Booksmart

Starring: Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Jessica Williams, Jason Sudeikis, Lisa Kudrow, Will Forte, Victoria Ruesga, Mason Gooding, Skyler Gisondo, Billie Lourd, Maya Rudolph (voice)
Directed by: Olivia Wilde
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
2019

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Two high school students (Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein) realized they spent four years studying and missed out on living. They decide to go all out for one crazy night to fully experience high school.

Review:

Tim: I really enjoyed Olivia Wilde's Booksmart. We've gotten a number of these high school comedies over the years, the ones that combine mature humor with some heartwarming sentiment. This is a film that balances those two well- this is rated R, so you know it'll push the boundaries of good taste. However, it's also a story about two friends who begin to rethink their approach to life and realize there may be more to success than just academics. This crazy journey depicted in the movie causes them to rethink a lot of their life choices, including their friendship. It's a funny and insightful movie and I immensely enjoyed it.

I really appreciated that the story focuses on two women. Hollywood has gotten marginally better in recent years of becoming more diverse, although it's still shameful how far they have to go. Still, this was a great reminder that these kind of movies don't need to always feature men. Superbad was a great movie, but it's not the only blueprint for success. I appreciate movies like Easy A and Eighth Grade have come along. You can add Booksmart to that list.

The casting was intriguing. I wasn't overly familiar with Kaitlyn Dever or Beanie Feldstein, but they worked well together. They are very different actresses, but their friendship seemed authentic. I was really impressed with Dever- I'd seen her in a number of films in small roles, but never to the point that she really registered. Here, she does amazing work. Her character felt believable, complex, with just a hint of vulnerability that made you care about her. I loved that her character felt unconventional for this kind of movie and her performance just made her come to life. Dever does show restraint in her role, where Feldstein doesn't. I understand that was intention, as she's definitely more of a forcefully humorous character. I wish Feldstein showed a little more restraint- at times, her performance feels forced. However, she's hilarious and gave her character a unique flavor that made her feel interesting. You wanted to understand her character better, to dig beneath the surface. This movie works because of these two.

The supporting cast was good. Jason Sudeikis added some solid humor in a few scenes. Lisa Kudrow has made these kinds of movies before and her role felt similar, but she worked. Skyler Gisondo felt way too over-the-top, but it was setting up some quite entertaining scenes later in the film. I didn't really believe Billie Lourd's performance at all, but she elicited laughs throughout the film. Jessica Williams had some nice moments as well. As a whole, the cast wasn't filled with big names, but they rose to the occasion here.

The story is a worthwhile one. While it's a little predictable and does ultimately follow the typical rulebook for this kind of film, it still felt like it tried to put its own spin on things. If I was issuing a complaint or a reason I didn't think the film quite hit greatness, it would be this. The film's uniqueness is just slight spins on conventional ideas or events. It doesn't quite venture out on its own. The movie is funny- it's not quite hilarious like some of the best comedies, but it will make you laugh. I might not quite have loved the film, but I really, really enjoyed it. Booksmart is an effective, humorous, worthwhile movie. Olivia Wilde impresses in her feature film directorial debut. This is a really good movie and I'm excited to see her continue in this path.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Easy A, Eighth Grade, Superbad