Every once in a while there comes a film that just unexpectedly blows you away. "Booksmart" was one of those films in my opinion. I wasn't captivated by the trailers or promotions in theaters before it was released; it just looked like your average teen comedy.
But I was definitely wrong in judging too soon, because I decided on a whim to see "Booksmart" on its opening weekend and was pleasantly surprised by how great this film was. So much that it made my personal top 3 films of 2019 (so far).
"Booksmart" tells the story of high school seniors, Amy and Molly (Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein), who, on the day before their graduation, realize that they worried too much about getting good grades than having fun during their years of education. As they learn that their reckless, party-hard classmates are getting accepted into prestigous colleges, the girls cast everything aside and set out to have a good time on the last night before their lives are changed forever.
Dever and Feldstein have incredibly chemistry together, and they truly make the film shine. The supporting cast is also phenomenal, including a show-stealing performance from Billie Lourd (daughter of Carrie Fisher, known best from "American Horror Story"and FOX's "Scream Queens"). Actress Olivia Wilde ("House", "Tron: Legacy") does a fantastic job in her directorial debut, and I hope to see more great films from her in the near future.
"Booksmart" is a rare film. It takes a simple premise, that has been told similarly before in coming-of-age movies like "Breakfast Club" and "Superbad", and it makes it fresh and new and relevant. It gives us two unique and likeable characters that we can relate to. Molly and Amy's story teaches us that we shouldn't look back on our past and worry but focus on the present and be ready for the future, however scary and daunting and unpredictable that may be.
Rating: 5/5
P.S. Come check out "Booksmart" in our Lindenwood Film Series on September 12th in the LARC Theater at 7pm! See the following link for more details! :)