Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern in the Chris Columbus movie ‘Home Alone’

Written by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus, the comedy movie Home Alone (1990) captures our attention today. The story shared is that of an eight-year-old troublemaker who defends his home from a pair of burglars robbing affluent homes in suburban Chicago, Illinois, United States the evening before Christmas as the child’s family left him behind as they travel for pleasure to Paris, France in Europe.

(From left, Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, Jedidiah Cohen as cousin Rod and Devin Ratray as Buzz McCallister in the Chris Columbus movie Home Alone).

The evening before the eight-year-old would be isolated from his family, Kevin McCallister as portrayed by Macaulay Culkin finds himself getting picked on by his siblings, cousins and even fully grown Uncle Frank McCallister. The words from the likes of Uncle Frank and older brother Buzz, as portrayed by Gerry Bamman and Devin Ratray, respectively, sting Kevin more than the teasing from the others; a dispute over the pizza brought into the house for dinner before the flight that strands Kevin at home alone would lead to a large disagreement between Kevin and his parents.

(Gerry Bamman as Uncle Frank McCallister in the Chris Columbus movie Home Alone).

After being provoked by sibling rivalry and his rude uncle, Kevin has harsh words with his mother, Kate McCallister as portrayed by Catherine O’Hara. Kate banished Kevin for the night to the third story bedroom. Kevin sleeps through the rush of the next morning when the family realizes they overslept and need to rush to the airport to capture a flight to Europe. It is during the haste to depart for the airport that a neighbor kid inserts himself into the party’s headcount. It isn’t until Kevin’s parents Peter and Kate discover, in first class on the airplane, that Kevin would still be in suburban Chicago. John Heard portrayed Peter McCallister.

(From left, Catherine O’Hara as Kate McCallister and John Heard as Peter McCallister in the Chris Columbus movie Home Alone).

After waking in the morning to see the family vehicles still at the family home, Kevin realizes he is alone but not that his extended family had traveled to the airport in rented vans. It’s the day before Christmas, by himself for Kevin at this point, with the fear of neighbor “Old Man” Marley planted by Buzz and the extended family the night before. The decorated Christmas tree is left behind for the appearance the family would be home for the holiday. The exploration of his new found freedom offers comedic fodder for the audience at this point, as is the family’s discovery that plans to get back to Kevin are the priority. Roberts Blossom portrayed “Old Man”Marley.

(From left, Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, Daniel Stern as Marv Murchins and Joe Pesci as Harry Lyme in the Chris Columbus movie Home Alone).

Kevin’s efforts to defend the family house against burglers Harry Lyme and Marv Murchins, portrayed by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, respectively, offers much comedic fodder to the remainder of the movie. The troublemaker kid against the troublemaker adults made for laughs in the live action gags planned to keep the McCallister home safe. The framing of the movie’s outcome to show Kevin’s responses to when and if his family gets back to suburban Chicago to share Christmas day with him offer a payoff the movie needs to answer the drama that began the overarching story.

(From left, Roberts Blossom as “Old Man” Marley and Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister in the Chris Columbus movie Home Alone).

The comedy delivered with Chris Columbus‘ Home Alone delivers laughs with a touch of heartwarming delivery to tie a bow around the effort of watching. The movie delivers content for adults that works as well as it might for 12-year-olds might find laughs in the antics of after school cartoons for the youths of people of a certain age. I grant Home Alone as directed by Chris Columbus and written by John Hughes 4.0-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, December 23, 2023

Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson and Molly Ringwold in the John Hughes movie ‘The Breakfast Club’

The franchise of success following John Hughes staked out a happy, in some ways formative following for many folks of a certain age. The coming-of-age story as cinematic bildungsroman was one of the stronger landing points, with our looking back upon The Breakfast Club (1985) proving itself as one of perhaps the leading example offered in terms of writing, direction and production for Hughes.

(From left, Judd Nelson as John Bender, Emilio Estevez as Andrew Clark, Ally Sheedy as Allison Reynolds, Molly Ringwald as Claire Standish and Anthony Michael Hall as Brian Johnson in the John Hughes movie The Breakfast Club).

The Breakfast Club begins with five students showing up for detention on Saturday, March 24th, 1984. With the hint of the song Don’t You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds cut into our meeting Brian Johnson, Allison Reynolds, Andrew Clark, Claire Standish and John Bender, hints of relationships at home coupled with distinctly different personalities for the students take shape simply by this introduction. Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald and Judd Nelson portrayed Johnson, Reynolds, Clark, Standish and Bender, respectively.

