How many high-school dramas have you watched in your entire lifetime? We’ve had classics like The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off to more modern takes on teaching the youth such as Easy A and Superbad. Nowadays, there are too many to even count and nine times out of ten, the storyline is dried-up, stereotypical nonsense. Research goes out of the window and writers seem to go straight to Google search and type in ‘what is it like in high-school today?’ and end up with complete and utter-bollocks (excuse my language). High-school comedies are becoming over done, over dramatised and over the top; but Olivia Wilde might have come up trumps with Booksmart.
Booksmart takes us on a journey following best-friends Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein). It’s the end of high-school, Amy planning her travels to Botswana and Molly is focusing on her role as school president whilst the rest of the school is having fun and playing with fire extinguishers. You could say these two are the most responsible and have their heads in the right space. When Molly finds out however that the so-called disobedient kids in school are going to the same class colleges as her, she starts to contemplate what she’s been doing her whole school life. Books may have got her this far but partying is an essential at times. Since Molly and Amy have never been to school parties, tonights the night to find remorse in going to a crazy house party, the only problem is getting there.
Funny, fast and feminist. Three words which describes Booksmart impeccably. The all-female writing team behind the comedy; Susanna Fogel, Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins and Katie Silberman deserve recognition in supplying Olivia Wilde with a quick-witted, well-written script. Each lines snaps into place, you can tell research has gone into what is happening in the current climate we are living in and the fact that it is not filled with nerd-locker slamming and sexist butt-slapping. Equally, Kaitlyn and Beanie deliver incredible performances, showcasing a believable, strong, female friendship. There is nothing worse than not believing in an on-screen connection but right from the off, these two showed their talents and made a case to be seen. It’s so easy to pick up the stereotypes; I was waiting for the jocks to come out in their jackets and the ‘hot girls’ to be making out with them but not once did I see this. It’s refreshing. Also, whoever came up with the ingenious sketch for the drug scene, I did not see that coming but it was incredibly clever and down-right strange. There are a lot of positives to this film, so much to the point that I was not expecting to rate this comedy so highly. It takes you back to the classics with that hint of modernism.
The cinemas are currently being dominated with Avengers: Endgame, Detective Pikachu and Aladdin. All of which may be deservedly top of the cinema chain but if you find yourself wanting to watch something different, this light-hearted independent comedy is definitely the one for you. If you loved Superbad, then you’ll enjoy this. Personally, I think it’s much better, but with girls. It’s been a while since I’ve genuinely enjoyed a high-school comedy, I’ve finally found one I would happily come back to.
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Written by Ed 