Remember the Daze (2007) User Reviews (17)

A film school kid attempts to make a rip off of Dazed and Confused.

[maccblue · 5/10 · 27 May 2012]

So there was this woman who went to film school and saw "Dazed and Confused" and decided that she could make a movie just like it. And she tried. And she failed. But you can learn something about what makes a real film if you watch them one right after another. Oh wait IMDb thinks all movies deserve at least ten lines of text. This one doesn't but here goes.

The music was almost interesting. The young actors tried their best but unfortunately when there is no plot it is hard for the characters to develop. Many have gone on to act in real movies so I guess this was some kind of learning experience for them. Actually, the most impressive thing about this movie was the ability of the filmmaker to get so many talented and pretty young people to be in the film to begin with. Perhaps she has a future as a producer. She would be much better off if she let someone else write the script, direct the movie and come up with an better idea then let's rip off a mediocre Linkletter movie.

Despite all the negatives...

[dudewhateva · 7/10 · 30 January 2010]

I'm not trying to delude myself about this movie being some spectacular film about anything but I do have to thrown in my two cents. First and foremost, seeing as a lot of the people who have reviewed this either graduated quite a bit before or after (myself included) this movie was supposed to take place, I feel it's necessary to point out that it only takes about two years for trends and music and pretty much everything that's important to us in high school to completely change.

Now, as for this movie in particular, "let's get stoned..." was not NEAR as rampant as I have read nor was it the main focus of A LOT of the characters. Yes the casting was a bit old to be believable, the actors still did a good job of playing their characters. As for the realism of the movie, when I was in high school partying was all I was worried about. I blew off all of my classes and still passed with honors while being baked damn near everyday. This movie isn't near as bad as it's been made out to be nor is it any kinda of revelation to life for teenagers. It's simply a movie about some kids who just graduated and want to kick back. No more no less, and it does a good job of portraying them.

Remember, as fast as things come, they leave, and that applies to high school as well. Don't nuke it people.

"Wanna get wasted?"

[Slickflix · 6/10 · 15 April 2008]

How's this for a plot line? "A glimpse into the teenage wasteland of suburbia that takes place over 24-hours on the last day of school". Sounds like "Dazed and Confused", right? "Remember the Daze" feels like a film made by people who did nothing in High school but watch "Dazed and Confused". I'm sure that not all the similarities between the movies were intentional. Let's be honest though, this film is like a poor man's "Dazed and Confused", crossed with "American Pie". I'll start off with a little background information.

I myself am just a smidge younger than the Dim Wits portrayed in the film. Class of 2004 (Ugh). I can tell you, without ANY hesitation, this is about as accurate a portrayal of High school life in 99' than "Saved by the Bell" is. This generation was not nearly as hip-to-drugs as the filmmaker wants to believe. EVERY high schooler in this flick is carrying at all times. Please. Not that my generation is any better. You couldn't do a "Dazed and Confused" in the 2000s. Every kid is too busy on Myspace and whatnot to even get out of their chairs. Most high school seniors today couldn't roll a joint if their life depended on it.

So, right off the bat, "Remember the Daze" is plagued with a sense of unauthentic narrative. Making things worse are the fact that every character is a stereotype (multiplied by about 100). Not one realistic teen in the bunch. Not that it matters, the only dialogue any of them get is along the lines of "Let's get wasted", or "Who's got some pot". I kid you not; those lines are spoken once every 30 seconds. The cast of young actors are all apt, with a couple doing some above average work. Unfortunately, the fact that they all play whiney degenerates doesn't help. Marnette Patterson, the young woman that plays Stacy, gives by far the most layered and lively performance.

This film is far from terrible though. Apart from being fake and overly derivative of a certain other teen/drug film, it does have some finer points. The whole thing moves along pretty well, with some interesting scenarios and occasional humor. The cinematographer also seems to know what he's doing, and the film looks a lot more polished than one would expect. While the film definitely features a bit of phony sentimentality and lame profoundness, it never really demands much from the viewer and provides a consistently pleasant atmosphere.

Before I forget, two last thoughts. Was it just me or was the inclusion of the "Photographer kid" beyond pretentious. Ouch. They could have easily cut him out and saved a lot of embarrassment. Although I suppose that lost shot of the photos was suitable. And the title, "Remember the Daze". That's just corny and in no way fits with the tone of the film. They should have just called it "Remember Dazed and Confused", because anyone who watches this will find themselves gawking over the similarities. If you're a fan of the former though, this should be worth a free rental if you've got a coupon lying around. Or better yet, pick up "Can't Hardly Wait", which is leagues more realistic and enjoyable than this.

