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Back in the days before Ferris Bueller married Carrie Bradshaw—and before Mr. Rooney got himself a nasty permanent record—I fell in love with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. And, really, who didn’t? But now, more than twenty years after its release, this lovable comedy has managed to stand the test of time (and multiple viewings). It’s one of those rare movies that just never get old.
Written and directed by John Hughes, the king of the ‘80s teen comedy, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off stars Matthew Broderick as clever and cunning Ferris Bueller, a fun-loving high school senior from Chicago who gets up one morning and decides to take a day off. It all begins with a brilliant scheme to convince his parents that he’s really sick (“It’s a little childish and stupid—but, then, so is high school.”). Then, once his parents are hooked (and off to work), he’s got to find a way to get his girlfriend, Sloane (Mia Sara), out of school—and his brooding best friend, Cameron (Alan Ruck), out of bed.
As the three teens take to the streets of Chicago, however, their principal, Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones), refuses to overlook their blatantly obvious truancy. So, determined to prove that Ferris Bueller is a juvenile delinquent—instead of the “righteous dude” that everyone seems to think he is—Rooney sets out to catch Ferris in the act.
Skillfully written (in just six or seven days, according to Hollywood folklore) and brilliantly cast, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is one of the most lovable comedies ever made. It’s the kind of adventure that everyone dreams of having: a fun, carefree day away from the pressures and demands of everyday life—without getting caught. It’s a day full of baseball games and parades and swimming pools (as well as a little bit of art and culture)—a day in which anything’s possible.
And it all revolves around Ferris. Broderick’s performance as the lovably cheeky Ferris makes the movie. He’s smart but silly. He’s charmingly crafty. He’s a little bit geeky, but he’s still totally cool. And he just wants to have a little bit of fun. He realizes that his life will change forever once he graduates from high school—so why not enjoy it while he still can?
But there’s so much more to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off than just its spirited main character—and the rest of the cast only adds to the fun. Ruck is endearingly dismal as Cameron, the poor, depressed rich kid who’s way too tightly wound. Jennifer Gray plays Ferris’s younger sister, Jeannie, with the perfect amount of bitterness and anger. And, best of all, Edie McClurg is absolutely hilarious as Rooney’s bubbly secretary, Grace.
With its clever writing and its affable cast, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is an unforgettable film. It’s absolutely, undeniably hilarious—but it’s meaningful, too. So if you can’t get away for you own day off, rewatching this carefree comedy is the next best thing.
Blu-ray Review:
The Blu-ray release of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off includes a handful of special features from the 2006 Bueller…Bueller… Edition DVD. Here, you’ll find plenty of random, behind-the-scenes shenanigans, along with a number of interesting extras. Getting the Class Together is a rather lengthy feature on the cast, in which the film’s casting directors—and each of the cast members—discuss the process, the characters, the experience, and their memories. The shorter making-of feature offers a few stories from the set, as well as a few little-known facts about the film. And, finally, Who is Ferris Bueller? focuses on Matthew Broderick and his character, while The World According to Ben Stein presents everybody’s favorite economics teacher’s take on the movie, his resulting fame, and life in general.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the features, though, is the absence of writer/director John Hughes, who doesn’t appear in any of the recent interviews. You’ll find 2005 interviews with everyone from Broderick and Jones to McClurg and Stein—but nothing from Hughes that’s more recent than 1986.
Still, for Ferris Bueller fans, the extras on the Blu-ray release offer a closer look at the beloved comedy and its endearing cast. And while none of the features are particularly thrilling, they’re all worth an extra hour or two or your time.
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