Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

Starring: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Jennifer Grey, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Jones, Charlie Sheen, and Ben Stein
Grade: Classic

When you talk about the 1980s, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is usually one of the first movies brought up that defined the decade and for good reason.

Summary

In Chicago, a month before high school graduation, cool senior Ferris Bueller (Broderick) fakes being sick to stay home from school. His parents buy it once he acts sick, but his sister Jeanie (Grey) doesn’t at all. They are constantly at odds because she’s annoyed with Ferris getting away with his sneaky tricks and such. At school, rumors immediately start to spread about the popular Ferris on how sick he truly is. At the same time, Bueller’s best friend Cameron Frye (Ruck) decides to stay home at well, though it’s not because he wants to enjoy the beautiful day. He’s just depressed, a state he’s almost constantly in. Knowing how Cameron is, Ferris calls and forces him to come pick him up so they can celebrate the day off together. Meanwhile, Bueller’s mom gets a call from Ed Rooney (Jones), the very strict Dean of Students that takes his job way too seriously. He notices Ferris has nine absences. For some reason, this is serious enough for Rooney to consider holding him back another year. When he mentions these nine absences while staring at the records on his computer, Ferris’s mother notes that she doesn’t remember him being sick nine times. Just then, Ferris somehow changes the record on Rooney’s computer from his computer at home from “9” absences to “2”. As he continuously messes around at home and the students continue to worry about Ferris at school to the annoyance of Jeanie, Ed discusses with his secretary Grace (Edie McClurg) how he needs to stop Ferris in his tracks because he’s not falling for the sick excuse either.

He knows he needs to make an example out of Ferris. Otherwise, it sets a bad precedent. However, Rooney has to catch him in the act first.

Even though Cameron isn’t feeling too excited to come over, he drives to Ferris’s house because he knows Ferris will keep on calling him if he doesn’t. Back at school, Bueller’s girlfriend, Sloane Peterson (Sara), gets pulled out of class because her “grandmother died”. Grace relays this message back to Rooney, but once she reveals that she has seen her with Ferris a lot, Rooney knows something is up. Just then, Sloane’s “father” calls Rooney’s office. Rooney, thinking this is Ferris Bueller doing a fake voice, trolls him by saying that unless he produces a corpse as evidence, they won’t let Sloane out of school. In the middle of the phone call however, Ferris actually calls in to ask for Rooney to send home any missed assignments he may have for the day. Realizing this may actually be Sloane’s father, Rooney profusely apologizes. Little does he know, it’s actually Cameron acting as Sloane’s dad over the phone. He flips out on Rooney and convinces him to let Sloane out of school, though Cameron almost fucks everything up after demanding Rooney leave the school with her when they show up. To make up for Cameron’s screw-up, Ferris convinces Cameron to let him drive his father’s 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California.

It’s a badass car and less than a hundred were made. It’s Cameron’s father’s most prized possession.

Ferris argues that Rooney won’t believe Sloane’s “father” would ever drive the piece of shit car Cameron drives, so they have to borrow the Ferrari to make the lie look believable. Clearly, there are ways around this, especially for someone as smart as Ferris, but it’s obvious he wants a chance to drive that car. This just gives him a chance to use the situation as leverage. At the school, Rooney waits with Sloane outside as he tries to give her words of encouragement since he still thinks her grandmother “died” and all. With Cameron hiding in the backseat, Ferris pulls up to the school in a disguise, and Rooney lets her go. Jeanie watches from inside the school and knows its Ferris right away, annoying her even more. Now, Ferris, Cameron, and Sloane begin their day off together in Chicago. At the same time, Rooney’s suspicions lead him to begin a manhunt to prove Ferris Bueller is a liar.

My Thoughts

John Hughes wrote the screenplay to this film in less than a week. Now, creating a screenplay in a week is hard enough, but can you imagine creating a screenplay as iconic as this one in that time span?

