Booksmart (2019)

On the eve of their high school graduation, two academic superstars and best friends realize they should have worked less and played more. Determined not to fall short of their peers, the girls try to cram four years of fun into one night.

Jess’ Review

As Sam is fully aware, I’m pretty sick of comedies. Please don’t see this as me being some stone-faced killjoy - contrary to what my resting b-tch face might suggest, it’s actually pretty easy to make me laugh! But I’m sick of these empty, lacklustre and often goofy comedy blockbusters that Sam seems to gravitate towards. (No offence, Sam.) So when Booksmart was mentioned, I figured it was my best option. I’d heard it was decent and that the humour was quirky, perhaps something I could gel with more and so we got to-watching. Booksmart is pretty cliche in regards to its plot, playing with traditional high school stereotypes as we’re introduced to dorky, do-gooders Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein). The two leads are brilliant, though I regret that I found the characters themselves to be increasingly irritating. However their friendship is charming and fortunately provides a solid foundation for the film. Unfortunately, I didn’t get off to a good start. I didn’t find the opening scenes all that funny - problem. The humour seemed a little forced, and I found myself trying not to roll my eyes at the socio-political subtext that was quick to hit the screen. Please do not think of me as some kind of anti-feminist; I believe in equal rights, of course. But Booksmart seemed to have an agenda and was quick to establish itself as a very ‘woke’ and politically correct film. Which isn’t a problem. (Really trying not to back myself into a corner here...) But it was just so obvious, and so in-your-face that I found it a little pretentious. It felt like the filmmakers were trying too hard at times, rather than letting the messages seep in with greater fluidity and sincerity. Aside from this small gripe, I found Booksmart to be a simple, but fun coming-of-age journey at its core. The leading duo were relatable at times, emotionally driven and had more depth than I expected. Though the supporting cast - some of which perhaps a little more gimmicky and two-dimensional, provided the greatest laughs. Billie Catherine Lourd’s unhinged Gigi is a particular standout, alongside the brilliant Jason Sudeikis as the teens’ fatigued principal. All in all, Booksmart was a light-hearted, feel-good flick that tried to take a fresh spin on the high school comedy and fell a little short. It’s good, but it’s nothing particularly original - aside, perhaps, from an surprisingly creative drug-trip sequence. It’s got a few laughs and some great performances, but this comedy is yet to break the ranks for me.

6/10

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Sam’s Review

Increasingly I find comedies hard to decipher. The aim, one would hope, is to elicit laughter from the audience. Yet film is so much more than that. It’s about the exploration of character, themes and the world. In comparison, laughter seems cheap. If a film can do it all, so much the better. Yet most don’t strive to. Especially in the coming-of-age comedy genre.

Now, Booksmart works incredibly well. However, disappointingly it doesn’t do anything new, it’s just does the same thing better than its compatriots. It’s incredibly well acted. The two young leads, while still sticking to certain tropes, are fleshed out individuals that are relatable. Beanie Feldstein is fantastic, and a natural in a comedic role, but Kaitlyn Dever is the stand out for me. She is a star, with impressive range. Jason Sudeikis‘ brilliant cameo should also be noted, and I commend the director, Olivia Wilde, who is married to Sudeikis, for limiting his time. I would have loved to see more of him, but he would have been a distraction from the plot.

What I can’t stand in film, is how everyone has a redeemable quality. It is not indicative of the real world. Some people are just (sorry for the bad language, mum) assholes. A lot of the supporting cast play two dimensional characters that fit some sort of stereotype. And even though some of them begin the film making cruel jokes at the expense of others, often Feldstein’s Molly, through absolutely no personal growth, they transform into nice people, which fails to correlate with who the characters originally were. It’s so cliche, and played out. Besides, people do not work that way. Can people change? Absolutely. But not for no reason at all, especially if it’s only for a happy ending.

There was a feminist agenda in the film, it seemed. And while I am all for that, as everyone deserves representation, and film has a responsibility to provoke thought and challenge sensibilities, my personal opinion was that it wasn’t done well. It felt forced at times, as if they were trying too hard to be woke, and then on occasion seemed to be forgotten entirely. In comparison, I adored how they approached Amy’s sexuality. There wasn’t any theatrics or dramatics attached to it. It simply existed, and was treated accordingly - as it should be.

As I said, Booksmart doesn’t break the mould, it’s just better than its peers. It is smart comedy, that prods at boundaries without really pushing them. It’s a great directional debut for Wilde, and while Jess and I are down on it, many others sing it’s praise.

6.5/10