Director and writer, Richard Linklater who brought you Dazed and Confused brings you Everybody Wants Some!!. This testosterone-filled sequel strikes at the simplicity and heart of the unsupervised college experience in the 80s. Called “deceptively deep,” the movie hits it off with surprising and subtle thought provoking scenes with a lot of heart.
The story line revolves around Jake, a college freshman, who becomes one of the guys, meets girls and spends the first three days of college getting his official baseball team membership. The movie is not action-packed, but it is centered around strong, energetic characters that drive the plot and create a connection between the audience and the boys on the baseball team.
In order to generate authenticity in his films, Linklater often pulls from his own life experiences when writing and directing. He said in an interview with NPR that “Dazed and Confused was my high school; this is my college.”
Linklater had the cast live together for three weeks before shooting, which created fraternity-like bonds to prepare them for filming the baseball brotherhood. Blake Jenner, Tyler Hoechlin, Glen Powell and Wyatt Russell star in the film as smooth talking young adults who use their quick wit and charm to make sure that they are always having a good time.
In Linklater’s films, there is always an emphasis on coming- of-age. Everybody Wants Some!! shows the worry from both freshman who are frequent victims of hazing and upperclassmen who realize their life beyond college is soon coming, despite that it is only the start of the year. The struggle with the reality of college frames the film, creating a balance in the film; it demonstrates that everyone is afraid of the unknown and wants to know that past experiences will have been worth it.
The name of the movie (based off of Van Halen’s song “Everybody Wants Some!!” with, not one, but two exclamation points) highlights the idea that the guys are chasing girls between constant betting, competition and partying. Still, these characters want to retain their individuality while hopefully being a part of something greater. Funny and captivating, Everybody Wants Some!! is a great tribute to the 80s and the college life everyone thinks they know.
