Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Is One Of The Greatest Teen Comedies Ever Made. John Hughes Took One Simple Idea And Turned It Into A Funny, Clever And Completely Entertaining Movie About Skipping School And Actually Enjoying Life.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Is One Of The Greatest Teen Comedies Ever Made. John Hughes Took One Simple Idea And Turned It Into A Funny, Clever And Completely Entertaining Movie About Skipping School And Actually Enjoying Life.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is one of those movies that has become much bigger than its original story. Released in 1986 and written and directed by John Hughes, the movie follows one teenager deciding that he has absolutely no interest in spending a beautiful day sitting in a classroom.

Matthew Broderick stars as Ferris Bueller, and he is perfect in the role. Ferris is confident, charming, clever and completely willing to manipulate just about everyone around him to get what he wants. He isn’t exactly a role model, but that’s part of the fun. Ferris knows how to enjoy himself, and he has absolutely no problem bringing everyone else along for the ride.

The basic plot is incredibly simple. Ferris decides to fake being sick so he can skip school, but instead of spending the day sitting around at home, he convinces his best friend Cameron and his girlfriend Sloane to join him for an adventure around Chicago. The three of them turn an ordinary school day into something they will probably remember for the rest of their lives.

Alan Ruck is fantastic as Cameron Frye, and he might actually be the emotional center of the movie. Cameron is nervous, depressed and constantly worried about his overbearing father. Ferris drags him into the day because he knows Cameron needs to stop worrying about everything for once and actually live a little.

Mia Sara plays Sloane Peterson, Ferris’ girlfriend, and she fits perfectly into the group. She isn’t nearly as chaotic as Ferris, but she is clearly willing to go along with the plan. Together, Ferris, Cameron and Sloane have a great chemistry that makes their day around Chicago feel completely natural.

Then there is Jeffrey Jones as Principal Rooney, who is probably the greatest enemy a kid who wants to skip school could possibly have. Rooney is absolutely determined to expose Ferris as a fraud, and watching him become increasingly obsessed with catching one teenager is hilarious. He takes Ferris’ behavior far more seriously than Ferris ever takes Rooney.

Jennifer Grey also deserves plenty of credit as Ferris’ sister Jeanie. She is furious that Ferris constantly gets away with everything, and her frustration provides another running joke throughout the movie. Jeanie genuinely believes Ferris is manipulating everyone, and the frustrating part for her is that she is completely right.

One of the smartest things John Hughes did was make Ferris more than just a teenage comedy character. He occasionally looks directly into the camera and talks to the audience, which makes us feel like we’re part of his little conspiracy. Ferris knows he’s in a movie, even if technically he doesn’t, and that relationship with the audience is a huge part of why the character works.

The Chicago setting is another major reason the movie is so memorable. Ferris, Cameron and Sloane visit some of the city’s most recognizable locations, including the Art Institute of Chicago, Wrigley Field and downtown Chicago. Instead of making the movie feel like another high school comedy, Hughes turns the entire city into their playground.

And then there is the famous Ferrari. Cameron’s father’s prized Ferrari becomes one of the most important objects in the movie, and the decision to take it out for the day creates one of the funniest and most memorable parts of the entire story. Cameron knows exactly how much trouble they could be in, while Ferris is perfectly comfortable pretending there isn’t a problem.

The comedy works because Ferris Bueller’s Day Off doesn’t rely on one type of humor. There are ridiculous situations, physical comedy, sarcastic dialogue and characters who take completely normal situations way too seriously. The movie can be genuinely funny without having to turn every scene into a joke.

One of my favorite things about the movie is that underneath all the comedy, there is actually a pretty good message. Ferris spends the day telling everyone to stop worrying so much about the future and enjoy the moment. That idea is summed up perfectly by the famous line about life moving pretty fast. It’s a simple message, but it works because the movie doesn’t beat you over the head with it.

At the same time, Cameron provides an important contrast to Ferris. Ferris seems completely fearless, while Cameron is constantly worried about what could go wrong. By the end of their day together, Cameron has finally started standing up for himself and making decisions instead of simply allowing his fear to control him.

That gives the movie more substance than it initially appears to have. Ferris is having the time of his life, but Cameron is actually the person who changes the most. The adventure isn’t just about skipping school. For Cameron, it’s about finally breaking out of the miserable routine he has been stuck in.

John Hughes had a real talent for understanding teenagers, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is one of his best examples. The movie doesn’t treat teenagers like idiots, but it also doesn’t pretend they’re miniature adults. They’re impulsive, emotional and sometimes completely ridiculous, which makes the characters feel real.

That’s why Ferris Bueller’s Day Off remains such a great comedy nearly 40 years later. The cast is excellent, the writing is sharp, the Chicago setting is fantastic and the movie has a personality that is almost impossible to duplicate. It is funny without being mean spirited, and underneath all the chaos is a surprisingly sincere message about enjoying the time you have.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is ultimately about taking one day and making it count. Most people don’t get to spend a school day visiting museums, going to a baseball game, eating at an expensive restaurant and singing in a parade, but that’s exactly the point. Ferris takes an ordinary day and turns it into an adventure, and that’s why this movie remains one of the most beloved comedies of the 1980s.