Incredible.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is often thought of when people rank their own favorite movies. Why is this? If you’ve seen the movie, it’s pretty clear. It’s one of the most cheerful, breezy, jovial teen comedies you’ll ever see. It’s a generation-defining film that is almost inspiring. It’s one of those movies where when you walk away, you can’t help but leave in a good mood. It possesses a heart, as well as an undefinable quality very few movies have. The film is more than a story about teenagers having fun too. Everyone can relate to the themes and thoughts of Ferris Bueller. It’s a very innocent movie and sometimes, that’s exactly what we need. It’s probably why it has such a high replay value. You don’t get tired of a movie like this.

We have to start with Ferris, played by Matthew Broderick in what will always be his career-defining role. Ferris Bueller is the popular kid everyone loves. He’s not the famed athlete of the school, and he’s not necessarily the class clown either, even though he’s pretty funny. Ferris is just the type of person we all want to be in life, even though we’re secretly more like Cameron and don’t want to admit it.

He’s just the cool dude everyone wants to talk and look up to. Everyone knows and respects him. People even look to the kid for advice. When Jeanie explains her issues to Charlie Sheen’s character, he, not knowing she’s siblings with Ferris, suggests she talk to Ferris for advice. His personality and likability travels miles on and off the screen. The kid has such an effect on those around him that even though the entire film takes place within the timeframe of a single day, we see newspaper headlines about his fake sickness like with “Community rallies around sick youth”, along with a water tower with the slogan of “Save Ferris” on it (a slogan that has become relatively famous in terms of pop culture). People love and care for him so much. He’s got the “it” factor very few are blessed with. He’s a slacker who’s smart beyond his years and cuts corners not because he has to but because he wants to. Though he never outright says it, it’s like he has this never-ending debate with himself to see how far he can go with something. He pushes his antics to the limit. He almost encounters his father on several occasions, has Cameron disguise his voice to call the Dean of Students in Ed Rooney when he knows Rooney is on his ass, sneaks onto a parade float when they’re trying to be discreet, and takes someone’s reservation at a restaurant, getting offended when he’s called out for lying. This last part prompts him to make two points to the audience, explaining exactly the type of mentality he has in any given situation.

“A. You can never go too far.”

“B. If I’m gonna get busted, it is not gonna be by a guy like that”.

Ferris is at the point where he’s challenging himself because life has almost been too breezy. He’s on a different playing field of confidence and determination. Plus, he’s incredibly lucky too. Things just work out in his favor. This is why he can do seemingly anything and get away with it, and we don’t question it. After all, this is Ferris Bueller. This is why he’s a legend to these kids in high school and to movie fans everywhere. In the aforementioned scene specifically, he’s accepted that he might get caught in the act, but his pride and confidence in his abilities won’t let him bow down at the smallest sign of trouble after such an exciting day. This is the type of infectious energy Ferris brings to the table as a main character. He’s a charming young man, but his adventurous personality and passion for life is what draws people to him more so than his happy demeanor. This is why Cameron puts up with him, and Sloane is drawn to him. Cameron needs Ferris too. Something I see on a consistent basis now are retrospective articles and posts arguing how Ferris is an asshole and Cameron is right to wallow in his constant state of self-pity. Yes, Ferris pressures Cameron to do stupid things like borrowing his dad’s priceless car which admittedly, was 100% not necessary.

That’s just Ferris being Ferris.

Look, I never said our protagonist was perfect.

However, can you imagine the hell Cameron would put himself through had he not had a friend like Ferris? He needs a voice to guide him. Clearly, his parents can’t (and won’t) do it, so his caring best friend steps in because he sees Cameron is in need of help. It’s been like this their whole lives. Cameron needs the distractions and positive energy Ferris brings to his life. Without Ferris, therapy is his only option because his constant state of dread will only get worse. As Cameron leans closer to high school graduation and thinks about the future constantly (as we all do), his already fragile psyche can’t handle the pressure because he has no one to look after him other than Ferris. So, despite Ferris getting them into risky situations, his fun-loving attitude is exactly what Cameron needs to loosen up and have fun for a bit. He needs to enjoy some things in life. Otherwise, he’ll never get to a point of happiness and stay miserable going into adulthood. Rooney argues that Ferris “gives good kids bad ideas”. This is a stretch, though I do see his point once we get to know him. Then again, Rooney never gets to see Ferris’s other side, giving “sad kids in need of guidance, fulfilling ideas”. This is the side of Ferris Bueller we see, and why we understand how he acts towards someone like Cameron. A personality like Ferris is needed in the kid’s life.

