Dazed and Confused

Written and directed by Richard Linklater, Dazed & Confused is the story of a group of high school kids celebrating the last day of school in the summer of 1976 as they deal with what is ahead in the course of an entire day. The film is an exploration of kids getting ready for the summer where some are ready to embark their final year in high school with some ready to become freshmen and deal with the hell that is high school. Starring Jason London, Matthew McConaughey, Joey Lauren Adams, Ben Affleck, Milla Jovovich, Cole Hauser, Nicky Katt, Parker Posey, Wiley Wiggins, Rory Cochrane, and Adam Goldberg. Dazed & Confused is a wild and rapturous film from Richard Linklater.

Set on the last day of school in a small Texan town in 1976, the film is a simple story about the day in the life of a group of kids who are about to become seniors later in the fall as some would take part in hazing kids who would become freshman as they spend the entire day partying and thinking about what will happen. It’s a film that has a simple story with a lot of subplots where kids who are to become freshman deal with not just hazing but also what will happen in high school. Some would deal with partying and seeing what will happen while one of them in a high school quarterback finds himself needing to sign a piece of paper to prohibit him from using drugs and alcohol from his coach.

For that character in Randall “Pink” Floyd (Jason London), he refuses to as he just wants to live freely while some friends wonder why he won’t do it while some say he should stand up for his own beliefs. He would also help out a freshman in Mitch Kramer (Wiley Wiggins) whose sister Jodi (Michelle Burke) is about to become a senior as she would help out a freshman in Sabrina (Christin Hinojosa) in understanding what would happen in high school. Mitch and Sabrina would endure brutal forms of hazing with the former being targeted by this asshole senior in O’Bannion (Ben Affleck) who has failed to graduate as he takes pleasure in hazing seniors by beating them in the ass with a paddle. The film’s third act would be set in a keg party as it involves a lot of characters where there’s some fights but also discussions on what will happen after high school.

Richard Linklater’s direction is quite simple for the way he presents 1976 Texas as it is shot in areas near Austin, Texas to express a world that is quite vibrant but also not do too much to make it feel like a period film. Much of the compositions are simple but also has this sense of energy in how they’re shot and the scenes that are created. Notably the way the young girls are being hazed by these older girls as they would be humiliated in such a way that is comical but also horrific. The usage of close-ups and medium shots help play into some of the intimacy but also in some of these raucous moments that happen in the film as it’s presented with some humor. The direction does have a few wide shots but it is mostly about the parties and characters just talking with one another. Even as there’s a few fights and moments that play into the world of youth as they all deal with the emergence of adulthood. Overall, Linklater creates an exhilarating and heartfelt film about a group of kids getting ready for the summer on their last day of school.

Cinematographer Lee Daniel does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it‘s largely straightforward with some naturalistic shots for much of the film‘s daytime scenes with some lighting to play into the interior/exterior scenes set at night. Editor Sandra Adair does amazing work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into the humor as well as some of the action with a few slow-motion cuts. Production designer John Frick, with set decorator Deborah Pastor and art director Jenny C. Patrick, do fantastic work with the look of the pool hall some of the people hang out at as well as the school halls and some of the props that are created to recreate the world of the 1970s.

Costume designer Katherine Dover does brilliant work with the film‘s costumes as it plays into the look of the 70s from the ragged look of the stoners to more stylish look of the shirts and bellbottoms some of the characters wear as well as the nightmare that was the leisure suit. Sound editors Sandy Gendler and Val Kuklowsky do nice work with the sound as it is very natural and straightforward while providing some mixing and edits in some of the parties that happen throughout the film. Music supervisor Harry Garfield does superb work with film’s music soundtrack as it features a lot of the music that was playing during that time from acts such as Aerosmith, Sweet, KISS, Alice Cooper, the Runaways, Dr. John, Black Oak Arkansas, Seals & Croft, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Sabbath, War, Nazareth, Ted Nugent, ZZ Top, Edgar Winter Group, the Steve Miller Band, Bob Dylan, and Peter Frampton.

The casting by Don Phillips is incredible for the large ensemble that is created for the film as it would include many actors who would later become big stars in their own right. Notable small roles include Kim Krizan as a history teacher, Mark Vandermeulen and Jeremy Fox as a couple of freshmen kids who are trying to avoid being hazed, Deena Martin and Christine Harnos as a couple of senior friends of Jodi, Catherine Avril Morris as a sophomore who takes a liking to Mitch, Esteban Powell as a freshman friend of Mitch who has been targeted by O’Bannion, and Jason O. Smith as a friend of Pink who also takes part in the hazing but is kinder to the freshmen. Other noteworthy small roles include Joey Lauren Adams as Pink’s girlfriend Simone, Nicky Katt as a tough guy in Clint, Cole Hauser as fellow football player Benny O’Donnell, Sasha Jenson as the comical football player Don Dawson, Shawn Andrews as a stoner friend of Pink in Kevin whose plan for a house party falters, and Milla Jovovich as Kevin’s girlfriend Michelle who is kind of the silent hanger-on.