(Paul Gleason as Vice Principal Richard Vernon in the John Hughes movie The Breakfast Club).

The five represent stereotypes of students fitting into cliques while figuring themselves out. Brian Johnson presents as socially awkward yet intelligent. Allison Reynolds presents as a shy loner that keeps to herself. Andrew Clark has the reputation as a volatile wrestler. Popular snob Claire Standish shows up as spoiled. We see John Bender as a delinquent with a rebellious side. The proposition for the movie is that these stereotypes will try to understand one another in this temporary space while getting to know each other with a deeper understanding than they had when the day started.

(John Kapelos as janitor Carl Reed in the John Hughes movie The Breakfast Club).

Vice Principal Richard Vernon, as portrayed by Paul Gleason, is the authority figure responsible for administering to the students. His interactions helps to provoke some of the action throughout the movie. The fact that Vernon in fact wants to be respected and liked by these kids is a moment of clarity given to Vernon by janitor Carl Reed. John Kapelos portrayed Reed.

(Clockwise from left, actor Judd Nelson, actress Molly Ringwold, actor Emilio Estevez, actress Ally Sheedy, director, producer and screenwriter John Hughes, and actor Anthony Michael Hall in support of the John Hughes movie The Breakfast Club).

This comedic look largely into the feelings and thoughts of five teenagers from different experiences works as comedy while giving the primary adolescent audience insight into the worlds they lived in. This movie lands at the top of any made by John Hughes, whether that be as a writer, director or producer. I rate The Breakfast Club as directed, written and produced by John Hughes 4.25-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, March 25, 2023

Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo and Juliette Lewis in the Jeremiah S. Chechik movie ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’

An aspiringly comedic and decidedly Midwestern United States notion of Christmas came to life in suburban Chicago, Illinois a while back. This notion was brought to us with the Jeremiah S. Chechik directed movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989). Big plans for a glorious family holiday, as are the fare that this franchise plays in, gave way to comedic disaster with the movie written by John Hughes.

(From left, William Hickey as Lewis Griswold, John Randolph as Clark Griswold Sr., Mae Questel as Bethany Griswold, Diane Ladd as Nora Griswold, Julliette Lewis as Audrey Griswold, Chevy Chase as Clark W. ‘Sparky’ Griswold Jr., Beverly D’Angelo as Ellen Griswold, Johnny Galecki as Rusty Griswold, E.G. Marshall as Art Smith, Doris Roberts as Francis Smith, Cody Burger as Rocky Johnson, Ellen Latzen as Ruby Sue Johnson, Randy Quaid as Eddie Johnson, and Miriam Flynn as Catherine Johnson in the Jeremiah S. Chechik movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation).

The movie opens with Clark ‘Sparky’ Griswold Jr., his wife Ellen, and his children Audrey, and Rusty awkwardly singing carols of the season as they drive to the country to walk through tightly packed snow to find and cutdown an evergreen tree to bring into their home for the holiday. It wasn’t until after venturing too far into the experience with misadventures to boot that the family realizes that tools were forgotten in pursuit of the endeavor. The family found success after much effort. Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Juliette Lewis and Johnny Galecki portrayed Clark, Ellen, Audrey and Rusty, respectively.

(From left, Nicholas Guest as Todd Chester and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Margo Chester in the Jeremiah S. Checkik movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation).

Each pair of Clark and Ellen’s parents arrive a short time later, arguing as they arrived at the front door of the Griswold house ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Clark takes on a mission to keep things on a positive keel by setting out to put an extraordinary amount of external lights and festive decorations outside the house with his son, Rusty. Clark Griswold Sr., Nora Griswold, Art Smith and Francis Smith, as the parents of Clark and Ellen, were portrayed by John Randolph, Diane Ladd, E.G. Marshall and Doris Roberts, respectively.

(From left, Chevy Chase as Clark W. ‘Sparky’ Griswold Jr. and Nicolette Scorsese as Mary, a lingerie counter clerk in the Jeremiah S. Checkik movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation).

