Gen-X is usually represented in pop culture as stoners, cynical disaffected youth, or angst ridden teens. For example, the lovable bong-ripper Jeff Spicoli in FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH, the combo of detained emotional high schoolers in THE BREAKFAST CLUB, or the aimless college graduates in REALITY BITES, just to name a few.
Each of those iconic films used its characters to deliver lasting, attitude defining quotes for the X-era: “Hey bud, let’s party!”, “When you grow up, your heart dies.”, “What’s your glitch, huh?”.
However, out of all the pop-characters of our gen, it was the wry smiling, tech savvy teenager with a penchant for breaking the fourth wall, that set an example and gave us our very own mantra with one single quote: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller in FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF, written and directed by “Boomer”, John Hughes.
It is hard to believe, but FERRIS was released 35 years ago this year. Time flies like a speeding Ferrari driven by shady parking attendants!
There really isn’t much more that can be said about a film that has been viewed and reviewed hundreds of times over the years. We all know the plot, and we all know the ending; Ferris gets away with having the day off he orchestrated for him and his two best friends without consequence. Well done, sir!
However, I’m sure we have all wondered where that personal philosophy got Ferris in life, and where our favorite, seemingly carefree Gen-Xer would be today?
Was Ferris able to use that philosophy and navigate the adult world successfully, or did it impair him? Did he marry Sloan and start a family, raising a “Ferris, Jr.” that inherited his/her father’s clever skills for ducking authority? Did he somehow get caught by principal Rooney in a later incident within the remaining weeks before graduation, getting held back another year? Are Ferris and Cameron still friends after all this time?
We will never truly know because a sequel was never made, nor do I think one was ever intended, or even warranted. That film is about a singular day, a moment in the microcosm of youth for these characters. Giving FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF the “Netflix 10 episode Cobra Kai treatment” 35 years later would be a disservice to the film, the audience, and Hughes himself. Why? Because the biggest part of the equation of the film’s resonance and appeal was that they were young and carefree of adulthood responsibilities. (Though, truth be told, I’d fake “sick”, take a day off, and quickly subscribe to whatever app that streamed “Ferris 35”, binging every episode on day 1. So would you!)
If Ferris had his “day off” as an adult, that would just be annoyingly irresponsible, void of the same charming youthful cleverness of the original. A sequel would end up being like an Adam Sandler movie about adulthood where the main characters reflect on the “good old days”, and make “hilarious” awkward attempts to recapture youth, while somewhat tending to their children that the mere presence of constantly reminds them they’re adults now.
Of course, there would be a lesson learned by the end of that film. Something along the lines of “our bodies aren’t 16 any more” while limping or grabbing the lower back in pain, or a scene with a knee being wrapped in an Ace bandage, followed by cliche quotes like “youth is for the young for a reason”, etc.
The general perception is that Gen-X evolved into the “slacker generation” in the late 80s and early 90s. I believe this is a major misnomer because it implies we did nothing but vege out on our parents’ couch, or in our dorms, wrapped in Lollapalooza shirts and cargo pants, watching marathons of Beavis & Butthead, The State, and 120 Minutes.
Ok, fine. Maybe it took us a little while to find our direction. Though our search for a steady path may have been perceived as “relaxed and unaffected”, the truth is, we were cautious as we barreled into adulthood trying to figure out our next steps in life, but we never slacked. We kept busy, achieved, and grew up along the way.
Some of us went on to secondary education. Some started families. Some began tech careers, and became responsible for the tech boom. However we lived, each of us strolled through our path in life while calmly multi-tasking, keeping our “favorite companion”, the beloved television, on in the background.
When we were younger, X-ers learned to cultivate a very keen “work-life balance”. A skill we perfected as former latchkey kids with minimal adult supervision. We could “MacGyver” an afternoon snack with whatever was in the fridge, babysit our siblings, finish our homework, and avoid burning down the house, all while we watched the latest music videos, ABC Afterschool Specials, and the dawn of HBO. We are a generation of Swiss Army knife life skills fully capable of entertaining ourselves, spinning multiple plates of responsibilities, and pulling ourselves up by the laces of our Converse sneakers or Dr. Martens when plans went awry.
My Theory:
I believe that Ferris ended up doing very well in life, never becoming a “slacker”, or even perceived as one. He didn’t even slack on the day he skipped school with his friends as a teenager.
However, he most likely did not marry Sloan. At least not at the end of their “day off” together, nor right after her graduation a year later. As romantic as that expression of young , innocent love may have been, I just don’t see either of these characters from the affluent suburbs getting married and ignoring the expectation, or passing up the opportunity, of attending college.
The relationship between Cameron and Ferris remained close emotionally, but they both grew into very different people with very different lives. However, they always send each other birthday gifts, and check in with each other every few months, yet will go years without seeing each other in person.
Ferris clearly comes from a successful goal-oriented family. The Bueller’s definitely sent their son off to college after high school graduation, and I’ll bet Ferris fully thrived in the culture. For one, in college, he could set his own pace, choosing his own schedule for the most part. Also, if he needed to skip class and take a day off for whatever reason, he could because he’s an adult at that point, responsible for his own time management, free from any ill willed principal on his trail. The only people he really has to answer to are Tom & Katie Bueller, but he’s had the wool pulled over their eyes since birth.
Ferris definitely graduated. Most likely with honors. Though, if he didn’t make the actual grades, he manipulated his GPA to his liking with his tech knowledge, much like he did hacking into his attendance records in high school. He is Bueller, Ferris Bueller, after all.
Having said all of that, I could see Ferris ending up as an Elon Musk type. Extremely intelligent, running his own successful tech company, achieving great things that affect the world, but maintaining that “meh, no big deal” attitude Gen-X is famous for.
Can’t you see Ferris blasting a Ferrari 250 GT California into orbit, like Musk’s SpaceX Tesla, while breaking the 4th wall to the news cameras covering the event, giving the world his patent knowing, borderline sarcastic, yet gentle charming smirk? I certainly can!
If you want to see where the cast of Ferris Bueller is now, definitely click the link below to “Reunited Apart with Josh Gad” – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off reunion. It is AWESOME!