Ben Affleck and Parker Posey are fantastic in their respective roles as the bullies O’Bannion and Darla with the former being a complete asshole who takes pleasure in beating up boys while the latter is on a power trip to humiliate young freshmen girls. Adam Goldberg, Anthony Rapp, and Marissa Ribisi are excellent in their respective roles as the intellectuals Mike, Tony, and Cynthia as they often observe everything around them while daring to ask big questions about their future. Christin Hinojosa and Wiley Wiggins are brilliant in their roles as the freshmen Sabrina and Mitch as two young kids who are about to enter high school as they encounter partying but also some of the dark aspects of high school.

Michelle Burke is wonderful as Jodi as Mitch’s older sister who has some feelings for Pink while trying to help Sabrina get ready for the realities of high school. Rory Cochrane is superb as the stoner Ron Slater as this comic relief that likes to smoke weed and do some funny shit. Jason London is amazing as Randall “Pink” Floyd as a football star who finds himself compromised by his coach about his lifestyle as he begins to think about his own life. Finally, there’s Matthew McConaughey in a phenomenal performance as Wooderson as a guy in his early 20s who hangs out with the guys as he is kind of a philosopher while being the coolest motherfucker in the room.

Dazed & Confused is a spectacular film from Richard Linklater. Featuring a great cast, a fun soundtrack, and many different stories set in the span of an entire day. It’s a film that isn’t just funny but also allow to ask big questions about growing up and living in the moment. In the end, Dazed & Confused is a magnificent film from Richard Linklater.

Richard Linklater Films: It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books - Slacker - Before Sunrise - subUrbia - The Newton Boys - Waking Life - Tape - School of Rock - Before Sunset - The Bad News Bears (2005 film) - A Scanner Darkly - Fast Food Nation - Me and Orson Welles - Bernie - Before Midnight - Boyhood - Everybody Wants Some!! - The Auteurs #57: Richard Linklater Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2016

All Over Me

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 6/22/07 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Directed by Alex Sichel and written by Sylvia Sichel, All Over Me tells the story of two young women living in the Hell's Kitchen section of New York City growing up as their own friendship starts to diverge following the death of a neighbor. One of the girls begins to discover her own sexuality as she falls for a musician while her best friend is becoming involved in a self-destructive relationship with a man. Starring Alison Folland, Tara Subkoff, Cole Hauser, Shawn Hatosy, Wilson Cruz, Leisha Hailey, Ann Dowd, Pat Briggs, and Vincent Pastore. All Over Me is a charming yet heartbreaking drama from the Sichel sisters.

Two young women in Claude (Allison Folland) and Ellen (Tara Subkoff) are walking around a park in the middle of Hell's Kitchen discussing about forming their own band. They meet a new new neighbor named Luke (Pat Briggs)as Claude befriends him while Ellen is more interested in her new boyfriend Mark (Cole Hauser). At the pizza place where Claude works at with Jesse (Wilson Cruz), Ellen brings Mark to the pizza place where Claude feels concerned about the relationship. At one night at the pizza place, Luke arrives where he chats with Claude and Jesse as Claude is approached by Mark's friend Gus (Shawn Hatosy) about a date. Claude reluctantly accepts as the night becomes intense following a scuffle between Luke and Mark. The next day when Claude returns home from school, her mother (Ann Dowd) tells her some terrifying news.

After the news where Ellen reveals to Claude more information about what happened, Claude becomes more concerned about Ellen's time with Mark as she deals with her own sexuality. Taking an advice from Luke, Claude goes to a lesbian rock club where she falls for a punk-haired guitarist named Lucy (Leisha Hailey) where the two befriend each other. Lucy takes Claude to her apartment where they listen to some Patti Smith as Claude comes home learning that Ellen brought Mark to her apartment. Realizing that Ellen's relationship with Mark is creating trouble, Claude is forced to make some decision to protect Ellen from herself and reveal something that would change everything.

Coming home, Claude learns that Ellen had brought Mark to her apartment as she sees Ellen slowly self-destructing. After being forced by Ellen to go eat with Mark and his friends, Claude was forced to see things go wrong as she finds comfort in her Lucy and Jesse. After a confrontation with Mark, Claude is forced to see what she has to do to protect Ellen from herself as she makes a life-changing decision.

