Party On. Wayne's World... lives UP!

 

It's almost too easy.

We knew, going in to re-watch Wayne's World, that it would be super juvenile and bro-ey, and that a ton of the references would be outdated. It didn't matter. This movie still rocks.

I want to give director Penelope Spheeris some of the credit for how authentically fun this movie still feels. She had legit rock documentary and comedy directing chops, so when Wayne and Garth go to concerts, or headbang in Garth's mirthmobile, it feels both realistic, and hilarious. I can't think of any other montage that makes me as happy as The Bohemian Rhapsody scene.

Let me goooo!!!

There's also the genuine wholesomeness of Wayne and his crew. They may look tough in their heavy metal shirts, but they're a bunch of dorks who like to hug and sing and have a good time. The most metal guys I've met are actually like this... they'll talk your head off about birdwatching or PowerBI or how much they love America's Test Kitchen. The scene with Alice Cooper feels like it could have been ad-libbed... everyone in this movie is a loveable nerd. Party on!

It's pronounced Mil-eh-walk-ay.

Aside from the "metalhead with a heart of gold" vibe, this movie also depicts 20-something influencer bros who still live with their parents and are unhappy about their job prospects... 

...but who actually find positive, non-toxic ways to channel their creativity into a dream job. It looks like silliness, but Wayne & Garth put the work in! They figured out that they could borrow equipment from their local cable access channel, learned how to use it, started a weekly show that aired live (that part is crazy difficult!)... and their show charmed so many people that it spread by word of mouth into a paid gig. There was a reason not everyone had a show like this in the 1990s... It took a lot of ingenuity! 

(personal disclosure: I once went to the local public access orientation class, and then walked away thinking Nah!. Too much effort.... so instead, now, we have a podcast 😂) 

For all our thoughts on Wayne's World, listen to our episode below, on your favorite podcasting platforms.