As If! “Clueless” Turns 25
Last Sunday marked a quarter century since the theatrical release of one of the greatest teen films ever made — Amy Heckerling’s Clueless. I revisited the film in honor of its anniversary and was impressed by how well it holds up. Few movies succeed as well as Clueless at being both a time capsule and utterly timeless.
When someone says that any piece of art is “so ’90s,” it is typically an insult. It implies that the film, television show, song, album, or book has aged like a carton of milk instead of a bottle of fine wine. That which may have seemed fresh and relevant at the time now feels dated, stale, and perhaps cringe-inducingly irrelevant.
But when I say that Clueless is “so ’90s,” I mean it as a compliment. A major compliment. The film captures the essence of 1995 perfectly — the social themes, the pop culture phenomenons, the technology, the fashion trends, the music. But it is also as watchable, relatable, hilarious, and moving today as it was on its opening day 25 year s ago — July 19, 1995.
How can a movie (or any piece of art for that matter) be simultaneously so much of its time and also utterly timeless?
What Makes Clueless a Great Film?