Great movie for the right audience

[uninations034 · 3 September 2007]

This movie was phenomenal for the audience who can understand it on a deeper level (Think "The Fountain"). Yes, on the surface it seems like another "Dazed and Confused", but its very accurate to its 1999 time period, and the sex and drugs are a key element to what the movie's about, because the sexual desires and drugs are what bring everybody's different social groups together. The reason why some people might hate this movie is because it isn't plot driven. It's instead character driven, and the interesting thing about it is that it doesn't really have lead characters, it just has an outstanding ensemble cast of some rising stars like Khleo Thomas, Melonie Diaz, Lyndsy Fonseca, Amber Heard, Alexa Vega and Chris Marquette, and some newcomers like Charles Chen, Shahine Ezell, and Katrina Begin. I agree with the other commenter that they did an excellent job with the casting, which is very important in a character-driven film. I disagree however, with the comments that Jess Manafort's script tries too hard to be filled with "funny" stoner jokes. There's so much going on in this film, there's so many different characters leading different lifestyles that end up colliding, that for each thing you may hate about the film there will always be something you love. Amber Heard and Melonie Diaz stole the show for the female casting, and Chris Marquette and Charles Chen had to be my favorite male characters. Like I said in the beginning, if you watch this movie on the surface it may seem stupid and old. If you watch it with more concentration to find a deeper meaning, it becomes an excellent teenager film about the key to blending the high school cliques so everybody fits in. I highly recommend it.

a study in teenage minds

[elcee-1 · 6/10 · 25 May 2008]

Remember the Daze reminded me a lot of Degrassi: The Next Generation, only with more emphasis on getting stoned. It probably isn't an accurate portrayal of most high school experiences in 1999, and certainly not of my high school when I graduated in 2005, but it walks the line between being realistic and unbelievable well enough to make it quite interesting to watch. It's also easier to take seriously because it takes on more of an indie film feel than a stoner flick. The cast members all showed great promise in their future acting careers and while they chose a few people who've been in big films before (Alexa Vega, Khleo Thomas), it was equally refreshing to see new faces and talent. The dynamic of the cast was superb, despite how many people were involved. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised, it was much better than I expected it to be based on its description.

Such a boring movie!

[Banterking625 · 1/10 · 11 March 2011]

I'm probably in the minority for saying this, but this movie sucks. The movie jumps from character to character and it gets confusing after a while. The cheerleader character seemed enjoyable in the beginning, but I started to hate her after she was so whiny about wanting to get wasted. The only reason I saw this movie is because Amber Heard is in it, but not even she could save this movie. Watching Never Back Down (another Amber Heard movie) will erase the torture I went through with watching this movie. This movie makes Can't Hardly Wait look like Avatar and I hate Can't Hardly Wait. I am baffled at all the positive reviews this movie has gotten. Don't let the skewed numbers fool you. Pass on this or you'll be in a "daze" after seeing this horrible movie!

Entertaining

[aimless-46 · 6/10 · 5 March 2011]

"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.

Avoid

[mikes2001 · 1/10 · 30 January 2009]

I hate to sound like an old parent, which I am, but this movie is truly awful. You have 25 year olds playing 17 year olds and 20 year olds playing 14 year olds and every conversation deals with smoking weed or getting wasted. Is that by itself supposed to be funny? The movie is set in 1999, so maybe it is attempting to be a Dazed and Confused for the Millennium, but it's missing minor details like good acting or characters you could care about. Or dialogue other than "let's smoke some weed". It's not even a good T & A movie like an old 70's drive-in movie, as there's no T or A, which is a good thing as 18 year old Alexa Vega is playing a 14 year old!!! The only interest in this movie is seeing what young actors/actresses pop up ("There's Zero from Holes", "That's the guy from Joan of Arcadia", "That's the guy from What I Like About You"....) And when Moira Kelly appears you feel sorry for her. Moira - you deserve better!!! Maybe Alexa Vega wanted something that's a departure from Spy Kids, but this movie is a departure from any standards of filmaking. If I could give this a zero I'd do so, but 1 is as low as IMDb goes. I guess the 1 is for one scene in the middle where there's only music, and no dialogue.

If the entire movie was only music maybe I'd give it a 5 as I wouldn't have to listen to the inane dialogue and I could just enjoy looking at Amber Heard and Katrina Begin and Melonie Diaz.

A worthy film to watch.

[nataliaps · 9/10 · 12 June 2008]

I have to say, that when i started watching it, I was expecting a typical teenager film with a few laughs and meaningless ideas. However, i was completely surprised to find myself with a great cast with a lot of young upcoming actors and some new faces which i found were also good. The fact that this film is not centered only on one person's life and stories, but on a group of teenagers who are on the brink of becoming adults, is enthralling. It shows us how different groups, races and sexuality are not important in 1999, where drugs and alcohol are a big factor in teenager lives. Furthermore, i feel that, being a teenager myself, i can relate to the insecurities these teenagers feel and at the same time have a laugh at the film as it is kept pretty real. There really are some funny parts! This film takes in a lot of ideas and thoughts which can be reflected on. It is not just another teenager film. It is well written and well worth watching.

