Like many basic white girls, I’m a sucker for a high school coming-of-age chick flick. Although some may think the genre has been overdone to absolute death, I still can’t get enough of the teenage angst, young unrequited love, and end-of-the-world drama. Some flicks are as cheesy as a Dominos Simply Cheese pizza. Others are unrealistically and hopelessly over-dramatic like an episode of Riverdale. And then there’s Booksmart, which does the unthinkable: combining cheesiness, drama, and uncanny wit to create a whole new genre of smart female buddy comedy.
Meet academic over-achievers and soul sisters since childhood, Amy and Molly. All their high school life, they’ve stuck to the status quo and chose to study over partying. On the cusp of their class of 2019 graduation, the studious pair realise that their rowdy classmates somehow studied AND partied, yet still miraculously managed to score killer jobs and get into top colleges. Determined to experience the best of both worlds before high school officially ends, the dynamic duo unintentionally overcompensates for what they’ve been missing out on for the past four years with a party-fuelled action-packed all-nighter that they’ll never forget.
Director Olivia Wilde Feature has kicked off her directorial debut with a bang, putting a smart spin on what could have easily been portrayed as a “dumb” comedy and redefining the coming-of-age genre. Combining poignant moments of friendship and soul-searching with drug and alcohol-fuelled escapades, Wilde has created a paradoxical picture that is both wildly outrageous yet oddly relatable.
A fresh face on the silver screen is Kaitlyn Dever, who delivers a raw, relatable and poignant performance as Amy: a shy and reserved bookworm who is whisked away to participate in Molly’s master plan. Being an openly out lesbian navigating her way through unreciprocated feelings and “gaydar” blunders, Dever’s character is one of several LGBTQ characters within the film – yay for gender and sexuality representation and diversity!
Charismatic up-and-comer Beanie Feldstein steals the show as the witty and sarcastic Senior School President Molly: an approval-seeker turned party-goer who is determined to prove to her classmates that she can be both smart AND cool. After witnessing her impeccable comedic timing and natural knack for inducing laughs, you won’t be surprised to discover that Feldstein is in fact comedy legend Jonah Hill’s younger sister – that family must have funny in their bones!
Featuring surprising cameos from Friends favourite Lisa Kudrow, Carrie Fisher’s very own daughter Billie Lourd, and comedy veteran Jason Sudeikis, Booksmart showcases a talented ensemble cast of fresh new faces that you’re sure to be seeing more of on the big screen!
Booksmart officially hits Australian cinemas on July 11, so be sure to round up the girl gang, plan your next movie night and snap up tickets to this feel-good flick!
Thank you to Universal Pictures Australia for inviting us to review the film
5 out of 5 stars!
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