Richard Linklater's third feature wasn't a commercial success when it was first released, but has since come to be regarded as a seminal coming-of-age story. Taking place during the last day of the academic year at a Texas high school, the ensemble cast features several names that would go on to become stars, including Matthew McConaughey and Ben Affleck. The loose narrative structure follows the sprawling cast of characters as they indulge in such activities as freshman hazing, mailbox baseball and recreational drug use, with the stories intermittently crossing paths before everybody ends up at an impromptu keg party. Linklater has never been a director to be confined by narrative convention, and the structure of the plot is only a means to convey the movie's underlying themes; the thought of growing up too fast and what life will bring after your education is over, all shot through with a rich vein of humor and charm. Smart and funny, with a great soundtrack and period setting that faithfully recreates the substance-soaked rebellion of the time without becoming too nostalgic, Dazed and Confused uses the one day narrative to its advantage to create an iconic snapshot of 1970s high school Americana. The movie's reputation has only grown in the 20+ years since its release and it is a bona-fide cult classic. Alright, alright, alright.
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