Ferris Bueller's Day Off
1986 · Directed by John Hughes
Original language: English
- comedy
The story
After high school slacker Ferris Bueller successfully fakes an illness in order to skip school for the day, he goes on a series of adventures throughout Chicago with his girlfriend Sloane and best friend Cameron, all the while trying to outwit his wily school principal and fed-up sister.
What it’s like
Bright, sun-warmed Chicago in late spring: saturated primary colors, wide sweeping city shots, and a glossy mid-80s look with soft, flattering light on sunny streets and interiors. The camera is playful and mobile, with tracking shots, direct-to-camera asides that break the fourth wall, and a bouncy, sing-along soundtrack of new wave and pop that sets the pace. Tone is breezy, cheeky and warm, the vibe of a sunny day with nowhere to be. It has a light caper energy, with a stolen-car joyride, a fantasy-sequence musical number, and a few comic chases, and it rarely lets tension stick around for long. Intensity is very low: a little peril and some mild slapstick, no real violence, no gore, nothing frightening, and only a little innuendo. The story's arcs are about a restless, charming kid and his anxious best friend loosening up, and a frustrated sister and a stern principal who are always one step behind. It suits a lazy weekend, a comfort rewatch, or a feel-good watch with friends, for people who want an easy, funny, optimistic day out.
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