The effort to illuminate the house leads to a series of comedic wrong turns, some of which go horribly wrong for the Griswold’s. Todd and Margo Chester, as portrayed by Nicholas Guest and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, had a suspicious dislike of the Griswold’s before the exterior illumination project provoked a series of calamity’s that were visited upon the Chesters. Meanwhile, an afternoon of familial shopping commences where Ellen’s mother trips Clark in the attic because of how well heated the family home is throughout the home, save the attic.

(From left, Brian Doyle-Murray as Frank Shirley and Natalija Nogulich as Helen Shirley in the Jeremiah S. Checkik movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation).

An additional storyline about Clark’s relationship with leadership at his work leads to questions for how big or small the annual bonus will be this year. Randy Quaid as Eddie Johnson arrives at about this time with his wife, Catherine and their kids. A sad storyline presents itself here, incorporating a scene of fantastic revelry by Clark with thoughts aimed at the lingerie clerk, Mary, as portrayed by Nicolette Scorsese. Miriam Flynn portrayed Catherine Johnson. Lewis and Bethany Griswold, and their cat, make an additional appearance to help bring the full humorous treatment for the film its fullest impact.

(Aunt Bethany’s cat in the Jeremiah S. Checkik movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation).

While many of the humorous points of the movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation are suggested above, there’s much more than meets the eye beyond what has been raised. In raising some of the realities for how families can make the full range of emotions come to the surface during the holidays is where the drama and humor many see in this movie rests. As National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation as directed by Jeremiah S. Checkik and written by John Hughes 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, December 10, 2022

Steve Martin, John Candy and Laila Robins in the John Hughes movie ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’

With the observance of the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States a little more than two weeks away, we are nostalgic for getting back home to spend time with family. The John Hughes movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) feeds into this with a touch of drama and comedy.

(Steve Martin as Neal Page in the John Hughes movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles).

The movie opens with advertising executive Neal Page, as portrayed by Steve Martin, looking to get back to his home in Chicago, Illinois from a business trip to New York City, New York. The act of getting out of the city and on his way back home is foiled by a series of experiences beyond his control. The annoying and comedic value of the delays inform Page’s outlook, which feels a bit bemusing to the character.

(John Candy as Del Griffith in the John Hughes movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles).

The incidents that placed Page in the initial foul mood intensified when the movie told us that there was but the single goal of getting home for the holiday. With the loss of good humor on the way to the airport relented to an increasing level of misadventure, the introduction of a jolly and Del Griffith intercepting Page’s mood first on the street outside a hotel. Later at JFK airport, the delight expanded into the expansion of a tale that saw Griffith, as portrayed by John Candy, traveling with Page.

(From left, Kevin Bacon as man running for taxi and Michael McKean as State Trooper in the John Hughes movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles).

The story has Neal and Del coming and going from one another’s paths, with air travel being a difficulty in getting to Chicago. A train ride to St. Louis, Missouri reunites and separates the pair, with that mode of transportation letting the pair down in their travels. Rental cars, testy interactions with the obstacles of reliable travel, and the pair is traveling again. Getting to a lowly state as the pair drives back east from St. Louis to Chicago by automobile, Del and Neal encounter a state trooper portrayed by Michael McKean.

(From left, Laila Robins as Susan Page and Steve Martin and Neal Page in the John Hughes movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles).

As disaster had struck the pair, with news of Neal’s responsibilities for that disaster having just been revealed, a legitimate question for how much can one man endure to get home for a holiday becomes the clear dramatic and comedic question. The serious question for whether Neal gets home to his wife, Susan Page as portrayed by Laila Robins. The movie does end on a happier note, with much of the shenanigans of the previous travels laid behind the travelers.

(From left, actor Steve Martin, actor John Candy and writer / director John Hughes onsite for the John Hughes movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles).

I found the movie humorous and lighthearted, despite the subject matter clearly aiming for a test where the boundaries for social limits should be drawn. As a movie clearly aiming for comedy with some mild drama mixed in, I found entertainment and happiness. Thus, I rate Planes, Trains and Automobiles as written and directed by John Hughes 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, November 9, 2022

The Year 2021 in Movies

Continuing with the final part of our year in review, Matt Lynn Digital invites you to look back at the last year in reviews of books, movies, music and television. We look at these with individual categories, one per day through today. Today we share the sixty-eight (68) movies reviewed across ten (10) decades by Matt Lynn Digital in 2021.

