We Could All Use a Day Off

After months of cold weather and cloudy skies it seems like spring may finally be upon us (fingers crossed.)  But as long awaited as this arrival was, the beautiful weather has a tendency to do the opposite of motivate us, which could prove dangerous as finals approach.  Suddenly the idea of basking in the sun on Old Main Lawn seems much more appealing than sitting in a classroom for a couple of hours.  Everyday seems to require a little more effort to get to class, making it safe to say that all we want is day off to just enjoy the sunshine.

In an attempt to cope with this daily internal struggle, it is appropriate to live vicariously through movie characters who have the luxury of taking a day off with no consequences.  John Hughes' 1986 film Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a perfect example of a film that allows us to do just this in classic 80's movie style.  Starring Matthew Broderick, this film is about exactly what its title suggests; high school senior Ferris Bueller decides that he simply needs a day off of school to enjoy an adventure with his friends.

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After an elaborate plot to make his absence excusable, Ferris rounds up his best friend Cameron and girlfriend Sloane to take on the day in Chicago rather than deal with another monotonous day at school.  Throughout their day, the trio manage to see a baseball game, visit both the Sears Tower and the Art Institute of Chicago, sneak their way into a fancy restaurant, and even catch themselves in a flashmob parade.

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Hughes keeps the plot simple by providing little conflict within the characters themselves.  Ferris has no qualms about skipping school as he has deemed it necessary to take a mental health day and sees any possible consequences as trivial.  The only one with an objection to the plan is Cameron, although Ferris is quick to establish Cameron as uptight and a prime example as to why a day off is so paramount in the first place.  The only force in opposition to the kids is the school principal and Ferris' sister, who are not fooled by the scheme.  As Ferris and his friends run around Chicago, a number of close encounters with those trying to stop them keep the film's action moving as the kids must avoid getting in trouble at all costs.

In its classic 80's romantic comedy style, the film is overly ideal in that the kids are able to get away with so much at little to no consequence.  While it is easy to see dismiss this as one of the movie's flaws, doing so would hinder the viewer from understanding the whole point Hughes was trying to make.  Ferris Bueller is not a movie that delves into its characters in order to discover something deeper about human nature.  It is simply a romantic comedy that exists to be lighthearted and funny. In doing so, the film gives an alternate reality in which to allow ourselves to take our day off without actually doing so.

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Getting Away From It All

Have you ever had a day where you thought about dropping everything, getting on a plane, and flying to a deserted island just to get away from all of your responsibilities?  We know that we cannot actually get away from them, but the thought of doing so is reassuring enough.

But what would happen if we had the courage to get away from these responsibilities?  Would it be for the better?  Or would the consequences ultimately be detrimental?  Sam Mendes' 1999 film American Beauty challenges this question through its protagonist, Lester Burnham (played by Kevin Spacey), and his willingness to separate himself from the things that burden him.

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Lester lives as a stereotypical middle-aged-father and has become exhaustingly bored by the monotony.  He appears to live in a neat little world, with a loving wife and daughter, living in their perfect home, doing everything as they are supposed to.  The film's narration quickly puts an end to this idea, as Lester's thoughts tell us that he has grown to be cynical and annoyed by all of the elements of his life that define who he is.  He does not enjoy his job and cannot stand his boss.  While he loves his family, he cannot seem to connect with them.  His daughter acts as though she hates her father, and his wife barely pays attention to him, forcing Lester to fantasize instead about Jane's 16 year old friend Angela.

This crush motivates Lester into becoming a person that chases after his dreams rather than accepting the position he is in.  He starts to work out in an effort to impress her, in addition to buying a new sports car.  The transformation continues as a new family moves down the street consisting of Army Colonel Fitts, his wife, and their quiet, strange son Ricky.  As Jane and Ricky become involved, Jane is driven even further from her father, and Lester feels compelled to better himself.  He quits his job, much to his wife's disappointment, to pursue a job flipping burgers at the local drive-in.  While it seems that Lester's life has significantly gone downhill, he could not be happier that he is doing what he thinks is for the better.  In fact, he does so much for self betterment over the course of the film that he is completely unfazed by the discovering of his wife's affair.

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While this film's main character is laced with pessimism and cynicism regarding the suburbia he is trapped inside, his transformation, which begins with the creepy fantasies about his daughter's best friend changes his from subdued to driven.  This drive has Lester unafraid of doing what we all long to do:  drop everything and do something for ourselves for once.  Spacey's character becomes funny, brash, and driven (even if by the wrong thing), but is flawed in his reluctance to observe the affects of his actions on those around him.  Sure, he may be feeling better off for the changes he made, but not stopping to consider how the others might take it has deleterious consequences in the end.  This movie allows us to think about which we should value more:  pleasing those whom we are closest too, or doing whatever we deem right for ourselves.

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