Ugh

[mattgallop · 2/10 · 25 August 2020]

I graduated in 1998 and high school was nothing like this. This movie is highly dramatized and different groups of people would never party together. Unfunny, boring, slow, and has way too many Dazed and Confused vibes.

about as honest as it gets.

[incredadele · 10/10 · 26 March 2009]

okay, so i grew in a small, mainly Christian based town where nothing bad could ever happen, right? wrong. sex, drugs, alcohol. all were prevalent. this movie perfectly showcases the reality that is high school life. and, by the way, most of the people in this movie weren't twenty five. any person that fails to see how this relates to a teenager's life seriously needs a reality check. EVERYONE DEALS WITH THIS STUFF! good girls and boys can one day find themselves in uncomfortable situations of questionable legality. every person faces a moment of faltering morals. growing up isn't pretty or easy. this movie is a perfect example of the ugliness and missteps in the lives of so many teenagers around the country and around the world. my parents could certainly see the similarities between this movie and the dirty side of growing up.

Accurate but not interesting

[Allan-mamaril · 3/10 · 27 May 2022]

If you were in the party crowd in high school, then this is like watching a home movie of people you don't know - boring. And if you weren't, this movie nails reality - it all seems better than it actually is. I'm a nutshell, "Beautiful Ordinary" is just this, the actors are beautiful, and the film is ordinary.

An update on "American Graffiti"

[pat007-1 · 9/10 · 12 April 2008]

Remember the Daze is an authentic look at high school students on the brink of graduation. It reveals the trepidations and excitement that students feel at this very important juncture in their life. The middle class life style will connect to a large segment of the population, but some will see it as how the "rich" live, especially because they all seem to be driving cars. However, the class distinctions are minor in the film much as they were in "American Graffiti." One of the biggest differences in "Graffiti" was that the most daring thing a kid could do then was to get an adult to buy whiskey for him in a liquor store. Some parents may be shocked and horrified to see the promiscuous use of mind altering drugs. On the other hand, it might be healthy for them to get an authentic look at what's going on.

Loved it !

[ashleyrobinson17 · 10/10 · 27 March 2013]

Totally my type of movie, love all of the characters in this film .. they play their roles so well. I only wish John Robinson was in the movie more, i love his character the best not to mention total heart throb. This definitely reminds me of high school years, makes me want to go back in time! I love the 90's. All in all this is a great movie and if you love teen comedy/romance then this is for you! Also, the music in it's great i have the soundtrack and listen to it all the time, so many good songs. I don't have any complaints about the film except for that a few characters i wished to have seen more of during the movie like Bailey and his band friends!

Remember the Daze is definitely a 10/10 in my books!

Entertaining from the Start!

[huggabunchable · 8/10 · 4 March 2011]

I really liked the movie. I Loved this cast. (I have a slight Leighton Meester obsession I admit). The actors in the movie had great chemistry.

It did kind of remind me a little of Dazed and Confused b/c the plots were pretty much the same. Dazed and Confused is a great movie to compare to and I feel this movie held its own. I loved the way the film was shot and I loved the ending with the kid's photo's. The characters were entertaining. I actually wanted to learn more about them. This film was nicely written and put together well. Made me want more when it was over.

The only complaint I have is that there was so much going on and so many characters it was hard to keep up with them all (remembering who was who mostly). I think this would have been much better as a TV series. It would have been a really good show.

But yeah, overall I enjoyed this movie very much and would love to add it to my DVD Collection.

what can I say its accurate as hell for a stoner kid

[napathene-96549 · 10/10 · 18 August 2019]

Its not gonna win any awards or anything, the fact that brie Larson is in it will probably draw some attention after her recent Marvel fame, but as a suburban child in America I gotta say this film is really accurate. just things like smoking cigarettes and keg parties and blunts and hooking up and parties. if someone from a foreign country wanted to know what typical American teenage life is like for about 90 percent of our country, I would refer them to this film. if you got wasted in high school you watch this film and am surprised by how accurate everything is. not all of it is great, it lacks some parts for sure, some character are meh, and the storyline is nearly nonexistent but its got some great period music, and I liked the merging of different cliques in high school, like the fight scene with the Rich kids just like how the whole school was this unit. not gonna lie I liked this film. as long as it doesn't try too hard, its a fun watch.

Pretty damn good

[phillips-adl · 9/10 · 4 February 2011]

Well I have to admit that I am not the kind of person that needs to watch black and white film-noir that is made by a heroin addict dying on death row to think that some film is cool and this is no exception. This is an enjoyable film. I thought that the performances were outstanding, yes they were older actors, get teenage actors to do what you want..... I thought while I expected it to be a brain-off experience (which I sometimes enjoy, try it film buffs), it captured some great conversational awkwardeness and teenage issues. Yes, it is nice to own a Jeep Cherokee at age 18 but we see spoilt American kids in just about every program on British TV these days so get over yourself. I enjoyed it simply because I think it was very humorous and well played out.