(The 1941 movie Citizen Kane is one of seven movies that Matt Lynn Digital gave 4.5-stars on a scale of 1-to-5).

Citizen Kane (1941) was written by Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles. The Michael Curtiz directed film Casablanca (1942) also earned 4.5-stars, as did the Alfred Hitchcock directed film Psycho (1960).

(The 1961 movie The Hustler starred Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason).

The Robert Rossen directed film The Hustler (1961) is joined by the Martin Scorsese film Taxi Driver (1976), the James Cameron directed movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and the David Fincher movie Se7en (1995) as also having earned 4.5-stars by Matt Lynn Digital in 2021.

(Several films by Alfred Hitchcock made their way into the Matt Lynn Digital reviews in 2021. North by Northwest and Strangers on a Train were a couple of favorites).

The Shop Around the Corner (1940) as directed by Ernst Lubitsch is one of eleven movies having earned 4.25-stars in 2021. The Alfred Hitchcock movie Strangers on a Train (1951) joins the Hitchcock film North by Northwest (1959) in the same category.

(Martin Scorsese movies are well received by Matt Lynn Digital. The 1995 movie Casino received 4.25-stars).

A Christmas Story (1983) as directed by Bob Clark has consistently hit me in a warm spot. The Richard Donner directed Lethal Weapon (1987) offers comedic action at a solid pace.  The Rob Reiner directed movie Misery (1990) juxtaposes mystery against the sweet storytelling of the Harold Ramis movie Groundhog Day (1993). Casino (1995) by director Martin Scorsese is the second film in our reviews to pair Scorsese with actor Robert De Niro. The Sixth Sense (1999) as directed by M. Night Shyamalan also earned our rating of 4.25-stars.

(The 2003 Ridley Scott movie Matchstick Men dips our toes into the 21st century of cinema).

The Ridley Scott movie Matchstick Men (2003) earned 4.25-stars, as did the David Fincher movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008).

(The clean-cut reputation of the actor James Stewart is put to the test in his portrayal of Paul Biegler is the 1959 Otto Preminger movie Anatomy of a Murder).

Frankenstein (1931) as directed by James Whale received 4-stars as an origin tale into the more frightening side of cinema. The movie Saboteur (1942), the movie Rope (1948) and the movie Dial M for Murder (1954), as directed by Alfred Hitchcock, all earned similar ratings. The Otto Preminger directed movie Anatomy of a Murder (1959) closed out the three decades of cinema rated at this level.

(The 1974 Mel Brooks movie Young Frankenstein comedically poked fun of the 1931 James Whale movie Frankenstein).

The Mel Brooks directed movie Young Frankenstein (1974) worked on a level equal to the film that inspired it. Richard Donner succeeded in the horror movie genre with The Omen (1976) while John Carpenter delivered a similar 4-star rated movie with Halloween (1978). The Hugh Hudson directed film Chariots of Fire (1981) won four Academy Awards while the James Cameron sequel movie Aliens (1986) won a pair of awards.

(Seven Academy Awards and 4-stars from Matt Lynn Digital awaited the Kevin Costner‘s directorial debut movie, Dances with Wolves).

The epic Western Dances with Wolves (1990) as directed by Kevin Costner earned 4-stars, as did the Steven Spielberg movie Jurassic Park (1993), the movie Jumanji (1995) starring Robin Williams and the Tony Scott directed movie Enemy of the State (1998).

(The adventure of The Polar Express centers around the experience of finding joy in the notion of Christmas. Matt Lynn Digital granted the movie 4-stars).

The Stephen Frears movie High Fidelity (2000), the Paul Haggis directed movie Crash (2004), the Robert Zemeckis movie The Polar Express (2004), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) starring Gary Oldman and the Jake Kasdan directed movie Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) all earned four stars.

(John Ford directed the western named Stagecoach. The movie starring John Wayne was granted 3.75-stars).

Alfred Hitchcock directed two separate movies based on the same source material twice. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) as well as The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) each earned 3.75-stars from Matt Lynn Digital. The John Ford directed movie Stagecoach (1939), starring John Wayne, is accompanied by Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt (1943), John Ford’s The Quiet Man (1952), and both The Trouble with Harry (1955) and The Wrong Man (1956) by Alfred Hitchcock.

