The 80s were four decades ago, but its influence on the world of pop culture continues to be felt today. Some of the greatest coming-of-age films of all time were created during the era. What's more, the 80s produced films such as Dirty Dancing, The Outsiders, Footloose, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. But filmmaker John Hughes stood out from the rest of the crowd. He possessed an extraordinary gift for understanding teenagers and the struggles that many adults failed to understand. Hughes created films that resonated with the audiences on a much deeper level.
No one stays a teenager forever, but films have always made for great content for a time capsule. While The Breakfast Club portrayed the difficult transition from adolescence to adulthood, Ferris Bueller's Day Off celebrated the joys of being a teenager. Ferris Bueller's Day Off starred Matthew Broderick as the titular character in one of his best film roles to date. The film is a timeless classic and a representation of "carpe diem." It reminded its viewers to seize the day and make your sick days count. Here are a few reasons why Matthew Broderick's movie still holds up today.
An Amazing Charismatic Lead
It's no secret that many model their personalities on fictional characters. During the 80s, many aspired to be more like Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Ellen Ripley. But another favorite pick was the charisma-oozing Ferris Bueller. Unlike many pop culture icons of the 80s, Ferris Bueller was just a high school senior (though he was played by Broderick nearing his mid-20s). This brought Ferris down to earth and allowed him to be a much more relatable character. At the same time, however, Ferris Bueller was not exactly just some ordinary teen. He was spectacularly charming, effortlessly funny, but most of all, he was carefree. Ferris Bueller refused to let the mundane in life bog him down.
Broderick's character represented what people wanted but were too afraid to be — or, perhaps more correctly, would be if they were a fictional character and did not have to worry about the consequences of certain behavior in the real world. In that sense, Ferris Bueller was not too distant from the character of Deadpool. Both were charismatic leads who regularly broke the fourth wall to speak to the audience. Both were also very talkative and loved to speak their mind. Ryan Reynolds' first Deadpool film in its post-credits scene paid homage to Ferris Bueller's Day Off, which did a post-credits scene before it was cool. It was Ferris' world and other people were just living in it.
The Ultimate Escapist Fantasy
There may be no other movie title that represented its movie better than Ferris Bueller's Day Off. After all, the movie was about Ferris Bueller's day off [school]. Determined to live life a little before finishing high school, Ferris Bueller faked being sick in order to get a day to himself. Most viewers were able to relate — who hasn't at some point wanted to call in sick to school or work? Bueller was ultimately successful and let his imagination run wild in creating the best day ever. The day included driving an expensive sports car in downtown Chicago, visiting museums, attending a baseball game, and visiting the Willis Tower. Joining Ferris Bueller was his friend, Cameron Frye, and Bueller's girlfriend, Sloane Peterson.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off was all about having fun. Much of the charm was from viewers living vicariously through Ferris and his friends. The ability of the film to create vicarious thrills was unparalleled, presenting the ultimate escapist fantasy that people could dream of. After a difficult couple of years of a pandemic that kept people apart, the parade scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off became even more powerful. Ferris lip-synced the Beatles' "Twist and Shout" in front of huge crowds that started singing and joined the fun. There was an infectious joy in seeing people from all walks of life come together. The world had a lot of problems in the 80s, and still has a lot of problems in the present-day, but audiences were treated to an escape during Ferris Bueller's Day Off's run-time, and remember the positive things in life.
Explored Real Issues in a Refreshingly Honest Way
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Director John Hughes' understanding of teenagers and teenage issues was on full display in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. All three characters of the main crew; Ferris Bueller, Sloane Peterson, and Cameron Frye, represented teenage rebellion. They broke a lot of rules throughout the film. But Cameron was also written to portray someone who was initially unable to go after the things they wanted in life. He was excessively worried about everything and required Ferris to help break him out of his shell. Over the course of the film, Cameron developed more and more confidence and became determined to stand up to his father.
Jeannie Bueller, the sister of Ferris, and Ed Rooney, the Dean of Students, did everything they could to put an end to Ferris' plans. Rather than focusing on themselves, they were overly concerned with what somebody else was doing. The two characters left school in a desperate attempt to find Ferris and get him into trouble. Both Jeannie and Mr. Rooney were very determined to catch someone who was not doing anyone harm. In fact, Ferris Bueller only shared love and positivity wherever he went. It was very evident that Jeannie and Rooney were envious of Ferris Bueller's popularity and his courage in embracing life. While Jeannie eventually let go of her jealousy towards her brother, Rooney was unable to do so. Life has always been too short for people to wish that they were living the life of someone else. Ferris understood this and reminded the audience that life "moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."