Given that the film is set amidst the riot grrl movement that included indie-rock icon Mary Timony of Helium in a band with Leisha Hailey. The film is really about the disintegrating relationship of two young women as they both go come of age in the middle of Hell's Kitchen. The script by Sylvia Sichel is well-structured though not entirely perfect due to some of the subplot of Ellen's descent. The story about Claude's self-discovery of her own sexuality and how she viewed her own relationship to Ellen. Alex Sichel's direction is wonderful and very realistic by shooting on location and not succumbing to any kind of melodrama or sentimentality. Especially for the fact that film is viewed a love story between two friends whose relationship disintegrates due to one's self-destructive behavior and how it affects her best friend who starts to discover how her sexuality.

Cinematographer Joe DeSalvo creates some amazing images with his camera from the wonderfully, colored exterior shots on the film's daytime sequences to the stark, shadowy images of the nighttime scenes. Production designer Amy Beth Silver and art director Kristen Vallow create some wonderful sets of the apartment from the poster of Patti Smith in Claude's room to the loads of CDs that Lucy has. Costume designers Kevin Donaldson and Victoria Farrell also create a unique look to the film's look by actually using real-life clothes like the baggy shorts that Claude wear to the short-shorts that Ellen wears. Editor Sabine Hoffman does some excellent work on the film's editing with a running time of 90 minutes where it's nicely paced and creates tension of the outcome. Sound editor Missy Cohen also works on the film's tension by not adding any kind of sound during some of the film's highly emotional scenes as well as the atmosphere that is Hell's Kitchen.

The film's score by Miki Navazio and Leisha Hailey is haunting to convey the sense of loss and tension while the soundtrack reflects the indie rock scene of the mid-90s. The soundtrack features cuts by Babes in Toyland, Ozark Mountain Devils, Cornershop, the Jesus & Mary Chain, the Geraldine Fibbers, Ani DiFranco, 12 Rounds, Remy Zero, the Amps, Hailey's old band the Murmurs, Helium, and a haunting track from Patti Smith. Hailey and Helium's Mary Timony both appear playing in a band that definitely represents the 90s riot grrl scene as it sounds raw and energetic to the indie rock scene.

The film features some notable small performances from Gene Canfield as Anne's boyfriend Stewart, David Lee Russek as Mark's friend Dave, John Ottavino and A. Russell Andrews as two cops, and indie-rock icon Mary Timony in a cameo role. Other small performances from Shawn Hatosy and The Sopranos' Vincent Pastore are excellent and memorable while Pat Briggs of the 90s shock-rock band Psychotica gives a wonderfully excellent performance as the sensitive, charming Luke. Ann Dowd is good as Claude's despondent mother who is trying to deal with her life as a single mom. Wilson Cruz of My So-Called Life is wonderful as Jesse who is amazed that Luke asked if he's gay while dealing with his homosexuality in the wake of Luke's murder. Cole Hauser is also great in an early film role as Mark, a guy who is definitely dangerous as he becomes possessive towards Ellen.

Leisha Hailey of the 90s band the Murmurs and more famously for her work in the show The L Word is lovely as Lucy. Hailey just lights up any scene she's in with her pink-hair and girlish personality as she represents the kind of love interest that Claude could definitely go for and is more understanding. Tara Subkoff is good in her role as Ellen though the character lacks development. Subkoff definitely sells her character's despair and troubles though at times, she comes off as a sick puppy. It's really more of the flaw of the script rather than Subkoff, who is more famous as a fashion designer for the Imitation of Christ line. The film's great performance goes to Allison Folland, who is known to audiences for her work in Gus Van Sant's To Die For and Kimberly Pierce's Boys Don't Cry. Folland's performance is complex and wonderfully written as her character grows into the discovery of her own sexuality. Even as she tries to figure out as who she is as Folland truly gives an amazing performance.

The film was released at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews among the gay & lesbian film community as well as the independent film scene. Receiving the prestigious Teddy Bear Award from Berlin Film Festival as well as several nominations including a Best Actress nod to Folland from the Independent Spirit Awards. While the film remains a cult hit and a centerpiece of 90s Gay/Lesbian cinema. Not much has been heard from the Sischel Sisters except a segment of If These Walls Could Talk 2 in 2000. While it's not a perfect film, All Over Me is still a charming, heartbreaking drama from the Sichel sisters as well as a nice film of the gay/lesbian lifestyle.

(C) thevoid99 2012