Top 5 Awesome Richard Linklater Movies

Following the release of Richard Linklater’s latest movie, Everybody Wants Some!!, I decided to revisit his films and rank my top five favourites.

However, my task was not as easy as I first thought. For example, do I class his Before Trilogy as one film or three? Am I allowed to rate School Of Rock as highly as I do?

Well, I guess this is my blog so I can make the rules. However, do feel free to argue with me in the comments section below!

The latest addition to Linklater’s film library, is Everybody Wants Some!! When freshman pitcher, Jake (Blake Jenner), moves into a house with his baseball team, he realises that college is a whole new game. Living off campus there are few rules and those rules are there to be broken. In the days before classes begin, the baseball team sets out to have as much outrageous fun as possible.

I enjoyed Everybody Wants Some!! It is fun and funny, the music is superb and the 1980s costumes are fabulous!

(Click here to read my full review of Everybody Wants Some!!)

I have such a soft spot for Dazed And Confused. The film’s story centers on the pranks and parties that take place on the last day of high school in a small American town. Linklater manages a large cast and creates some truly classic characters. 

In addition, this is the film that introduced us to Ben Affleck and Matthew ‘all right, all right, all right’ McConaughey - what’s not to love?

One of Linklater’s more mainstream offerings, I just love School Of Rock. Jack Black stars as Dewey Finn who, after being kicked out of his rock band, sneakily becomes a substitute teacher at Joan Cusack’s strict private prep school. There, instead of actually teaching the children, he turns his class into a rock band. 

I always laugh all the way through School Of Rock - Jack Black is at his most Jack Blackish here. The music is wonderful and infectious. This film is fun, charming and has a lovely message. I just adore it.

Filmed using the same actors over 12 years, Boyhood is a truly remarkable and utterly poignant film. We follow Mason (Ellar Coltrane) from his early childhood (age six) until he starts college. As we watch his story unfold, we also discover the girlhood of his sister, Samantha (Lorelei Linklater), the motherhood of his mother (Patricia Arquette) and the fatherhood of his father (Ethan Hawke).

Boyhood is an extraordinary film with superb central performances. I love it and, despite its 162 minute running time, never want it to end.

(Click here to read my full Boyhood review)

Yes I know I am cheating here, but I have grouped Linklater’s three Before films together and ranked them as one. 

My favourite trilogy of all time, these films follow the story of Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delphy) after they meet on a train and decide to spend the night walking (and talking) together in Vienna. 

Of the three films, my favourite is Before Sunrise (1995). It is just gorgeous. However, I also love Before Sunset (2004) and the (often emotionally brutal) Before Midnight (2013). Meanwhile, I am secretly hoping for another movie!

What do you think of my top 5 Richard Linklater movies?

Would you have a different order? Would you include different films?

Whatever the case, let me know - just leave me a comment in the box below!