Booksmart. This is what filmmaking should be. This film is the kind of movie that deserves to make $1.2 billion on its opening weekend. Even though smaller indies like this one always get overlooked by summer blockbusters, this is the kind of film that brings a certain style of classic Hollywood into today's progressive day and age without being too divisive. Booksmart is an incredible coming-of-age movie that appeals to every possible emotion by bringing in elements of our society that are actually relevant in shaping today's teenagers. Since its premiere at SXSW, this movie has been on my radar the absolute most and I can guarantee that it does not disappoint. With unforgettable performances from Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein and a ferociously energetic directorial debut from Olivia Wilde, this movie is bound to become an instant cult classic.
Booksmart is the absolutely charming story of Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein), two best friends who are navigating their final days before graduation. As the last night of their high school career approaches, they realize that they have spent their entire time studying and getting into good colleges but have missed out on being fun and rowdy teenagers. To try to prove themselves as lively, they attempt to cram four years of fun into one wild night that they will never forget. My only criticism from this film stems from its original premise. The story of two friends having the night of their lives before an important day is frankly not that creative, but rather it's a matter of what goes into these characters and stories that make them stand out. Audiences have seen this type of story many times before, but the fact that this movie is a female-led, female-directed film with an incredible cast showing praise of the kind of set that was created makes this movie as astounding as it is. I have followed the marketing of this film since the beginning which has only brought me more and more hype and seeing how close this entire cast and crew were made this experience so much better for me. The pure chemistry between everyone involved in this film is so evident and not only does this film tell a wholesome story, but it tells so many of our society's youth that movies can, in fact, be beautifully and truthfully made about them.
Dever and Feldstein are absolutely excellent in this film and make their characters so lovable and actually three-dimensional. One might not think that a pair of hyper-academic best friends could be given more character traits than just smart, nerdy, or socially-inept, but the fantastic writing team of this film did just that. Susanna Fogel, Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, and Katie Silberman all co-wrote this incredibly genuine movie and brought so much life to our two leads. In such films that this one might be inspired by, there are characters that the audience is supposed to care about but can't necessarily relate to, such as in Superbad, which hails the most obvious comparisons. What Booksmart does differently and much more cleverly is that they have their two leads become truthful people that, as cliché as it may sound, are incredibly relatable. The world that these characters live in is nearly a carbon-copy of our own, even down to the small details of unisex bathrooms or teachers doubling as Uber drivers. While these details might be foreign to people of possibly older generations, the truth behind this film is that we all hated high school. No matter who you were or how much anyone says high school is the best four years of your life, everyone was miserable. Most of this film's humor stems from this as well, as the relatability intertwines with the subtle and dry comedy that comes from everyday life for these two girls. Dever and Feldstein's performances are phenomenal, as their chemistry is the glue that bonds this masterpiece together, along with the standout direction from Olivia Wilde. Her directorial debut could not have gone any better, as her wildly quick and engaging direction makes this movie flow so well. The comedy flows into the drama impressively well as she tells this story flawlessly.
The most prominent aspect of this movie, however, is its unflinching dedication to its feminist themes and message. Female friendship is a cinematic theme that I feel has been unfortunately taken advantage of for years, but I am overjoyed that films like these are telling authentic stories that girls can relate to. Just by being written and directed by women honestly makes any film better as their perspectives and stories are rightfully rising to the forefront of modern cinema. Especially in the case of Amy, as she is a gay teenager. What I love most about her character is that she was written so honestly and was much more than just the gay friend. She was not a supporting character, she was not a foil for Molly, and she was definitely not defined by just one feature. She was Amy. Her story is just as important as anyone else's and she was given so much time to develop and grow, as any lead character should. Despite these characters' growths being played for laughs a few times, they are all so important in telling this empowering and downright hilarious story. Wilde's treatment of her characters is truly what blew me away the most and I am so glad that she was the one to helm this movie. And god bless Annapurna for distributing this incredible film, as audiences absolutely deserve more just like this.
I have already seen this movie twice since its release and I can not stop thinking about it. The atmosphere, the performances, the music: everything about this film is fantastic and there is not a single thing that I would remotely think about changing. Booksmart is not only the top contender for my favorite film of this year so far, but most likely will be for years to come. There is something about its undeniable charm and wit that struck me so well as this movie will go down in history as the epitome of raunchy, coming-of-age filmmaking.
My Rating: ★★★★★
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