Richard Linklater captures existential musings and the banality of everyday conversations like no one else. While he would lean into more dramatic territory with “Boyhood” and the “Before” trilogy, Linklater’s high school comedy “Dazed and Confused” remains one of his best known and most popular films. The hilarious coming-of-age story follows various struggling teenagers as they survive their last day of school.
The terrific ensemble features early performances from future stars, including Ben Affleck as brutish bully Fred O’Bannion and Matthew McConaughey as the goofy stoner David Wooderson. However, the heart of the film is the younger generation, particularly Mitch (Wiley Wiggins), Pink (Jason London), Kevin (Shawn Andrews), Tony (Anthony Rapp), and Mike (Adam Goldberg), who attempt to survive hazing from the upper class.
“Dazed and Confused” is notable for its great soundtrack, which includes songs from Alice Cooper, ZZ Top, Ted Nugent, the Runaways, Kiss, Black Sabbath, and War, among others. Ironically, the title track “Dazed and Confused” is not used, as the surviving members of Led Zeppelin denied Linklater’s request for clearance.read more
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