Line #29 YMMV/FerrisBuellersDayOff


1	* AccidentalAesop:
2	** Some viewers were disturbed by the moral, which implied that it's okay to lie, cheat, and steal in order to live life to the fullest.
3	** The other message of the movie seems to be "obsessing over someone else's good fortune will make you miserable." Both Rooney and Jeannie may be justified in their anger at Ferris being allowed to break the rules, but ultimately they hurt themselves because they can't let it go. Jeannie letting go of her grudge means she ends the day relatively triumphant while Rooney ends the day miserably because he doesn't go back to his office and focus on more important things.
4	** As [[HardTruthAesop harsh as it is]], charming and funny people can get away with a lot while behaving like a sourpuss to others means you won't be appreciated or taken seriously no matter how morally you may behave. Jeannie would probably be happier and have more friends if she didn't act like a killjoy most of the time.
5	** The movie seems to be an indictment of the education system. While Ferris' cutting class isn't excusable, his complaint about being forced to study subjects he doesn't care about is far more valid and understandable. The economics professor is shown to be a boring man who can't keep his students' attention, while Rooney is more obsessed with attendance than what the students actually ''learn''. Schools should offer their students the curriculums they want rather than force them to learn boring subjects they don't care for.
6	* AlternateAesopInterpretation: Is Jeannie's subplot a lesson about envy and obsession? Or is it that you should enable your sibling to be a delinquent?
7	* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
8	** Rooney is a HeWhoFightsMonsters case. His crusade to take down the rule-breaking Ferris for the sake of enforcing the rules causes him to commit some morally questionable acts himself; and he abandons his own post for the day to do so.
9	** Did Jeannie save Ferris from Rooney merely because of BigSisterInstinct, because of the pep talk that the druggie gave her to only worry about herself, or was it that Rooney got her in trouble in the first place? If he hadn't broken into the house, Jeannie wouldn't have been scared to death or hauled to the police station for supposedly making a phony phone call when saying there was an intruder in the house. It proves that Rooney is much worse than Jeannie is because she was trying to bust her little brother for playing hooky and had every right to return home.
10	*** Or maybe she was in a good mood after making out with the hot bad boy. Oxytocin is quite the drug.
11	** When Cameron goes into the trance, is it solely due to the stress/trauma of seeing his dad's car having a ton of miles on it, or did he scream ''so'' loudly and for so long that he exhausted himself to the point of temporary catatonia? Remember, he was ''actually'' sick that day, it's not a stretch to think he used up what was left of his energy, especially since he was running around Chicago all day. It may have even been a little of both.
12	** Ferris is a very divisive figure. Is he either a rebellious but charming kid who wants to have a good time with his friends and escape an oppressive school? Or is he a manipulative narcissist who indulges in hedonistic behavior at the expense of those around him? At one point, he does complain about the curriculum, implying he does have a genuine disdain for school.
13	* AwardSnub: Short-story writer Steve Almond is on record as saying Creator/AlanRuck not only deserved to be nominated, but win the Academy Award for his performance. Sadly, [[ComedyGhetto no such recognition occurred]].
14	* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic:
15	** This film, along with ''Film/TheSecretOfMySuccess'', made the avant garde Swiss band Music/{{Yello}} a household name with its iconic use of "Oh Yeah" in the Ferrari's introduction.
16	** The instrumental "March of the Swivelheads" by the English Beat, playing during Ferris's frantic run home.
17	** The beautiful "The Edge of Forever" by The Dream Academy during Sloane's final conversation with Ferris.
18	* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: Ferris dancing to the ''Series/IDreamOfJeannie'' theme song.
19	* CommonKnowledge: A lot of people, even on this website, are under the impression that the two parking attendants who took Cameron's dad's Ferrari for a joyride racked up a comically large mileage of over 2,000 miles, justifying Cameron's massive FreakOut. In actuality, the odometer started at 125, and ended at 301, so they only added 176 miles.
20	* DesignatedHero: Ferris has cut school at least nine times before, covering his tracks by hacking into the school computer to change the records. He gets away with all sorts of things by blatantly exploiting the goodwill of everyone around him, including his parents, weaving a complex web of whatever lies will serve him currently, and psychologically bullying his friend Cameron. Despite all of this, we're expected to root for him simply because he is the titular character.
21	* DesignatedVillain: The manager at the restaurant is portrayed in a negative light despite not doing anything wrong other than maybe being a little snooty, but even that is justified considering three high school students are essentially harassing a business. Getting a reservation mixed up for a diner can easily cost a restaurant employee their job, or at minimum be an embarrassment to the restaurant's reputation. Yet we're supposed to side with Ferris because of the ProtagonistCenteredMorality of the film.
