Richard Linklater's breakthrough film, Dazed and Confused is about a group of high schoolers on the last day of class in 1976. A nostalgic film that makes me glad to not be a freshman in that era. Richard Linklater follows the classic three act structure in his film that takes place in Austin, Texas.
The first act is set during the day time. It introduces the ensemble cast. Everyone has their problems which are introduced slowly throughout the first act. Mitch Kramer is an incoming freshman and is afraid of getting paddled. The first act ends in a mini-climax with Mitch and his friends getting in a car chase with the seniors who want to paddle him and as his friend's mom pulling a shotgun on one of the seniors.
The second act is when the party night begins. The main party gets busted so the kids go to the pool hall until new plans can be drawn up. This is where we hear Matthew Mcconaughey's famous line, "that's what I love about these high school girls man; I get older, they stay the same age." The second act ends with Mitch Kramer and his freshman friends getting payback on one of the seniors who paddled them by pouring paint on him.
After a party in the woods, Mitch meets up with the girl who he had been flirting with for most of the movies and they watch the sunrise on a hill. The movie concludes with Mitch coming home and getting yelled at by his mom.
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