Let's have a flashback:
Do you remember going into a video store as a kid, and searching for what seemed like an eternity for a film that would hold your interest? You rummage through the kids section, and you realise there was nothing there that didn't hold your interest. You then begin to progress into all the aisles and you make your way to the comedy section and you see all these bright coloured spines and you immediately pick up the first film that stands out. What film did you choose?
Was it Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure?
There is no denying how brilliant and zany this comedy is, and it still manages to entertain audiences so many years later. It is definitely a film which people can quote line for line and no matter how many times you see it, it's still enjoyable and fresh, and that is always a sign of a timeless comedy.
Here we have Bill and Ted, two slackers who just want to play in their band The Wyld Stallyns (they don't exactly play, they more 'experiment' with their musical instruments and just go from there. Even though they are more musically inclined than anything else, they realise they have to get an A+ on their History report otherwise they fail the class and Ted will get shipped off to Military school in Alaska. And if Ted moves away then that means no band. Now this where things start to get a little weird. They encounter Rufus who comes from the year 2688 and he tells Bill and Ted that they are pioneers , having created a wonderful Utopia with their music and their life wisdom. But he also tells them they need to pass their history report otherwise the Wyld Stallyn's will never have existed and it will completely alter the future. Rufus provides them with a time machine in the form of a telephone box and lets them know they can go back in time and find out everything they need to know to ace the report.
But this is far more clever than films like Superbad. It doesn't need sexual exploitation of teens and it doesn't have swearing; it's just two guys wanting to rock out and have fun while trying to pass their history class. While the actual story is a little 'out there' the emotions and the way the story is told is not. There are moments in the film where you can identify with the characters because the relationships between the characters are very real. Bill and Ted's friendship is so wonderful to watch because despite their shortcomings they accept each other for who they are. They don't seem to have any other friends, just each other, and they will do anything to help the other out. I find their friendship is very organic, and while at times it does seem a little 'animated' because of the characters they are playing, everything about them is very real.
Another thing that is great about this film is that it doesn't revolve around a romance, it's not about being with that guy who you pined over for years, and god damn that is so refreshing when the romance side isn't the main focus. When trying to show this film to a new audience the main issue is that people tend to think it hasn't aged well, and that's a shame people a film poster now and think 'Oh look at the clothes they are wearing this looks so old, it looks like it would be lame', and that is a really bad mentality to have. So many people are missing out on a great film purely because of an initial reaction.
Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure isn't just a comedy with a couple really funny scenes and the rest of the film just feels like filler, the ENTIRE film is hilarious. Every scene has something that will make you laugh and smile, it really is a clever and well made comedy. There have been so many teen films which have come along and tried to copy the characters of Bill and Ted, but they always fall short, because they don't have Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves playing those parts. These guys really portrayed a strong friendship, and had great chemistry and just seemed to bounce off each other nicely when it came to their dialogue and emotion. It would be so awesome if comedies were just as brilliant as this film, because we wouldn't have to resort to cheap laughs to get butts in seats at the cinema. If you love anything to do with the 1980's this film is for you. If you love films with a quirky and funny story and great character development, then you will dig this. And ladies do not be afraid of watching this film, because it stars Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves who are amazing eye candy. If you have seen this film and it isn't your thing, I will summon Rufus to take you back in time before you had seen this film and make you watch it again so you love it, otherwise the future civilization will be ruined as we know it. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure is creative, funny, memorable and full of heart, and that is what comedies should aspire to be.
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