22	* DracoInLeatherPants:
23	** Among those who view Ferris in a more negative light, it's common to portray Principal Rooney as a noble educator trying to stop a delinquent. This ignores that Rooney goes ''way'' too far in trying to do so, to the point of committing serious crimes like breaking and entering, and that his mission to catch Ferris is motivated far more by petty hatred and his [[ItsAllAboutMe wounded ego]] than any real concern for the rules or students, practically salivating at the prospect of holding Ferris back another year and making his life hell all the while.
24	** Jeannie is often depicted as an innocent victim of Ferris' shenanigans and [[KarmicMisfire she was unfairly punished after calling the police about an intruder]]. However, viewers who feel this way ignore that Jeannie is a spiteful and moody person whose motivations are revenge rather than right or wrong.
25	* EnsembleDarkHorse: The economics teacher played by...anyone? Anyone?...by Creator/BenStein is easily the film's most iconic character, even though he only has a minute or two of screen time, and he serves no plot purpose whatsoever. His signature line ("Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?") has approached almost memetic levels, and it's often jokingly quoted in everyday conversation when someone asks a question that fails to get a response. Stein turned this persona into a career.
26	* EpilepticTrees:
27	** A fairly popular theory is that Ferris, who is very much an EscapistCharacter, is actually a figment of Cameron's imagination, like a less destructive [[Film/FightClub Tyler Durden]], that Cameron created as a way to force himself to steal his dad's car and have fun. Part of the theory that changes depending on who you ask is that either Sloane is also imaginary, or is real but goes along with Cameron's delusions so she can have a good time. For this to work though, not only would Jeanie and Bueller's parents, who never have any interaction with Cameron, have to be imaginary as well, but Ed Rooney, his secretary, and the economics professor would have to be, if not imaginary too, having imaginary days that for the most part have nothing to do with Cameron at all, and that just brings up the question of why Cameron's illusion includes such an elaborate B-plot, complete with a third act climax that occurs after Cameron has completely left the story.
28	** Accordingly, some fans have flipped this around and said ''Cameron'' is the imaginary one, a kind of strawman for Ferris to unload all his insecurities and "uncool" traits onto. We never ''do'' see his [[TheGhost much-feared dad]], and Ferris and Sloane are the only people who directly interact with him.
29	* EscapistCharacter: Ferris Bueller is popular, funny and rich. He has a hot girlfriend, does whatever he wants, and pretty much everything works out perfectly for him.
30	* EsotericHappyEnding: Cameron is last seen resolving to have it out with his domineering and emotionally distant father for the first time in his life after accidentally destroying the latter's priceless Ferrari. This moment marks the final step in his CharacterDevelopment, but it doesn't change the fact that the Ferrari is beyond saving, and the elder Frye, who prioritizes his material wealth (especially the Ferrari) over everyone and everything else, will be home shortly. And if Cameron was as deathly afraid of his father as he said he was before, one can safely say that his father has given him ''damn good reason'' to be. So, despite his newfound strength and confidence, the ensuing confrontation probably didn't go over very well.
31	* FanficFuel: Many fanfics have been written depicting the scene in which Mr. Frye arrives home to his destroyed Ferrari and Cameron confronts him. Based on how Cameron describes his dad, the results usually range from [[TearJerker tragic]] to [[NightmareFuel nightmarish]].
32	* FashionDissonance: Ferris' leopard pattern vest he wears throughout the film places it firmly in TheEighties alongside EightiesHair, suspenders, and Sloane's fringed jacket being shown in the movie as well. Cameron, with his hockey jersey that wouldn't be out of place in the 2020s, is the only aversion.
33	* GeniusBonus: The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoot-Hawley_Tariff_Act Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act]] that Ben Stein's character talks about is ''extremely'' significant in modern economic theory, being credited with making the Great Depression much worse than it otherwise would have been (which in turn factored into, among other things, the rise of UsefulNotes/NaziGermany and the world's descent into UsefulNotes/WorldWarII). It's the entire reason industrial protectionist tariffs have been a DeadHorseTrope for close to a century in favor of free trade.
34	* HarsherInHindsight:
35	** Several scenes became much less funny after Creator/JeffreyJones' 2003 arrest for possession of child pornography and soliciting a 14 year old, especially considering he plays a high school principal essentially stalking an underaged student. These include the scene in which Jeanie mistakes Ed Rooney for a prowler and the part where he comes up behind who he thinks is Ferris (but is actually a short-haired girl) and says "Your ass is mine!"
36	** The entire Rooney subplot (in which he roams the streets of Chicago hunting down Ferris to demonstrate he's skipping school, including breaking into his home) is funny on-screen for many people... except for one family in the Midwest that got a pretty big scare in TheNineties when the principal of the school their son went to broke into their home (by climbing into their son's room through the window) to personally make sure that he was actually sick after they called in earlier in the day to say that he wouldn't be able to go.
