Two Cents is an original column akin to a book club for films. The Cinapse team will program films and contribute our best, most insightful, or most creative thoughts on each film using a maximum of 200 words each. Guest writers and fan comments are encouraged, as are suggestions for future entries to the column. Join us as we share our two cents on films we love, films we are curious about, and films we believe merit some discussion.
The Pick
It’s been almost 30 years since the release of Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, but strange things remain afoot at the Circle K. The low-fi sci-fi epic was a modest production back in the mid-80s, with many of the parties involved assuming the film, a cheerfully dimwitted trek through time starring two unknowns (Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter) would never see the light of day. Indeed, Bill & Ted sat on a shelf for a couple years after production before finally getting release by Orion Pictures in 1989.
Despite these humble origins and expectations, the Stephen Herek-directed, Ed Solomon and Chris Matheson-written romp cleaned up nicely at the box office and lives on as an oft-quoted cult item. That’s due to the ongoing star power of Reeves, ageless highlander that he is, in part due to the presence of comedy icon George Carlin as time-tripping guide Rufus, and in part due to the amiable vibe the film projects as its titular cheerful dudes wreak havoc on the space time continuum.
Bill (Winter) and Ted (Reeves) are soft-headed, kindhearted high school kids more concerned with their nascent band, Wyld Stallyns, than school, putting them in danger of flunking out and killing the band as a result. Things seem awfully hopeless until Carlin’s Rufus arrives in a time-traveling phone booth. It seems that Wyld Stallyns’ music is hugely important to the creation of a utopian future, so Bill and Ted must pass that history class.
From there, the film skips all across time as Bill and Ted round up every historical figure they can get their hands on. Napoleon runs amok at a water park, Billy the Kid and Socrates strike out with the babes at the food court, and it turns out there are actual negative connotations to “iron maiden”.
Find out more with the team and guests below!
Next Week’s Pick:
We can’t very well do a Back to School series without it. Our final pick is Back To School! The classic comedy follows the goofy exploits of an obnoxious but lovable lug (65 year old Rodney Dangerfield) who enrolls in college alongside his adult son. Back to School is currently available streaming on Amazon Prime.
Would you like to be a guest in next week’s Two Cents column? Simply watch and send your under-200-word review to twocents(at)cinapse.co anytime before midnight on Thursday!
Special Guest — Sam Van Haren
We invited our friend Sam, a movie nerd who loves Keanu Reeves, to join this week’s film club as our special guest. Sam is an Assistant Editor over at Talk Film Society, but more relevantly a podcast host at the TFS Network, currently exploring Keanu Reeves’ filmography in the all-Keanu podcast Keanu Believe It, with new episodes every Friday. Find him on Twitter at @SamShotFirst!
Sam:
What better way to finally join the Two Cents ranks than talking about the movie that started my unceasing love of Keanu Reeves, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. I can’t rightly say exactly how many times I watched this movie on cable as a kid, it’s endlessly watchable and honestly smarter than it’s often given credit for. As good as Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon’s script is, and it’s damn good, this movie would not remotely work without the station chemistry between Keanu and Alex Winters. They are clearly fond of each other in real life and that allows us to instantly connect with the lovable slackers.
Watching Bill & Ted visit the past is an absolute joy, but what makes the film a classic is third act which finds them bringing their historical pals to 1980s San Dimas. What’s not to love about Joan of Arc leading an aerobics class, Genghis Khan wrecking up a sporting goods store, or Sigmund Freud holding a corn dog (A+ visual gag there). My absolute favorite scene of the film sees Bill & Ted using illogical time travel rules to their advantage in a jail break. It encapsulates the entire film in one wacky scene, as things just kind of work out for Bill & Ted and we’re cool with it because they are just good dudes. (SamShotFirst)
Our Guests
Karou Negisa:
Stripping this movie of nostalgia is difficult, particularly since by all rights it’s a film that we should love only for its association with our childhood. It’s a fun movie about two dumb guys destined to save the world through rock music if they can only pass history class.
However, the fact of the matter is that B&T is tightly written with a lot of subtle dialogue and a unique take on what was becoming a tired premise by 1988. The title characters are both highly likable and have amazing chemistry. The soundtrack is absolutely killer, filled with great deep cut tracks that tell the story as much as anything else.
