But it's never a chore watching it again. I could watch it over and over. And it's not that I think it's a perfect film – there are some issues here and there. But it's nearly perfect.
My viewing companion asked me about whether this was another 80s film that promoted materialism (because I've ranted about other films that seem to do so). And yes, this film starts out looking like that, what with the Ferrari and the French restaurant.
But I think this film (like a lot of John Hughes films) goes deeper. As I was watching it, I felt like it contained almost Buddhist-like ideas. One of which was similar to the story Kumo no ito ("The Spider's Thread") by Akutagawa Ryūnosuke, a short story about a man climbing out of hell on a spider's thread. The thread holds him fine, and he's making his way up to heaven no problem. But then he looks down and sees a bunch of other people climbing onto the spider's thread. He worries that the thread will snap, and starts trying to shake the people off the thread. But it is that act which causes the thread to snap and for everyone to fall into hell.
A long digression, but I think this is one of the fundamental lessons this film teaches us. Do not focus on other people's morality, only focus on your own, and making yourself a better person. This is the hole that Ed Rooney falls into (as loveable a character as he is). He focuses too much on catching Ferris, and this is his undoing. Ferris's sister almost falls into the same trap, but is saved by finding love with the drug addict Charlie Sheen (Eeeek!).
I think the main reason this is such a good film is because Ferris really isn't the protagonist – Cameron Fry is. And so is Ed Rooney, and Ferris's sister. It's about so much more than following the clever Ferris on his adventures. It's at this point that I should say, I've heard the theory that Ferris and Cameron are the same person, but I will also state clearly: that theory is bullshit. I'm not going to waste time disproving it on the many levels it is wrong, but will just point out that both Ferris and Cameron are called out clearly and separately by the teacher at registration. That destroys that dumb theory instantly.
I still think this scene is one of the most important in the whole film:
My viewing partner suggested that this montage shows how Cameron might identify with the little girl in the painting, because he had such a sad home life. And I liked that idea a lot. I think it adds another dimension to one of the theories I always had about it: I've always thought that this montage shows us how Cameron (unlike Ferris and Sloane) cannot appreciate or enjoy life. As the camera zooms in on the painting, and cuts back to closeups on his eyes, I think we are being shown how Cameron views the world. He can't step back from the painting and enjoy it for the beautiful scene that it is. He looks closer and closer and sees only the pigments of colour that make up the scene, in which there is no intrinsic beauty. And that's the problem which Ferris helps him overcome. He learns to enjoy himself, to appreciate life without worrying about the little things.
I just wish they made films like this still. 9/10
