I dare you to prove me wrong.
Bueller … Bueller … Bueller? 
The parade scene alone is a classic. 
I can’t.
If I catch it on TV I have to watch it.
It’s also my mother’s favourite movie because Ferris reminds her of me.
It’s a classic 80s film directed by John Hughes starring Matthew Broderick. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is exhibit A that the 1980s were the most philosophically stable decade of the past 50 years.
I credit Ferris Bueller for teaching me that you can graduate from high school in style. I was the anti-Bueller. I was that quiet kid who had perfect attendence. 
Nine times. *Nine * times.
Unfortunately, this scene has been tarnished for me by Ben Stein’s descent into fundamentalist crackpottery.
Sorry, that title belongs to The Jerk.
I really do like FB… But I’d contend that the Blues Brothers can take it one step further, as it has better music and MORE Action. Thus, it’s a comedy WITH action AND music (Not that Danke Shon wasn’t bad… But still)
Probably Charlie Sheen’s best role ever. He stayed awake for over 48 hrs straight so he could achieve the burnout look, which probably wasn’t all that difficult for him anyway in 1987.
Charlie Sheen: Drugs?
Jeannie: Thank you, no. I’m straight.
Charlie Sheen: I meant, are you in here for drugs?
Jeannie: Why are you here?
Charlie Sheen: Drugs.
Ferris was just being smart by skipping his class.
It’s not even the best John Hughes comedy–that would be Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
It’s a very popular movie. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, waistoids, dweebies, dickheads - they all adore it. They think it’s a righteous movie.
I dunno, Some Like It Hot stands up well to the test of time. I still howl like a monkey when I watch it. A Fish Called Wanda probably made me laugh more than any other movie I saw in the theater.
But Ferris definitely ranks up there. I hypervenhilate in anticipation when Ferris’s sister and the principal are sneaking up on each other.
The major flaw is what Ferris does with his day off. Visit the Exchange? Attend a ball game? Dine at an expensive restaurant? Singing in a parade? Huh? These are the writers idea of a great day, not a kid in high school. Driving a great car and hanging around a pool with his hot girlfriend are the only bits that ring true.
The problem with Ferris Beuller and the other John Hughes offerings (The Breakfast Club and Planes, Trains, and Automobiles) is the let’s-get-serious-for-a-moment scene where the movie downshifts into uber-serious dramatic mode for a few minutes and then reverts back to whacky hi-jinks. I see them more as buzz-kills.
I suppose Hughes inserted these so that the added gravity would give the films more substance but I personally fast forward / change the channel when these scenes come up.
So perfection not quite reached. See the above mentioned A Fish Called Wanda for that one.
In many of Hughes’ movies, much of the interesting character arc and development is being performed by other sub-characters and sub-plots. I think FB is really about Cameron and his transition from school to the “real world”. Ferris is just the inert catalyst through the film.
My favorite bit is in the police station, where Jeannie/Shauna is telling Charlie Sheen her name, and the background doowop singers are subtly singing “Jeannie…Shauna…Jeannie…Shauna…”
Better John Hughes comedy: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Better comedy with Matthew Broderick: Election
Better comedy with Jeffrey Jones: Ed Wood
Better comedy with Charlie Sheen: Being John Malkovich
I agree with all but one word in your title. I would change “the” to “a”.
It is a perfect comedy and there are others. Everything from Airplane, Blues Brothers, Animal House, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Space Balls and the Holy Grail to way back in time to Bringing up Baby, Harvey & Arsenic and Old Lace should be mentioned as Perfect Comedies. There are others, I just provided a quick short list.
Jim
Lucky for Ferris Abe Froman decided to change his lunch plans without notifying the restaurant…
"What’s the score?’
“Nothin’ nothin’.”
“Who’s winning?”
“Da Bears.”
I howl like a monkey every frickin time!
Why don’t you stick your thumb up your ass.
The gesture and expression Sheen makes then is perfect.
I do agree the whole, “I can take the heat” scene that moves FBDO from comedy to drama is a black mark on the film.
ID4, NOW THAT’S COMEDY!