Everybody Wants Some!! | A Weekend of Excess

This week on Forgotten Cinema, we step up to the plate (get it?) and head back to 1980 with Everybody Wants Some!!, Richard Linklater’s laid-back, jock-fueled, spiritual sequel to Dazed and Confused.

On the surface, it’s a hangout movie about a college baseball team in the days before the semester starts. It's full of parties, pranks, and enough existential musing to keep things interesting. But underneath? It’s classic Linklater, capturing the rhythm of a specific time and place with his signature naturalistic dialogue and attention to detail.

Field vs. Butler: A Split Decision

Field is all in on Everybody Wants Some!!. The film’s easygoing energy and sharp character moments make it a joy to revisit. The performances from Glen Powell, Tyler Hoechlin, Wyatt Russell, and the rest of the ensemble bring a lived-in charm that fits right into Linklater’s filmography.

Butler, though? Not quite buying the whole pitch. While he appreciates the direction, cast, and craft, the movie’s hyper-specific focus on male bonding and college baseball culture doesn’t fully land for him. For audiences not invested in the jock world, the stakes might feel a little too low.

Why It Still Works (For Some of Us)

Love it or not, Everybody Wants Some!! shows Linklater doing what he does best and that's finding the universal in the hyper-specific. The film may be about a bunch of ballplayers in 1980, but it’s also about camaraderie, identity, and the fleeting nature of youth.

So is this a dugout classic for the ages or a foul ball that only looks like a home run? We break it down, inning by inning, in this week’s episode.

Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | More Links