Bill & Ted Face the Music is a much needed feel-good comedy. The beloved time travelers are now back and middle-aged in the long-awaited sequel, which supplies far more entertainment than nostalgia. Face the Music isn’t a trip down memory lane, but a genuinely cool and personal journey for the titular characters, played by Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter. The duo still make magic together in the must-see sequel.
The New Adventure
Life isn’t what Bill and Ted thought it’d be. They never wrote the song that would change the world, for starters. Their marriages need work. Their daughters (Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine), on the other hand, are excellent people they raised right. The world-saving song Bill & Ted thought they’d write one day never came. They’ve gone downhill as musicians. They’re dealing with disappointment and a mid-life crisis, which they’ll have to figure out for themselves as they try to save the world in a very tight, race-against-the-clock plot. Bill and Ted jump through time in an attempt to steal the song from their future selves to save the world, as their daughters join them through space and time on their own hilarious adventure with famous figures from history.
A Big Heart
Bill & Ted Face the Music is as sincere as its unironic heroes. Nowadays, most heroes on the big screen wear capes, shoot guns, or cause mass destruction. It’s a breath of fresh air to watch heroes without any super powers beyond a good attitude save the day. Bill & Ted were heroes in the ‘80s, and now in 2020, they’re the sort of heroes that are more welcomed than ever. These are dark and understandably cynical days, so rays of light as positive as Bill & Ted is a delight to see.
Just Two Loveable Dudes
Clearly, Reeves and Winter haven’t lost a step in playing Bill & Ted. From the beginning of their new fast-paced journey, there’s no rust whatsoever. They are these characters, and now that they’re older and a little disappointed in themselves and lives, they’re even more loveable. They’re not the carefree kids anymore. They’re now the fun-loving dudes whose dreams didn’t come true. There’s something low-key melancholic about them this time, making them all the more endearing and watchable.
They’re Still Hilarious, Too
Although the iconic duo are facing an existential crisis, they’re still every bit as funny as their once young and lax days. The mannerisms, the hand gestures, and their wide-eyed look at the world, it’s still deeply funny stuff. The tiniest of bits from Reeves and Winter score laughs as big as the major gags, such as seeing Bill & Ted in the future looking like a pair of Hulk Hogans in prison. Once again, the duo are surrounded by an equally hilarious ensemble, including famous musicians from the past that join them on their awesome adventure.
The Pure Love for Music
A part of Bill & Ted Face the Music’s charm is the love for music. Their daughters, just like them, live and breathe music. It brings them so much joy. It’s infectious as well for an audience, watching this family talk about their favorite rockers, albums, and love for music history. Again, it’s just another part of the sequel that feels good, watching a group of kind-hearted folks bond over what they love. Directed by Dean Parisot, the sequel is often about the big and little pleasures in life.
Catch it on VOD
Unfortunately, Bill & Ted Face the Music isn’t getting the large theatrical release it deserves and that was planned, due to COVID-19. The sequel is opening in around 600 theaters across the country, but because of these unsafe times, it’s best to catch it on VOD. Yes, it’d be an incredible feeling watching and sharing these kind-hearted laughs with an audience, but not in today’s world. Whether from home or a theater, though, Bill & Ted Face the Music will warm your hearts and plant a nonstop goofy smile on your face.
