Bill & Ted Face the Music (Review)
The World Needed Bill & Ted Face the Music, and it Answered the Call.
Bill & Ted Face the Music comes at a time when we could all stand to be reminded that we should “be excellent to one another… And party on, dudes!” 2020 has been less than a stellar year for pretty much the entire world. So, it’s hard to believe that a wholesome movie that just happens to be about two goofballs on a mission to unite the world at a time when we’re more divided than ever is mere coincidence, especially when Keanu Reeves is involved. He’s not the only familiar face that returned for Bill & Ted Face the Music both in front of and behind the camera. While the movie certainly pulls a lot of elements from the previous two films, there’s more to it than simply preying on audience nostalgia, making it a fitting end to the duo’s excellent adventures and bogus journeys.
Time hasn’t been kind to William Stanley Preston, Esq (Alex Winter) and Theodore “Ted” Logan, III (Reeves), which is funny considering that they’re two of the greatest time travelers in movie history. Pushing 50 and struggling to get anyone to listen to their music, the duo still haven’t managed to discover the sound that will unite the world and launch them to superstardom. Just when they start to think they should give it all up, the fate of reality itself falls right into their laps… Again. Turns out they only have 90 minutes to write the song they’ve been struggling with for 20 years or everything will end. Luckily, the duo has a bit of the help this time thanks to their most excellent daughters, Billie (Brigette Lundy-Paine) and Thea (Samara Weaving). Will these two finally get their act together and save the universe or will it be time for them to face the music?
It felt good seeing Bill and Ted again after all these years (though a goofy and clean-shaven Keanu was a bit jarring after all the John Wick films). Reeves and Winter don’t miss a beat as they slip back into their roles and prove that the chemistry between them is still there. As much as I love Keanu, and as good as he was as Bill again, Bill & Ted Face the Music is a reminder that Alex Winter was born for the role of Ted. I don’t want to bash Winter’s career, but it’s easy to see how eager and excited he was to be in a big movie again, and he definitely brought his A-game. It certainly helped that Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon returned to pen the script (they previously wrote Excellent Adventure and Bogus Journey), and they captured that same subtle absurdist logic that made us fall in love with the characters years ago. Together, these veterans manage to reflect on what really worked in the past two films and put together a sort of “remix” for Bill & Ted Face the Music making it deliciously nostalgic, especially with the well-placed easter eggs. This is definitely one instance where fans of the old won’t be upset with the new.
One thing that Bill & Ted Face the Music does keep consistent from the previous movies is its sense of humor. It’s a delightfully funny film that had me cracking up constantly as the main characters’ antics continued to unfold. This time the duo attempt to steal the song from themselves, which leads to them encountering a few future versions of them that are absolutely hilarious. They’re all part of a grander lesson, but in the moment I couldn’t help loving Bill and Ted interactions with, well, Bill and Ted. These two stars aren’t the only funny part of the film, and I want to give a special shout-out to Weaving and Lundy-Paine as Thea and Billie. The two are very much their fathers’ daughters, and the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. The energy does peter out a bit towards the end, but the curtain falls before things get too played out.
While Bill & Ted Face the Music certainly replays some of their past greatest hits with time-travel and a few returning characters (most notably William Sadler as Death), there are also a lot of new faces to go along with Weaving and Lundy-Paine. Kristen Schaal and Jillian Bell both have fun roles in the film, and there are a ton of musicians that popped in for quick appearances as well. My personal favorite cameo was Kid Cudi, but I won’t spoil why I liked his appearance so much. Of course, there are plenty of fictional cameos to go with the real ones as plenty of historical figures pop in and out throughout the movie. It’s a bit chaotic at times, but what adventure with these two knuckleheads isn’t? Thanks to the new and returning faces, Bill & Ted Face the Music manages to recapture that old magic.
As I said, there really couldn’t have been a better time for Bill & Ted Face the Music to be released. I know theaters are closed, but thanks to streaming we can all enjoy it in the safety of our own home. It should go without saying, but Bill & Ted Face the Music is, in essence, a dumb movie. That’s all part of the charm though and while it’s not high art, it is the kind of movie you will have a lot of fun with. Hollywood has a habit of dusting off old film properties and focusing on past overdue sequels these days, but Bill & Ted Face the Music didn’t seem like a cash grab. Instead, it felt like it had something to say and ended up being a fitting conclusion for the titular heroes. At the same time, by introducing Weaving and Lundy-Paine characters so well, I certainly wouldn’t be against seeing a possible spin-off featuring them. Even if that never happens, I’m happy that this movie proved to be so satisfying in the end.
