One of a handful of films which epitomizes the 1980s decade, Ferris Buellers Day Off captured the imagination of high school kids all across America as they dreamt of mimicking the title characters ability to manipulate the authority figures in his life. Written and directed by John Hughes, the brains behind The Breakfast Club (1985) and numerous other 1980s cult classics, Ferris Buellers Day Off launched Matthew Brodericks acting career into another dimension. In fact, Broderick garnered a Golden Globe nomination for his outstanding performance. Its a nomination more than worthy of mention, because its the strength of the Ferris Bueller character that made this film such a smash hit.

Ferris Buellers Day Off follows a day in the life of high school senior Ferris Bueller. Nearing graduation, hes intent on living his life to the fullest (although preferably outside the confines of school). So Ferris takes a planned day of vacation with his girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara), and after a little coaxing, his best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) joins them. Against Camerons better judgment, the three drive his fathers prized Ferrari into the windy city of Chicago for a day of fine dining, baseball, museums, and spontaneous fun. Meanwhile, Ferris may have successfully fooled his parents into believing hes deathly ill, but high school principal Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) and Ferriss jealous sister Jeanie (Jennifer Grey) are not so easy. Intent on shattering his golden boy image, each one is hot on his trail, anxious to expose his web of deceit once and for all.

With a number of hilarious scenes, such as Camerons feeble attempt to reverse the mileage on his fathers Ferrari, the film earns its reputation as an elite classic of the 80s, on par with hits like Back To The Future (1985), The Breakfast Club (1985), and Weird Science (1985). The film does have its off-the-wall moments, such as when Ferris takes over a parade and starts singing while thousands of spectators engage in synchronized dancing. You wouldnt see such a sequence in a contemporary film, and like similar scenes from The Blues Brothers, it tends to date the film. But the strength of Ferris Buellers Day Off is not its timeless humor, but the likeability of Ferris Bueller himself. Ferris is a cool guy. He doesnt put anyone down, but only looks for the best in people. More importantly, he manipulates his parents into thinking hes the perfect embodiment of innocence while he skips school and goes joyriding! Every child of the 80s wanted to be Ferris Bueller, and the wide appeal of his life philosophy is timeless, which is why the film continues to enjoy success with each new generation.

Further solidifying the movies status as a landmark of its decade is the soundtrack, which is certainly one of the more diverse and interesting of its time. Where else can you find The Beatles, Wayne Newton, the theme to Star Wars, and the 80s classic Oh Yeah by Yello all wrapped up into one movie which moves seamlessly from one scene to the next? Throw in a few future Hollywood stars in Kristy Swanson, Ben Stein, and Charlie Sheen (who stayed awake for over two days so he could achieve the desired drugged out expression for his character), and Ferris Buellers Day Off transforms into the quintessential cult classic. Even after two decades, this film is just as entertaining as when it first premiered.