Smugness personified.
If I was asked to describe Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and I wasn’t occasionally trying to be amusing, and I didn’t know the legendary reputation this film has, I would say this;
Ferris is popular. He has nice skin. He makes crank calls and they work. He lies to his parents and teachers and it works. He gets to talk to the camera – even though he’s in a movie. He has an easily influenced best friend whose father has a Ferrari. He has a hot girlfriend.
That’s it really. He doesn’t do much to merit acclaim or admiration. But you want more…?
Ferris throws a sickie in the morning, convincing his parents that he is genuinely ill while his aghast older sister looks on. Then he gets his friend, his friend’s dad’s car, and his hot girlfriend, and puts on a beret, before heading out on the town.
Then Ferris and friends go to a fine restaurant. They go to a fine art gallery. They stop by a street parade, where Ferris – and his hat – jump onstage for a song.
Then they go home. They wreck the Ferrari, which apparently is the Big Break that Ferris’s friend – who I mentioned was easily influenced? – really needed in his life. Seriously, the film says that. (Nah man, your Dad won’t care that you trashed his Ferrari!) Then he kisses his girlfriend again. On the lips and everything. Then he runs home, beating his parents and headmaster, fooling them into thinking he was sick all day.
Actually his sister helped with that ruse, because everyone loves Ferris. Even the kids at the school and random strangers about town wish him well…
Because Ferris is great…
…We are constantly told that Ferris is great.
Actually rethinking everything, I could tweet my review: Ferris chucks a sickie, has lunch, looks at some art, sings a song, has a swim and goes home. All think he is great.
It seems that the secret to universal adulation is being pleasant even while you dupe others and contribute little, and by contribute I mean laughs and such. Ferris is beloved because he skips school, fools the old people, and does adult stuff like wearing a beret; and he gets away with it.
That’s it. That all.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is oft-quoted, but only the Bueller?… Bueller?… Bueller?… bit. The rest, like Ferris himself is a pleasant and harmless distraction with nothing of value to add.
Final Rating – 6 / 10. Here’s the marketing blurb for the Ferris Bueller wheel ride; you go around and around for a while before alighting and wondering just what inspired you to get on in the first place.
