Why is Richard Linklater's Filmmaking So Important?

Dazed & Confused film still featuring Slater (Rory Cochrane), Pink (Jason London), and Don (Sasha Jenson). Photo Credit: United Archives GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo

Richard Linklater masters the charm of the everyday experience.

When it comes to independent film, it can be defined as going outside or pushing the boundaries of traditional Hollywood blockbuster entertainment. To distinguish themselves from the competition, these films feature few or no big-name actors, no significant production companies, unconventional storytelling techniques, and riskier subject matter, to name just a few of the many strategies they employ. 

Independent films are also distributed in a variety of ways. Other than the traditional mainstream movie theaters, independent films can be found in various venues, including film festivals, straight to DVD, and streaming service originals. To some extent, the world of independent cinema has prompted audiences to ask the question, "what makes a great movie?"

One of his generation's most accomplished independent filmmakers, Richard Linklater, comes into play. Like filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino, Bong Joon-Ho, and Wes Anderson, Linklater's films, despite their limited distribution, frequently garner significant mainstream media attention. His body of work has developed a cult following in its own right. 

Richard Linklater has established himself as one of the most important contributors to the "hangout" film genre, with films such as Dazed and Confused (1993), Before Sunrise (1995), Waking Life (2001), Boyhood (2014), and Everybody Wants Some!! (2016) among his many credits. Characters hanging out with one another, passing the time, conversing, or listening to music is a common theme in these films, including one or more scenes of them doing so.  

These seemingly innocuous activities are emphasized throughout the film, leaving the viewer perplexed as to why the plot isn't progressing or how any of these scenes will contribute to the overall story. This is where Linklater's brilliance lies: the plot is not what the viewer should be concerned with in the first place.

These "hangout" scenes are intended to provide the audience with a realistic representation of the passage of time. The group of high school jocks sitting in the middle of the football field in Dazed and Confused appears to be a loosely scripted, testosterone-fueled rambling about the monotonous life of a high school student. 

After watching Before Sunrise, the viewer may feel that the dance of getting to know you on the streets of Vienna is awkward and pointless because they can quickly predict what will happen in the rest of the film. Typically, a Linklater film will only grab the viewer's attention when they begin to fall into the pattern of these "hangout" scenes. 

The point of these discussions is to bring about realism. Teenagers can experience feelings of boredom, rebellion, and pessimism during their high school years. Falling in love can sometimes be a process of trial and error, involving conversations that are uncomfortable and even humorous at times. 

Still from Before Sunset (2004 Warner Bros) film with Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke. Photo Credit: Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo

However, the point is that these are moments that everyone experiences at some point in their lives. Through Linklater's work, the audience can realistically share these moments, as if there were no cameras present, but only authentic temporal compositions. Because these slice of life moments are shown on screen, the audience can experience the passage of time the same way the characters do on-screen.

Some viewers may simply dismiss a film if the plot takes a backseat to the hangout scenes. When a movie "goes nowhere," it elicits an adverse reaction from some viewers who are accustomed to seeing the same kind of story arc that they see in blockbuster Hollywood hits. This is when the viewer should take a step back and realize that they have become conditioned to expect the same formula every time. 

A good movie does not have to follow any specific rules to be considered good. By utilizing the power of cinema, Linklater is attempting to disrupt this formula and introduce audiences to a new way of experiencing a "good" movie. A film is an art form that takes up both time and physical space to be enjoyed. What he provides us with is an experience that is pleasing to the eyes and ears and authentic in the sense that it closely mimics the way real-life progresses through time, as described above.