Customer Reviews

Remember the Daze

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Remember the Daze" is a 2007 direct-to-DVD release whose main claim to fame is an ensemble of the hottest young actresses ever assembled (at least in recent memory). For viewers looking for that sort of thing it starts with then unknowns Leighton Meester and Amber Heard; and doesn't really go downhill much from there with Marnette Patterson, etc.

This is one of those 24-hour important transitional day teen movies, which are produced every few years and key in on a day that marks the passing from one stage of life to another. In this case it is 1999 high school graduation party night (in North Carolina) as the seniors prepare to move on to life after high school. Think "Can't Hardly Wait" (1998), "Dazed and Confused" (1993), and "American Graffiti" (1973). Throw in some elements and cast members from "Sleepover" (2004) along with the lyrical qualities of "Empire Records" (1995) and maybe even a little of "Sixteen Candles" (1984).

The only thing really unique about "Remember the Daze" is that Jess Manafort (the writer and director) is a relatively young woman. So the point-of-view is more female oriented; and the parts of the female characters are better written and much more believable that those of the males. Intuitively you would think that this would give the film a box office advantage over its predecessors. The many hot babes and some comedy, drug use, and misbehaving should attract a teen boy target audience and the more cerebral and sensitive dialogue should connect with girls of almost any demographic.

Unfortunately the wheels mostly fall off and the film fails to make the sentimental connection Manafort was hoping to achieve. It probably has something to do with too many stories being told, more than in the other films mentioned, and passing some vague tipping point where there are so many that the audience struggles to tap into any one particular character for point-of-view and strong identification purposes.

Also a problem was too much emphasis on the two weakest stories in the bunch; Heard's struggle to break up with her terminally depressed boyfriend (together they sap the energy from every scene in which they appear) and Patterson's struggle to break up with her terminally depressing boyfriend (who is physically and emotionally interchangeable with the assorted members of his moronic but staggeringly unfunny homeboy pack). Mostly you just end up feeling embarrassed for the poor folks tasked with playing such poorly written parts.

The film has some entertaining moments. Meester and Katrina Begin make the most of their limited screen time, and manage to inject a lot of badly needed comic relief. They represent a fusion of the Ron Howard - Richard Dreyfuss - Cindy Williams characters, struggling to sort out an upcoming geographical separation.

Stella Maeve ("Lightly" - I love that character name) and John Robinson ("Bailey) have a sweet and believable romance that is nicely sold by the way the two actors gently tease their roles. Each year in high school I recall romances where an incoming freshman girl pulled an older but less mature upperclassman out of his shell, but for some reason the dynamic has been neglected in films.

Even with the missteps already noted, Patterson is excellent in what turns out to be the biggest part in the production (after editing but probably not in the original script as she gets no billing on the main promotional material). This is essentially Jennifer Love Hewitt"s "Can't Hardly Wait" character, this time mostly played for laughs but not aggressively enough written so that the absurdist elements are not as effective as they could have been.

A distanced and largely silent guy (Charles Chen) with a still camera bookends the film; the quintessential class historian who participated in nothing but is destined to one day serve as the class' collective memory. They go out on an elaborate crane shot that goes up and into a second-story window to pan across a montage of his just developed photos. He also serves the Wolfman Jack role, with his constant presence a lyrical commentary and a way to bring unity to the disparate story elements.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

I usually watch it alongside with daze and confused! Wish there was more movies like this!

I love this movie!! I've been waiting since I think 2006 to see this movie and I'm not disappointed!!The acting in this movie leads to very believable storylines and I think teenagers everywhere can relate to at least one of these characters, and recognize something that they or someone they know personally went through!

Jess Manafort did an amazing job directing this movie and I cannot wait to see more of her work...All the actors did an amazing job as well!

Remember the Daze will seem a little reminiscent of Dazed and Confused and maybe they were trying to make the movie the Dazed and Confused of this era. The film is not horrible by any means, but Dazed and Confused it is not. What the movie most succeeds on is its resemblance to the real lives of high school students.

Remember the Daze follows several high school students as they just get out of school for the summer. Some just graduated, others are going into their last year of high school, some are finally leaving their freshman status behind, and then there are the ones who just graduated junior high and are embarking on the high school lifestyle. Nonetheless, they all attend a party to celebrate the end of the school and you get to see the party from several different perspectives.

The movie, at times, seems like they just followed a bunch of students around with a camera. It will look more like a reality show than a scripted movie, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. If the point of Remember the Daze is to depict teenagers, particularly, their experiences and struggles, then it succeeds. However, the problem is the purpose of the movie is easily lost and hard to determine. I know a lot of people will probably view this and at the end wonder entirely what the meaning of the movie is supposed to be. It doesn't end neatly; it ends with a lot of loose ends, however maybe that's the point. If Remember the Daze is supposed to be reminiscent of real life, then most of us know that nothing ever is entirely resolved or certain in just a mere 24 hours. I think we are just used to the end of movies providing us some closure and I applaud Remember the Daze for trying to go against that.

It's also noteworthy that the film took on some difficult subject matter and this is where the actors surprisingly shined through. Sure, it's not a big named cast, but they all managed to bring something great to the movie. Since the movie lacks a well focused plot, the characters are the most important part of it and the performances in this film really made up for that. The characters are what will keep you watching.

My only fear about this movie is that people will be turned off by the mass amount of drinking, illegal substances, and activities. Some may say it doesn't represent the life of every teenager, this is true, but you can't deny the fact that these types of things happen/happened in this age group. It doesn't make what the movie is showcasing any less true, in fact, it may make it that much more real. It may just reveal what people have chosen to ignore all along.

I had to resort to a teen movie tonight as I was told none of my reviews included any youth related movies. I had already seen Senior Skip Day a few weeks ago so this is what was left.

The teen to 20-somethings keep coming into the store this summer wanting to see their type of comedy - but I would have difficulty in finding a recent quality title. Though I know they would love to watch this - even if they had not heard of it (word of mouth being so important in choosing a movie when your friends are present) telling the accompanying parent what is in it - would kill it.

This 1999 themed last day of high school involves more drugs, alcohol, sex, drama and fights than I thought they could fit into one 24-hour period. The story actually involves over 30 teens (played by everyone over 20) instead of a couple core characters. I hate to admit there were two laugh-out-load moments, but the majority of the film is meant to be a drama (not a comedy as advertised).

I would say watch Senior Skip Day if you want the laughs and this one if you want to relate to the teen characters on a more serious level. I gave it a 2nd star just for that photo montage at the end; makes one think of their yearbook, maybe even a summary of all the people they knew when they graduated high school and the moments of their lives during that last day. The credits remind me of Animal House or Uncommon Valor with the face to name mix; helps to sort out the mass of actors that you see in loads of other TV shows and films here.

As a parent do I want to recommend it? Absolutely not. As a teen, do they want to see it? Absolutely. It is a random film with no real plot or withholdings as everything gets hit here: closet lesbianism, inter-racial teen relationships, tons of drinking and drugs, every adult looking like an inept idiot, underage sex, peer pressure, etc. The drug use was over-extensive but I guess the adults that made this feel every single teen is on shrooms, pot or drinks every day. Oh well.

Another reviewer stated `it's no Dazed & Confused' this I completely with. However I felt the movie was desperately trying to be Dazed & Confused. It pretty much copies Dazed & Confused scene for scene. However I actually enjoyed the movie. It is naturally going to be similar to Dazed of Confused because they have the same theme `The last day of school'. The movie does hold your interest and I would recommend it. Of course if you didn't like Dazed & Confused, you won't like this.