(The 1962 Stanley Kubrick movie Lolita is often misunderstood yet tells a morally difficult story for those that can stick with it for understanding).

Stanley Kubrick directed the movie Lolita (1962), which is one of twenty-seven movies granted 3.75-stars by Matt Lynn Digital. Alfred Hitchcock‘s movie Torn Curtain (1966), Brian De Palma‘s movie Sisters (1972), the Don Siegel directed movie Escape from Alcatraz (1979), the John Hughes directed movie Sixteen Candles (1984), Ron Howard‘s movie Cocoon (1985) and the David Cronenberg directed movie The Fly (1986) each received a similar 3.75-stars.

(The 1992 movie Reservoir Dogs as directed by Quentin Tarantino received 3.75-stars from Matt Lynn Digital).

Total Recall (1990) starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sharon Stone are joined by the Quentin Tarantino movie Reservoir Dogs (1992), the Brian De Palma movie Carlito’s Way (1993), the Jan de Bont directed movie Speed (1994), The Santa Clause (1994) starring Tim Allen and the Kevin Smith directed movies Clerks (1994) and Chasing Amy (1997).

(The 2002 movie Insomnia from director Christopher Nolan offered a character focused with less abstraction focus in earning 3.75-stars).

The Howard Deutch sports comedy movie The Replacements (2000) introduced a string of movies, including the Christopher Nolan movie Insomnia (2002), the Gavin O’Connor movie Miracle (2004), the Tim Burton directed movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), the Clint Eastwood directed movie Richard Jewell (2019) and the Christopher Nolan movie Tenet (2020), that offered quality movie making rated at 3.75-stars.

(The 2003 movie Timeline as directed by Richard Donner is one of three movies to earn 3.5-stars by Matt Lynn Digital).

Sylvester Stallone stars in the movie Cliffhanger (1993), which stands beside the Wolfgang Petersen directed movie Outbreak (1995) and the Richard Donner directed movie Timeline (2003) as receiving 3.5-stars.

(Brian De Palma‘s 1990 movie The Bonfire of the Vanities received 3-stars on a scale of 1-to-5 from Matt Lynn Digital).

The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990) as directed by Brian De Palma was not a commercial success, earning a 3-star rating from Matt Lynn Digital. The movie lost over $31 million, despite a reasonably strong cast.

Matt Lynn Digital appreciates your continued interest in the content we offer. Should you have albums that you’d like us to review, or similar work to that mentioned above, please be sure to let us know.

Matt – Friday, December 31, 2021

Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall and Michael Schoeffling in the John Hughes movie ‘Sixteen Candles’

We turn to writer and director John Hughes with his directorial debut movie. The coming-of-age comedy looks into the experiences of a handful of high school kids, themed around a girl whose family has forgotten to celebrate a girl on her sixteenth birthday. Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall and Michael Shoeffling star in the movie Sixteen Candles (1984).

(From left, Molly Ringwald as Samantha ‘Sam’ Baker and Liane Curtis as Randy in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

Molly Ringwald stars as Samantha ‘Sam’ Baker, whose sixteenth birthday opens with a telephone conversation with her good friend Randy. Liane Curtis portrays Randy, who offers encouragement through the events of a weekend where embarrassing event after embarrassing event greet Sam. The events escalate from forgotten birthday wishes before school to an embarrassing admission, passed during study hall, that falls into the hands of Sam’s secret crush.

(From left, Haviland Morris as Caroline Mulford and Michael Schoeffling as Jake Ryan in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

Michael Shoeffling portrays Jake Ryan, Sam’s older secret crush who has been seeing Caroline Mulford, as portrayed by Haviland Morris. The age difference plays a role in Sam’s reluctance to approach Jake, let alone her unawareness of Jake having read the note and considering a response that would make Sam happy. It is while riding the school bus home that we learn ‘Farmer Ted’, also known as Ted Farmer, is also interested in Sam.

(From left, Anthony Michael Hall as Ted Farmer, John Cusack as Bryce and Darren Harris as Cliff, also known as ‘Wease,’ in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

Anthony Michael Hall portrays Ted Farmer. Farmer Ted either is Sam’s age, or slightly younger. In approaching Sam Baker in multiple awkward and embarrassing ways of his own, he uses trust within his own social group while using self-assurance to connect at separate points with Sam, Jake Ryan and Caroline Mulford. Much of the film’s humor and sweetness gets expressed through situations Farmer bridges. Parallel humor surrounds the character of Long Duk Dong, who bridges separate points in the familial and high school stories expressed within Sixteen Candles.

