit younger appear in the film: Ben Affleck, Matthew McCounaughy, Parker Posey, Adam Goldberg, Joey Lauren Adams ("Big Daddy"), Anthony Rapp ("RENT") and even more. Nobody's a show stealer, but that's because the film isn't designed that way.

"Dazed and Confused" is just fun. At the very least the soundtrack will have you rocking out a bit. There's no slapstick, gut-wrenching humor, you just laugh and enjoy. There's nothing moving about the movie, but you enjoy the characters and what happens to them. It's a very sound movie (no pun intended, but it works I guess) in that it's just well put together. It's not bad at all; if you don't like it it's probably because you wanted more from it.

Dazed and Confused is one of the greatest Cult classics ever. Everyone has there favorite character and everyone knows some great lines from the movie.

The movie takes place on the last day of school where the high school SR's haze and paddle the now high school Freshman. No character takes the hazing as seriously as O'Bannion (Ben Affleck). It also revolves around drug use and a late night kegger. Two of my favorite characters in the movie are resident cool guy, Wooderson (Matthew McConaughey), and stoner Slater (Rory Cochrane.) A number of reasons can be given as to why this is such a great movie but I'll give 1. The movie feels remarkably real and authentic. A lot of the kids in this movie are just kids found and asked if they would play in this movie. They are all very good and there inexperience makes the movie feel even more real. There is no real point to the movie which I suppose is the point of the movie. It's a movie where if you like it you'll watch over and over and over and over again (I think I've seen it 20 times since last year.)

I can see the appeal of this movie. It is very much an "American Graffiti" for the '70s. If you look just a little you can find many of the same caricatures used by Lucas. DC is viewed by the youth of today much as we viewed AG in our day.

Contrary to many of the other reviewers I saw little humor in the hazing and the wide-spread drinking and smoking weed. That is not to say that there were not funny moments and lines, because there were quite a few; Slater's "knowledge" of history particularly hilarious. Who knew that Martha Washington grew weed - apparently by the bushel!

I also found it interesting the number of reviewers that have watched this movie and assert that this "exactly" their experience during the '70s. Mine was far from it. Growing up in a small N. California town (not far from AG's inspiration - Modesto) much of what was depicted did not occur or at least not to the extreme shown. Parents cared what time their children came home, what they'd been up to and if they'd been drinking/smoking. That is not to say that there wasn't any drinking/smoking - it was just on lower level and not nearly as wide-spread as depicted.

And many of the "pranks" shown in the movie occurred but were easily remedied in the real world. My father's mail box was hit only once. It's concrete-filled replacement collected broken bats for years afterward. And our equivalent of paddling was promptly discontinued when a freshman stabbed his assaulting senior with a knife. Problem solved.

But this is the way with movies. A narrow reality is shown often with few if any consequences for actions. Those not having lived in the time view it and get nostalgic over what they "missed out on." In reality the only thing they missed out on was a figment of someone's imagination.

One thing particularly note worthy of this movie is the quality of acting. I don't think that there was a bad performance in the lot. Perhaps some could have been better but none were bad. And others have noted, the music selections were great. Now there is a reality that is sorely missed today - the great wealth of artistic talent that was the '70s. The youth of today have no idea what a vast waste land of music they're living through; it's a veritable desert compared to the '70s.

I loved this movie it was amazing.......it brings back awesome memories that i never had.....it makes me wish we were still in those times....the best part is when they are throwing garbage cans.....and in the beginning when Pickford says " Slater-San " that whole scene is great.....I've watched this movie like 20 times within a month of owning it............ the casting was great there are some people from movies like resident evil....rent.... and that new movie stay alive.. this move never gets old ( it cant )....even though i wasn't born in the 1970's it still is a great movie and i get all the jokes.......THE SUM IT ALL UP IT WAS A KICK ASS MOVIE!!!!!!!