In lieu of a strict plot, Dazed and Confused follows a bunch of teenagers on the last day of school. Incoming freshmen are hazed and the seniors get wasted, and in between those moments, some kids find love, pick up fights, talk about each other, and wonder about their imminent futures. All this is scored by an impeccable playlist of ‘70s rock. But despite being a period film, Dazed and Confused feels timeless in its depiction of youth: they’re at once apathetic and ambitious, jaded and hopeful. Most of all, they’re messy, so the film’s meandering pace feels fitting. Vignettes of different students—bullies, nerds, jocks, freshies—paint a familiar picture, and so they feel real and reflective of a certain time in your life, regardless of who you were when you came of age. It’s almost like an artifact in the way it captures the specificity of teenhood, but it’s also just invigorating to see kids enjoy their freedom and feel a mix of emotions, even confusion, for the sprawl of years ahead of them.