(From left, Gedde Watanabe as Long Duk Dong and Debbie Pollack as Marlene, also known as ‘Lumberjack’ in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

Gedde Watanabe portrays Long Duk Dong, a foreign exchange student living with one set of Sam Baker’s grandparents. Dong connects with Marlene, as portrayed by Debbie Pollack, at a school dance. Dong’s introduction was intended for a series of promiscuity-based jokes that overlapped with the appearance of Sam Baker’s sister and extended family for what would be the marriage of Ginny Baker, Sam’s sister, the day after Sam’s sixteenth birthday. Blanche Baker portrayed Ginny Baker.

(From left, Blanche Baker as Ginny Baker, Carlin Glynn as Mrs. Brenda Baker and Zelda Rubinstein as Organist in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

The events surrounding Ginny Baker’s wedding, including the family introductions, the ceremony itself and the immediate aftermath offer embarrassments of lighthearted humor for the family, friends and celebrants in attendance. The bringing together of this event as well as the larger movie offer a nice tying together of the movie, if not the knot of marriage itself.

(From left, actress Molly Ringwald, writer/director John Hughes and actor Michael Schoeffling on set of the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

The movie Sixteen Candles offered lighthearted comedy in the spirit of coming-of-age comedy. Not all jokes have aged well, yet nothing significantly over-the-top from a gender or culturally mean-spirited perspective, at least to my listening, is a legacy here. The perspective is largely an awkward, teenage one. In this sandbox, the movie is appropriate and appealing. I offer Sixteen Candles as written and directed by John Hughes 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Matthew Broderick and the John Hughes film ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’

It was a glorious spring day in the year 1986 when Ferris Bueller hatched his plan to enjoy a ninth day of the semester off in the film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986). Today we review the movie that takes place in Chicago, Illinois.

(From left to right, Alan Ruck as Cameron Frye, Mia Sara as Sloane Peterson and Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).

The film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off in fact aims to land with a message of affirmation that Ferris Bueller, as portrayed by Matthew Broderick, mentions at least twice during the film. Ferris affirms that “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Alan Ruck as Cameron Frye and Mia Sara as Sloane Peterson are two close friends in on the act to enjoy the day with Ferris.

(Jeffrey Jones as Ed Rooney in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).

Jeffrey Jones plays school principle Ed Rooney who takes it has his personal mission to capture Ferris Bueller faking an illness to have the day off. Jones‘ role as unlikable heal prone to mistakes in battling wits with Ferris are captured really well through the film.

(Jennifer Grey as Jeanie Bueller in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).

Jennifer Grey plays Jeanie Bueller, a sister to Ferris with a major case of jealousy towards her brother. Perhaps better known for her role in Dirty Dancing (1987), Grey aims to prove her brother is not the innocent kid that her brother believes, though an interesting turn comes later when Jeanie confronts first her parents and then Principal Ed Rooney in the film.

(Cindy Pickett as Katie Bueller, left, and Lyman Ward as Tom Bueller in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).

Cindy Pickett and Lyman Ward portray Ferris’ parents, who in fact are comically unaware of the behavior of their son. One of the presents that director and screenwriter John Hughes offers the audience of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is the stereotypical comedic clarity of the buffoonish unawareness of Katie and Tom Bueller.

(Left to right, Edie McClurg as Grace, Charlie Sheen as Boy in Police Station and Ben Stein as Economics Teacher in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).

Edie McClurg as Grace at Ferris’ school, Charlie Sheen in the police station, and Ben Stein at Ferris’ school all play minor roles in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Their roles at times take on proportions belying their actual roles in this film, though especially the delivery of Stein in this film take on epic proportions.

(Writer and director John Hughes, left, with Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off).

Largely, I found much to enjoy in the comedy that was Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Writer and director John Hughes had a successful run of teenager movies in the 1980s, of which this is perhaps the one that resonates with me the most. Many will disagree in pointing to The Breakfast Club (1985), Sixteen Candles (1984) or Weird Science (1985). Hughes is known for a number of other films as well, though this ranks up there for movies primarily about the experience of teenagers. My rating of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is 3.75-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Wednesday, August 21, 2019