“Cult classic” isn’t a title one should too soon or too often frivolously attach to a fil. But if a queer, Gen Z, satire-comedy flick that hilariously reflects the spirit of today’s generation were to have already earned that title, it should ultimately be awarded to Bottoms.
Emma Seligman made a name for themselves with their debut feature Shiva Baby back in 2020 at only 25 years of age. The NYU graduate displayed her prowess as a writer and director when she teamed up on the feature with Rachel Sennot, a NYU actress who had also starred in the original short film that it was based on. The feature, upon release, was met with exuberant praise for both the performances as well as directing. So it only makes sense that the duo came together once again on Bottoms – Seligman’s newest release.
While Shiva Baby was a 77 minute long anxiety-inducing, chaotic panic ride, Bottoms is a raunchy, hilarious satire in the form of a high school comedy like never seen before. Alongside Sennott in the cast, the film boasts talent such as the incomparable Ayo Edebiri, Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu and Marshawn Lynch.
It follows a couple of unpopular besties PJ and Josie, (Sennott and Edebiri) who ultimately decide to start a school fight club with the end goal to impress girls and at long last lose their virginities. Their ‘charming’ plan admittedly right off the bat doesn’t sound too promising, so it’s no surprise when things quickly spiral out of control and into pandemonium. With the assistance and support of one Mr. G, (Lynch) an unhinged teacher and freshly self-proclaimed feminist, the “self defense” club attracts the school’s most popular out-of-their-league ladies, just as PJ and Josie were hoping for.
Unfortunately for them, the weirdos and outcasts also begin to trickle in – every female wants a part of the action and there’s no shortage of students showing up in hopes of learning how to defend themselves. Now our two leading lesbians need to simultaneously impress their crushes, run a self defense club as legit as possible while still attending high school and finding out who they really are.
Though a silly, seemingly lighthearted concept on the surface, Bottoms tentatively peels back the curtain to reveal quite a bit of heart at its core. From depictions of high school drama and bullying to societal pressures, the surplus of laughs to be had throughout ends up nicely balancing out a film that ultimately follows two young girls’ “coming of age” journey and their genuine longing to both experience their overdue high school romances.
Bottoms is a bit of everything: violent and bloody to gutsy, incredulous hilarity and a sprinkle of genuinely touching moments. Friendships, relationships, identity, love and growing up are all themes touched on and woven expertly into the fabric of this comical blast of a film. The jokes throughout are brave, yet seem to always land with flying rainbow colors. The performances are ingeniously comedic, and the writing and directing is precise and witty. All of these elements make for a smash hit of a film, and in a hopeful time as of late when original ideas and unique stories are being celebrated and heightened seemingly more than in previous years, Bottoms is another breath of fresh air, straight from the school gymnasium.
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