Before I knew much about this, I expected it to be a John Hughes piece. Then I learned that Richard Linklater was at the helm. As I read of the 1976 setting and the lack of a central focus, I realized it must be more like American Graffiti for the next generation. Fine by me; I much prefer AG to many modern teen comedies.
Summer vacation is just beginning for an Austin neighborhood. Some high school seniors, especially grade repeater Fred O'Bannion (early Ben Affleck), are fiercely hazing all the imminent freshmen they can find. But halfhearted hazer Randall "Pink" Floyd (Jason London) invites primary victim Mitch Kramer (Wiley Wiggins) to a night on the town with other late teens and one twenty-something, David Wooderson (Matthew McConaughey in his silver screen debut). All the while, Pink is putting off a pledge not to do drugs, which he must sign to be allowed to stay on the football team.
Other characters of interest include Ron Slater (Rory Cochrane), a more obvious druggie than Pink; Kevin Pickford (Shawn Andrews), who wants to host a keg party until his parents catch on; Mike Newhouse (Adam Goldberg), a misanthrope who no longer feels like going to law school; Tony Olson (Anthony Rapp), Mike's closest friend; Darla Marks (Parker Posey), the alpha of the female hazers; Sabrina Davis (Christin Hinojosa), the only girl to stand up to her hazing in any capacity; Jodi (Michelle Burke), Mitch's well-meaning but not-so-helpful sister; Clint Bruno (Nicky Katt), an unusually belligerent pothead; and Michelle Burroughs (Milla Jovovich), playing guitar and singing an excerpt of a song of her own. There are actually plenty more of note, but I'm not sure what to say about them. Very few have much of a story going. Renee Zellweger might as well not even be there.
Leave it to Linklater to keep a movie credible almost but not quite to the point of dullness. This means, among other things, little morality. Not only do the teens drink (real beer for most on the set), smoke weed (presumably fake), abuse each other, swear like sailors, and probably engage in underage sex (hopefully not with that creep Wooderson), but some of them wreck and/or steal private property for kicks. Few adults pay any of this any mind, and those who do are ineffectual. Only O'Bannion faces the slightest consequences, and not at the hands of authorities.
Realism also contributed to my failure to find D&C nearly as funny as many did. In fact, I wasn't sure it was a comedy so much as a light drama. I found mild amusement in some of the conversations, especially between Mike and Tony. Slater philosophizes like a typical stoner. Yet nobody appears all that dazed or confused.
By far the best thing about the film IMO is the soundtrack. You'd think there were no duds on the contemporary rock stations in '76. I understand that one-sixth of the budget went into song rights. Too bad Led Zepplin didn't OK the titular number.
Netflix correctly predicted how I'd feel about D&C: largely unmoved. But as long as people continue to bring it up, I'm not sorry I watched.
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