⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨4.5

It’s hard to believe this film is now 40 years old. I first saw it in the cinema in 1986 and I have watched it countless times since, so the chance to experience it again on the big screen was too good to pass up.

In 1986 when I saw this, it was part of a double bill film trip to the cinema and I also saw Top Gun. Two classics in one cinema trip at the time.

This is the ultimate feel-good film: funny, endlessly rewatchable, and with one of the best closing sequences of any comedy. It still looks and sounds fantastic in the cinema. While not billed as a new restoration, it looks impressive for an 80s release.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off follows the effortlessly charming Ferris Bueller, a high schooler who fakes illness to skip school and enjoy an unforgettable day out in Chicago. Along with his anxious best friend Cameron and girlfriend Sloane, Ferris sets out to make the most of his freedom while staying one step ahead of his suspicious principal, creating a series of mischievous, feel-good adventures about friendship, rebellion, and living life to the fullest.

Online synopsis

Matthew Broderick is superb, and the film has long since earned its cult status. Directed by John Hughes, its appeal clearly hasn’t faded, with a packed cinema audience largely made up of those who grew up with it.

It’s also a strong ensemble cast. Alan Ruck (Cameron) and Mia Sara (Sloane) shine, while Jeffrey Jones adds plenty of comedy as the increasingly obsessed Principal Rooney who is wanting to catch Ferris. Jennifer Grey (the sister) and Ferris’s parents, played by Cindy Pickett and Lyman Ward, round things out nicely.

The soundtrack elevates the film throughout, particularly from the parade sequence onwards. If you’ve never seen this classic, it’s essential viewing.

A sequel was once considered but thankfully it never happened. Some films are just best left untouched.

Film Rating

Music

5 out of 5 (mainly instrumental)

Story/plot

4 out of 5

Acting/Performances

4 out of 5

Overall

4.5 out of 5

Certification: 12A (reclassified from 15)
Running time: 103 minutes
Screening type: 2D