37	** The climax has Cameron inadvertently wrecking his father's prized Ferrari. [[https://consequence.net/2023/11/alan-ruck-crashes-vehicle-hollywood-pizza-shop/ In 2023]], Creator/AlanRuck accidentally drove his truck into a pizzeria, with two people suffering minor injuries.
38	* HilariousInHindsight:
39	** The biker Jeannie meets at the police station is played by a very young Creator/CharlieSheen, whose [[Quotes/FerrisBuellersDayOff first three lines include the word "drugs"]]; the first and third lines simply ''are'' the word "drugs".
40	** Jeannie's scream before she runs after kicking Rooney looks similar to Kevin's scream and run during ''Film/HomeAlone'', which Creator/JohnHughes also wrote.
41	** TheStinger was just a silly non-sequitur at the time, but is now utterly hilarious in these days of [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse huge movie franchises]] featuring teasers for the next film after the credits. ''Film/Deadpool2016'' even spoofs the trend by doing a direct parody of this scene.
42	** The garage guy who takes the Ferrari for a joyride to the ''Franchise/StarWars'' theme looks a lot like Creator/AdamDriver. Bonus points for Driver later playing Enzo Ferrari in [[Film/{{Ferrari}} a biopic]].
43	** Standing behind the singing nurse is a person wearing a papier mache head that resembles Film/{{Frank}}.
44	** During the downtown parade scene, they pass a theater playing ''Film/TheReturnOfGodzilla''. Creator/MatthewBroderick would go on to star in ''Film/Godzilla1998''.
45	** Creator/AlanRuck would himself play an emotionally aloof, materialistic father in ''Series/OneDayAtATime2017''.
46	** When Ferris picks up Sloane at the High School he's wearing a hat and trenchcoat that makes him look somewhat like WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget, who Creator/MatthewBroderick would later go on to play in [[Film/InspectorGadget1999 the live-action movie adaptation]] 13 years later.
47	** In 2018, one kid played hooky as in the film to go to a Chicago Cubs game [[https://www.mlb.com/cut4/young-cubs-fan-runs-into-principal-at-cubs-opening-day-c271969040 and ran into his principal at Wrigley Field]]. For further hilarity, the reason the principal was at the game was because, unlike [[NonGivingUpSchoolGuy Rooney]], he also had skipped the school day under false pretenses.
48	* InformedWrongness: Ed Rooney is depicted as a {{Jerkass}} DeanBitterman who's [[InspectorJavert going overboard]] with trying to discipline Ferris (admittedly, [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope he broke the law and committed animal cruelty]]), though that doesn't change the fact that Ferris ''is'' skipping school, has done so ''at least nine times'' prior (he hacks into the school computer to change the records), and does so by blatantly exploiting the good will of everyone, including his parents.
49	* JerkassWoobie: Jeanie has her moments too, though its more of this trope, given how she reacts to her problems by being a spiteful, bitter {{Jerkass}} to everyone around her.
50	* LesYay: Behind the scenes example. In 2020, Creator/JenniferGrey shared some behind the scenes photos from the film on Instagram, [[https://preview.redd.it/8c9r83vezj751.jpg?width=960&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=037b0b957e2c3b832cb0229c2fabea19a13a8d84 one of which]] featured her almost kissing Creator/MiaSara.
51	* MemeticMutation:
52	** How many tropers have had a class where the teacher ''didn't'' say "Bueller? Bueller?" at least once during attendance? Anyone? Anyone? Ben Stein has said he wants it on his tombstone.
53	** "Oh Yeah" gained popularity online as music to play during a creepy sexual situation.
54	** "Oh, well, he's very popular, Ed. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wasteoids, dweebies, dickheads — They all adore him. They think he's a righteous dude."
55	** "My name's Jean but everybody calls me Shauna."
56	* NightmareFuel:
57	** Meta example. When Rooney pokes his head inside through the doggie door and sees the Bueller's family dog growling at him. It's quite terrifying.
58	** From Jeannie's point-of-view, she came home during her senior lunch break, and while her little brother is missing, someone is in the house. When she tries to surprise the person, it turns out to be an "intruder". Jeannie in the heat of the moment understandably screams, kicks him in the jaw several times, and runs to hide in her room while calling the police. To top it all off, the cops don't ''believe her''. She later finds out that it was Rooney, after locating his wallet, and is understandably furious that he got her in trouble.
59	* OneSceneWonder:
60	** Ben Stein as the...anyone? Anyone?...the economics professor. (Technically two)
61	** Creator/CharlieSheen as the druggie in the police station.
62	---> '''Druggie''': You oughta spend a little more time worryin' 'bout yourself, and a little less time worryin' 'bout what your brother does...
63	** Creator/RichardEdson as the parking garage attendant who takes Cameron's father's beloved Ferrari for a spin.
64	** Numerous others come to mind as well (the snooty waiter, the "nurse-gram" woman, etc.)