But more than anything, other than one homophobic joke, it’s a story about two guys with really good will. Their message is one of love and kindness, and their destiny is to help make the universe a place where we communicate meaningfully, care about one another, and find the balance between responsibility and fun. It’s about pursuing your dreams, even if you’re not totally solid on how to get there. We need more Bill & Ted in the world. (@Moonpanther22)
The Team
It’s hard to know what to say about Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. I feel like it’s all been said, but that doesn’t change the fact that I love the film as much today as when it first came out. Without this film, our world would be a far different one. I doubt Keanu would ever become Keanu and I’m sure we’d never have had Alex Winter’s Freaked. This isn’t even to mention the influence the film had on so many future comedies and filmmakers.
It’s dumb at times and brilliant at others. No matter what, though, it’s wall to wall fun. No matter what anyone ever says, it’ll always be a masterpiece to me.
In other words, bring on the new one. I’ll be first in line. And, till the end of my days on this Earth, I’ll watch this one regularly and fondly. Even if I didn’t love both Bill and Ted, Rufus alone makes this one an all time great.
In closing, be excellent to each other, everyone! If nothing else, let’s take that advice to heart in this age of anger and contradiction. (@ThePaintedMan)
Outside of one groan-inducingly ugly homophobic moment (which I’m sure all involved regret), Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure is about as lovable as films from this era get. Even the best of 80s comedies are marred by intermittent bouts of sleaze, racism, or the ol’ “date rape played for yuks” ploy you saw all the time back then. Instead the movie takes its cues from the central dudes, and both Reeves and Winter are a delight as the bone-headed but eternally sunny Bill and Ted. There’s an innate sweetness to both these actors that they imbue their characters with, and it carries over across the entire film.
In general, Bill & Ted is lacking in explosive belly-laughs, instead settling for a steady stream of chuckles. Maybe that makes it deficient from other comedies, but Herek, the writers, and the cast all succeed in striking a tone that is thoroughly amiable, and that goes a long way. And if the film’s slangy banter isn’t at the level of polish of something like Clueless, it’s still clever enough on the page and in the hands of Reeves and Winter to score repeatedly. Excellent all around. (@TheTrueBrendanF)
While credit for concept, dialogue, and the banterish humor goes to writers Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon, along with director Stephen Herek, much of the cult status of the film is owed to the two leads, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter. Stoner/slacker types, they’re imbued with a genuine likability, a harmless sweetness that makes them so endearing. Reeves brings a gangly innocence, while Winter is brimming with joy and affability.
Much of the humor in the film plays off their ‘dumbness’ or the fish out of water aspects of their travels, but it’s never mean spirited. The bond between them is also sweetly done. They’re in this together, not just the assignment and travels through time, but in many of their actions and decisions throughout the film. They seem inseparable, like genuine brothers; pairing them with twins in the romantic subplot seems a necessary step to service their own relationship. Reeves and Winter built unlimited goodwill from their work here, a palpable affection between these two teens, then built on in Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, in my opinion a far weirder, bolder, and superior outing. (@Texas_Jon)
(Excerpted from Jon’s review of the film’s Steelbook release.)
Unlike most who adore this film, I didn’t watch it as as kid. There’s no nostalgic component to my huge affection for Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure — it’s just great. If anything, my appreciation has only grown after many rewatches, as this is a really smart and joyful movie that feels fresh every time.
I love that Bill & Ted are such good-natured dudes.
I love George Carlin’s presence as Rufus.
I love that all the historical figures are immediately game for this nonsense and actively help with additional abductions.
I love the weird comradeship between Socrates and Billy the Kid.
I love Beethoven jamming an impromptu piano-rock concert upon discovering electronic keyboards.
I love that blaxploitation legend Bernie Casey has a supporting role (and that this thread continued with Pam Grier in Bogus Journey).
I love that there’s no central villain, nor is one necessary.
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I love the time travel hijinks and payoffs.
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I definitely love the climactic and most victorious presentation of the history report.
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SAN DIMAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RULES! (@VforVashaw)
Next week’s pick:
Further reading:
Next week’s pick: