The Internet Moves Pretty Fast...Whether or Not You Look Around

Ferris Bueller's Day Off is (unashamedly) one of my favorite 80s movies, so when I heard that a new "homage advertisement" was being created for the Super Bowl, I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, more of something I already like would ostensibly be a good thing; on the other, what if the new version isn't as good? (See also: Tron: Legacy)

Eventually, curiosity gets the best of me and I head to YouTube to check it out, not knowing what the ad was even about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhkDdayA4iA&NR

Matthew Broderick still kills it. I know it's nostalgic, and that it's pandering to the carefree(?) 80s aesthetic that I was too young to appreciate the first time around. The ad itself is largely predictable, but it's still full of nice touches, with the music from Yello going a long way to set the scene.

On repeated viewings, what I appreciate most about the ad (other than MB's spot-on vocal inflections) is how seamlessly the automobile being pitched is worked into the proceedings. "The car" was undoubtedly a key component of the original film, although the Ferrari and Honda CR-V are worlds apart. However, given that Matthew is all grown up with a family, it sort of makes sense that 2012 might find him in a different ride.

As for why I found it compelling, I like that they were able to reference and make use of the Ferris Bueller character without showing the world a middle-aged Ferris (the ad makes it quite clear that we're watching Matthew). Seeing the actor revisit one of his beloved characters gives everyone a nice feeling of familiarity without the uncomfortable idea that the iconic Ferris grew up just to hawk cars. Second, the final segment shows how much fun anyone (not just a famous celebrity/fictional character) can have in a CR-V, while also serving as a nice callback to the garage valet in the film.

In the modern era, we recognize that actors occasionally need to mix commerce-focused work in with the rest of their art. Cheers to Matthew and Honda for giving the people more of what they want without ruining something they love.