2/5 In case there is ever a shortage of drugs for teens...
  by Steve Kuehl (Ben Lomond, CA)
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.

5/5 I LOVE IT!!
  by Amanda Evans (Ledyard, CT)
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!

5/5 I love this movie
  by Prince Vegeta
I usually watch it alongside with daze and confused! Wish there was more movies like this!

4/5 Totally High School, but it's No Dazed and Confused
  by Kim Wallace (Arlington Heights, IL USA)
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 behinds, 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.




4/5 Haven't I seen this before?
  by Boonster (UK)
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.