{Editor's Note: This is the first in a semi-regular series of high-water mark performances that spans movies, television, books and life its ownself.}
"Dazed and Confused" is a great movie. 
I have no qualms about this statement as it's funny as hell, and depicts the aimlessness, cliques, drinking, simple pleasures and conflicts of high school as well as I've ever seen it onscreen.
You could pull any number of great performances from the film as Ben Affleck was phenomenal as O'Bannon and Parker Posey just killed her bitchy senior role.
But it was Matthew McConaughey's turn as Wooderson that catapaulted him onto the Hollywood scene and nearly ran away with the movie.
Sporting tight pastel pants and a dirty mustache, McConaughey made Wooderson his own and merged with him so completely that it's hard to say where one ended and the other began.
Wooderson was supposed to be a smaller role until McConaughey turned up with sleaze and charisma to burn as it's hard to strike the perfect attitude and tone to deliver lines like "That's what I like about high school girls - I get older and they stay the same age." (This might not be word for word, but it's close).
By putting that charm and vague filthiness up front and center, McConaughey drew in viewers as well as the girls in the film that he was chatting up and seducing.
He also ad-libbed one of the closing scenes best lines when he told Pink and the rest of the crew to "just keep livin'."
J.K. Livin' is now the name of some company that McConaughey runs, and it was a perfect ending for the film as the group drove down the road to buy Aerosmith tickets.
It's the simple pleasures that keeps life interesting, and it was McConaughey's performance in "Dazed and Confused" that deserves to be mentioned in any discussion about his career.
-BDS
I love me some Matty!! hubba hubba
Tight pastel pants and a dirty moustache? I've totally got to see this now.
My favourite "no brain cells needed" movie of all time.
Dreamlover - I think he seems like a pretty cool guy to have a beer or three with and leave it at that.
Luce - You definitely need to check this movie out, and a beer or three wouldn't hurt while watching it.
Friday - It's definitely right at the top, although depending on my mood or intake that might change.
Melissa - Linklater is really good as I also really like the Before Sunset/Sunrise movies and several other of his projects.
I love that movie, in fact this weekend at the cottage we were quoting that line about the girls staying the same age. We have a friend who likes the 20 year olds, he's like 32...ewe.
He's too young in this one!!!!
Some men are better when they age..Matthew is one of them!
Miss Ash - Then that movie and McConaughey's performance is perfect for him.
Nancy Drew & Symplyamused - I'm not simply going from a looks perspective as you must take into account the whole of him in this movie. Besides, he could never rock those pastel pants as well these days, and he seems to have permanetly misplaced his shirt too.
that's what i love about high school chicks, man...
Dammit. I knew I screwed that line up a little bit.
okay, here comes the part where i admit i skimmed this post, and didn't realize you had already put the line in there... i wasn't correcting you, i thought i was just adding my favorite matt line from that movie.
whups.
Then it's you who should feel badly as every word is vitally imporant around here.
Oh well . . .