Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

7/10

Starring

Matthew Broderick

Mia Sara

Alan Ruck

Directed by John Hughes

Is it possible not to have heard of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off? Is it possible to watch it and hate it? The answer to both questions is no.

This is the movie that defined the phrase “rebel without a cause.” Ferris is just a young guy who wants to skip school and have the best day of his life, along with his best friend and the love of his life. Ferris’s popularity in his town comes from his ability to charm anyone and get away with almost anything using his wits. It’s those wits and gimmicks that make this movie so enjoyable. For me, it’s not the adventure that makes the movie—what Ferris finds fun might seem dull to others—but Ferris himself is the reason this film is so beloved and has earned a spot on many “best movies” lists.

The plot starts with an introduction to our hero, Ferris Bueller. Ferris is pulling a stunt to skip school, and his sister Jean knows about it—and she’s not happy. His plan works, and he fools his parents into thinking he’s too sick to go to school. He takes it a step further by calling his friends at school and telling them he’s so sick he might die. Since Ferris is so popular, everyone is worried and eager to help him.

Meanwhile, Ferris is busy planning the ultimate day off. He calls his best friend, Cameron, to pick him up and convinces him to take his father’s prized car. He also picks up his girlfriend from school using another clever stunt to get her out. The rest of the movie follows Ferris’s adventures in town, his near-misses, and his principal, who’s determined to catch him in his lies.

When you watch Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, you’ll notice how many movies have borrowed ideas from it. The film was written, co-produced, and directed by the late John Hughes, the genius behind many of the favorite comedies of the ’80s and early ’90s. The movie earned Matthew Broderick a Golden Globe nomination in 1986 for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. Even decades later, Broderick hasn’t been able to step out of Ferris’s shadow. People still walk up to him on the street, calling him Ferris or asking if he’s having a day off.

This movie, along with his voice role as adult Simba in The Lion King animated trilogy, remains Broderick’s most memorable work.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off offers a wonderful piece of advice for finding joy in life: “Life moves pretty fast; if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it!”