Dazed and Confused, Richard Linklater’s outstanding comedy of 1993, has found a new streaming home. Thehighly-acclaimed coming-of-age featurehas been added toPeacock’s library of films, giving fans of ’70s-based films a chance to see one of the best of its kind. Other new titles on Peacock includeHot Tub Time Machine,Daniel Isn’t Real,Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, andTropic Thunder.
The high school comedy follows several students during the last day of school at Lee High School in the summer of 1976. Rites of passage are common in Huntsville, Texas, and there’s no better time for them than this era of counter-culture, when free-spirited youngsters are trying to find themselves in this small-town setting. Per the Rotten Tomatoes synopsis:
This coming-of-age film follows the mayhem of a group of rowdy teenagers in Austin, Texas, celebrating the last day of high school in 1976. The graduating class heads for a popular pool hall and joins an impromptu keg party, however star football player Randall Pink Floyd (Jason London) has promised to focus on the championship game and abstain from partying. Meanwhile, the incoming freshmen try to avoid being hazed by the seniors, most notably the sadistic bully Fred O’Bannion (Ben Affleck).
20 Famous Actors and Their First R-Rated Movie Roles
Some of the most beloved stars have taken creative risks and pushed boundaries in films meant only for adult audiences.
Dazed and Confusedis considered one of the best films of its kind – a powerful statement by a director who went back to his origins to makea teen moviethat didn’t ridicule the culture, but instead celebrated it with well-written characters. The film is mostly known for being Matthew McConaughey’s breakout. The Academy Award winner played David Wooderson, the iconic pot-smoking dude who spews out “alright, alright, alright” any chance he can. Nevertheless,Dazed and Confusedis much more than this. It is a compelling depiction of high-school life in the hands of a director who fully understands the highs and hardships of such a complicated stage.
A Box Office Bomb That Launched the Careers of Many
Made for approximately $7 million,Dazed and Confuseddid not perform well at the box office. It only grossed a little over $8 million, something Linklater has often attributed to distributor Gramercy Pictures' misunderstanding of the film.Dazed and Confusedwas always marketed as a stoner comedy, and not asa coming-of-age high school comedythat touched on relevant subjects.
The critical reception was infinitely better, with some critics like Roger Ebert recognizing its distinct treatment of high school culture through colorful characters. Today, it sits at 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the audience score sitting slightly lower at 90%. It’s one of the most beloved cult films of the ’90s.
Despite its poor performance at the box office,Dazed and Confusedis considered the catapult of many members of its cast. The film not only starred London, Affleck, and McConaughey. It also featured young stars like Renée Zellweger, Parker Posey, Cole Hauser, Adam Goldberg, Rory Cochrane, Joey Lauren Adams, and Milla Jovovich. Though their characters are mostly secondary, their participation in the film was mostly based on improvisation and their own interpretation of the high school figures they were playing.Dazed and Confusedproved they were more than just young stars trying to make it in the business, and they brought authenticity to their roles.
Source:Peacock
Dazed and Confused