Also, everyone needs a little edge to get ahead, which is what Ferris is trying to show us. If you play everything close to the hip and always play by the rule book, you’re not always going to get what you want. You’re not going to be happy because unfortunately, nice guys finish last.

Ask any nice guy ever…

When I say it in this context, I mean “playing nice” because though Ferris is definitely a nice guy, he still doesn’t play nice. He breaks rules. This fine line of good and bad regarding rule-breaking is one in which Ferris teeters on a consistent basis, but he never does anything to harm anyone. All he does is try to show us how it’s okay to finagle things to your advantage to have some fun. Is this really that bad? Are his intentions that malicious where retrospective articles have to be written to change the meaning of this classic film? No, Ferris Bueller is just a rascal with a heart of gold, wanting the most out of a good day. This is why the movie is still so good-natured, despite the amount of rule-breaking going on. Yes, Rooney is right that Ferris may inspire some ideas that could be perceived as bad, but the character is created to show us a way of thinking outside the box to get ahead, just so you can have fun every once in a while! This isn’t bad at all, especially because his intention in any endeavor regarding his adventures with Cameron and Sloan is always meant to be good. All of his ideas are for the people he loves to enjoy themselves. Sure, he may have to manipulate certain people or situations to get there, but it’s a small price to pay.

Plus, nine absences are not that big of a deal.

Grow up Ed.

Cameron would never go out and experience life on his own but when you’re with Ferris Bueller, you want to do everything and anything. The air seems fresher, you’re in a better mood, and you think, “What’s next?”. Usually in Cameron’s case, he would dread the question of “What’s next?”, but when he’s with Ferris and Sloane, it’s almost as if he would ask the question excitedly. This is what Bueller’s thought process brings to the screen and shouldn’t be passed off as some nefarious scheme some random troublemaker cooked up. He’s just a kid trying to have fun, raise the spirits of others, and take a break from his monotonous life. This is an infectious theme no matter how old you are. The possibilities seem endless because of Broderick’s conviction in the role and with a background like the city of Chicago, that can very well be true. It’s all about the company you keep. This is why this friendship succeeds, and why this movie translates to any era and any generation.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off will always stand the test of time.

It’s truly astonishing how John Hughes was able to craft such a simple film but fill it with so many enduring scenes that legions of people look back on as timeless moments in film, making you smile from ear-to-ear at every turn. If you’ve seen it, you know exactly what scenes I’m talking about. The same sequences have had similar effects on everyone who’s come into contact with this classic comedy. There’s the phenomenally understated art museum scene, Ferris hijacking the parade to sing “Twist and Shout” with all of Chicago, Charlie Sheen’s Garth in the police station with Jeanie, and of course, the final ten minutes of Ferris trying to run home on foot to beat his parents and sister back home, trying not to get caught. There are so many things in this movie that will put a smile on your face, as well as warm your heart at the same time. It’s not even because the movie is super hilarious or anything, it’s just one of those comedies that makes you feel good from start to finish.

This is when you know you have a classic on your hands.

Powered by memorable supporting roles by Jeffrey Jones, Jennifer Grey, and Alan Ruck, this love letter to Chicago shows us why Ferris Bueller is the coolest high school senior we’ll ever meet. We’re not sure how his adult life will turn out, but one thing is for certain, this guy has a big future if he wants to be a tour guide. Filled with endless quotes that can stick with you for a lifetime and our titular star breaking the fourth wall to tell us about his life and the people that occupy his surroundings (as well as reacting hilariously to certain moments), Ferris Bueller’s Day Off shows us how much fun there is to be had if you’re willing to take a much-needed break every now and again to enjoy it. Very few films can be recommended to damn near anyone, but this celebrated 80s comedy is one of them.

If anything, always remember:

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it”.

Fun Fact: Anthony Michael Hall was offered the role of Ferris. Jim Carrey, Johnny Depp, Tom Cruise, Michael J. Fox, and John Cusack were some of the others considered as well. Molly Ringwald wanted to play Sloane but apparently John Hughes didn’t think the role was big enough for her, according to Ringwald herself.