Dazed and Confused

93%

Tomatometer

70 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

This coming-of-age film follows the mayhem of group of rowdy teenagers in Austin, Texas, celebrating the last day of high school in 1976. The graduating class heads for a popular pool hall and joins an impromptu keg party, however star football player Randall Pink Floyd (Jason London) has promised to focus on the championship game and abstain from partying. Meanwhile, the incoming freshmen try to avoid being hazed by the seniors, most notably the sadistic bully Fred O'Bannion (Ben Affleck).

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Where to Watch

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Featuring an excellent ensemble cast, a precise feel for the 1970s, and a killer soundtrack, Dazed and Confused is a funny, affectionate, and clear-eyed look at high school life.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (70) Critics Reviews

Dazed and Confused | Rotten Tomatoes (1)

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

It’s a strange film in many ways, affectless and directionless, coolly refusing the usual dramatic beats and climactic moments, and as unreflective as MOR rock.

Rated: 5/5

Sep 15, 2023

Full Review

Dazed and Confused | Rotten Tomatoes (2)

Chuck Bowen

Slant Magazine

The meaninglessness of it all is the meaning of the film.

Mar 20, 2023

Full Review

Dazed and Confused | Rotten Tomatoes (3)

Ben Thompson

Sight & Sound

Few of these people are going anywhere, but they are not going anywhere with style and dignity.

Feb 6, 2020

Full Review

Dazed and Confused | Rotten Tomatoes (4)

Hayley Croke

Loud and Clear Reviews

The movie has such an effortless nature and a total sense of identity from the very start, making the characters and world that Linklater has built feel completely tangible and lived in.

Rated: 4.5

Oct 25, 2024

Full Review

Dazed and Confused | Rotten Tomatoes (5)

Mark Jackson

Epoch Times

This nostalgic, spot-on, and hilarious cult classic is Texas teens attempting to give themselves an adulthood rite-of-passage to escape 1970's suburban ennui. 

Rated: 4/5

Sep 30, 2024

Full Review

Dazed and Confused | Rotten Tomatoes (6)

Noah Berlatsky

Splice Today

Linklater, though, thinks everyone should have a chance to be who they are—or, like Mike briefly experimenting with being a tough guy, a chance to be who they aren’t.

Sep 25, 2023

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+) audience reviews

Hugh J A feel good summer movie that's all about the high school experience and teenage rebellion. In a setting of kicking back and letting loose, this is the visionary version of yacht rock. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/23/24 Full Review Farah R It's hard to grasp why Dazed and Confused became a classic, but there's enough charm and good vibes to make this coming-of-age film entertaining. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 12/22/24 Full Review Dannyjoe B Not for film elites. Only those who can handle their dope can grasp this masterpiece. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/28/24 Full Review Boing A Other than the fact that the ensemble cast features the faces of a lot of then unknown but soon to be big names, it’s a mystery to me why this movie is considered a classic by anyone. There’s no plot, no character development, no comedic moments, no… anything really. It’s boring beyond belief. Just a dumb, meandering, pointless movie about a bunch of dumb, meandering, pointless people who have no ambition in life beyond getting drunk, getting stoned, or trying to get laid. Rated 1/5 Stars • Rated 1 out of 5 stars 11/15/24 Full Review Garrett B This film made me “dazed and confused” cause the plot didn’t really have a meaning to it. Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 11/03/24 Full Review Chris E I was technically a child of the 80's, born in 1970, but this movie really resonated with me. Quite a few of the situations and characters were super relatable, and the soundtrack is just as big a star. A feel good look at an era of a way simpler time. Thoroughly enjoyable! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/01/24 Full Review Read all reviews

Dazed and Confused

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Richard Linklater Director Jason London Randall "Pink" Floyd Wiley Wiggins Mitch Kramer Sasha Jenson Don Dawson Rory Cochrane Ron Slater Milla Jovovich Michelle Burroughs

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Movie Clips

View All videos

Dazed and Confused

Dazed and Confused: Official Clip - O'Bannion's Payback