Richard Linklater is a remarkable filmmaker, carving a long multifaceted career of quality, unique, character-focused, experiential, experimental independent cinema. This year sees his spiritual sequel to one of his best films, Dazed And Confused.
Everybody Wants Some!! is set in Texas, 1980, and follows a college baseball team and their rowdy hijinks over the weekend before fall semester begins.
Few capture a moment in time like Linklater. Like Dazed And Confused, he provides a snapshot of youthfulness at a time of cultural change, a nostalgic lens that also captures contemporary youth culture. Linklater masterfully goes deeper here than the predecessor in period focus, developing an engrossingly authentic look, feel and sound. The soundtrack particularly is an infectiously awesome period mixtape. His character focus is also sharper, centring almost exclusively on an ensemble of entertainingly layered men, deconstructing team dynamics and the brotherhood of college. It's also an excuse to relish in his love of baseball.
Much like Dazed And Confused, the cast is full of talented up-and-comers; many feel set for a solid film career. Glen Powell, Wyatt Russell, Tyler Hoechlin and Juston Street offer few excellent, authentic character performances throughout, while Blake Jenner shows depth (despite a blank face), proving a perfect freshman protagonist.
Everybody Wants Some!! is an energetically fun nostalgia trip which will only improve with age.