65	* OneTrueThreesome: Ferris/Cameron/Sloane is quite popular. And, if you're watching the movie with ShippingGoggles on, surprisingly plausible.
66	* RonTheDeathEater: It's become somewhat popular to view Ferris as a sociopathic ManipulativeBastard rather than an irreverent, fun-loving and somewhat irresponsible teen. Supporters of this view point to his charm, his ability to con and manipulate his way into getting the things he wants, and being apathetic toward the possibility of consequences for him or his companions. However, one has to ignore Ferris's confrontation with Cameron (in which he offers to take the heat for the wrecked Ferrari) and his genuine interest in helping Cameron come out of his shell, to maintain this interpretation. Not to mention that while Jeannie might be justified in busting her brother, she's only doing it out of jealousy.
67	* SignatureScene:
68	** The roll call scene where the teacher asks "Bueller?" over and over again.
69	** Ferris singing "Twist and Shout" on the parade float.
70	* StrawmanHasAPoint:
71	** Rooney's quest to prove that Bueller is ditching school is a legitimate concern, and most schools in America are legally required to maintain student attendance, or they may have their funding cut. The issue is that his determination to find Ferris playing hooky leads to [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope him breaking into the Bueller house and scaring Jeannie to death]].
72	** Jeannie's quest to catch Ferris. Her complaining about how unfair it is that Ferris gets away with whatever he wants while she gets punished is proven true when she is hauled down to the police station for supposedly "making a phony phone call" about a very real intruder and getting in trouble with their parents, while Ferris gets away with having a whole fun day out with his friends. However, the druggie played by Charlie Sheen spells out that Jeannie's only angry because she's jealous of Ferris, not out of a sense of justice.
73	** Ferris himself is a rather slimy delinquent, but his complaint about the school's curriculum, which tries to teach him subjects he doesn't care about, is something a lot of people who've endured standardized testing can agree with him.
74	* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: The ''Ferris Bueller'' TV series employed a little musical riff that seems awfully similar to Yello's "Oh Yeah". (F-F-F-Ferris B-B-B-Bueller hee hoo!)
75	* TearJerker: Cameron, from his home life, to his demeanor, is far from ideal. He angrily kicks his father's Ferrari to vent about how dad cares more about the car than him.
76	-->"My old man, he pushes me around... And ''[[TryingNotToCry I never say anything!]]''"
77	* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film is a time capsule for the 1980s.
78	** The cars, fashion, and the lack of people using laptops or smartphones date this movie to an earlier time period. The computer in Rooney's office had really outdated graphics.
79	** With school security becoming more pronounced since the late 90s, Ferris' hooky would be a lot harder to pull off then today.
80	* UnintentionallySympathetic: Ferris' older sister Jeannie is clearly meant to be portrayed as an antagonistic force whom the audience should root against, but she has a lot of great reasons to despise her younger brother. For starters, she happens to know about Ferris' antics and [[BigSisterInstinct it's literally her job to keep an eye on Ferris.]] [[WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb Candace Flynn and her would get along fabulously.]] She's also TheUnFavourite among her parents, disliked among her community as an "angsty teenager", and has to deal with the fact that her brother is [[LovedByAll beloved by his entire town]]. That's not just ParentalFavoritism, [[HeroWithBadPublicity it's basically her being the town menace that everybody hates.]] Talk about a rough life (though her terrible treatment of the people around her kind of justifies/excuses it)! Plus as charming a memorable as Ferris is, it doesn't hide the fact that he's kind of a douchebag. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnAaSk5KQsU The Take does an entire video about it.]]
81	* ValuesDissonance: Sloane gets Cameron to admit that he wasn't really catatonic during the pool scene and that this allowed him to peep at Sloane while she was changing out of her clothes and into her swimsuit. It's portrayed as harmless mischief and Sloane isn't even embarrassed or upset. Today taking advantage of not being catatonic to see a girl undressing would be seen as incredibly creepy, inappropriate and stalkerish at best.
82	* TheWoobie: Cameron Frye might qualify as TheChewToy or the ButtMonkey were it not for the fact that most—if not all—of his woes are either within his ability to change or exist wholly inside of his own head, and it is this inability or unwillingness to recognize his own self worth that results in his uptight, paranoid hypochondriac persona (resulting in his also being TheEeyore of the film). Cameron's home life is notoriously ''terrible'' — his parents don't love each other, and his father cares more about restoring a car than he cares about his wife and son. Part of the reason Ferris takes him along for the ride is that he feels sorry for him and wants to show him a good time. He doesn't fit perfectly into the LoserArchetype because he doesn't really make any attempt to rise above his current situation, but you still get the impression that he could benefit from a good hug.
83	-->"Cameron has never been in love. [[TearJerker At least, nobody's ever been in love with him]]".

Context YMMV / FerrisBuellersDayOff