I’m always impressed by writers and filmmakers who are good at depicting young people. There’s a difference between films that deal in idealized visions of youth—where everything is extra wacky, somebody’s always got the perfect comeback to a jab and the parties are always off the chain—and what Richard Linklater does, where he reminds you of feelings that you, as an adult, forgot you ever had and people you forgot were ever in your life. He’s a brutal observer. Now, Linklater still wants you to have a good time. This is a comedy with no apologies for it. Linklater saw all of those old teen movies and he delivers the groceries when it comes to sex jokes and drug humor, but he also brings the awkward moments and he leaves out the tidy resolution. The (sometimes likable) creeps never get their comeuppance and our freshman hero’s happy ending could implode any day now (college relationships tend to do that). The events of this film are a mere episode, one lively weekend. It’s a party. You’re there to hang out. Linklater gives you plenty of people to watch. Who knows what happens tomorrow?
The poster calls this “the spiritual sequel” to Linklater’s classic 1970s high school remembrance Dazed and Confused, but that’s just a cute way of saying that this is the SAME movie, except that this one is set in 1980 at a university (a few days before classes start). Also, all of the main guys are baseball players, which gives Linklater lots of space to throw in sports humor and skewer competitive personalities. This film lays on the New Wave and disco like Dazed laid on the 70s FM cock-rock (all of the money that Linklater saved by hiring a cast of unknowns went toward the soundtrack, no doubt). There’s also a similar panorama of characters and a focus on an incoming freshman (a mildly Matt Dillon-ish Blake Jenner).
Cool with me. Martin Scorsese made the same movie about crooks at least three times. I still enjoy them. If Dazed and Confused is Goodfellas, this is Casino. Linklater’s earned it and he continues to earn it with fun blasts like this.