Molly and Amy (fantastic Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever) are about to graduate from high school. The pair have spent their school years focusing on homework rather than partying to secure their places in good colleges. Unfortunately, on their last day of school, they learn that their classmates got into those same colleges while also partying through high school. Feeling some serious FOMO, Molly and Amy decide to party the night away before it’s too late. It’s hardly a spoiler to say, the night doesn’t go according to the plan and the audience is in for a wild ride.
Booksmart is a rare kind of film. Made by women and starring women, it’s still a film that never feels solely aimed at women. Representation is crucial, but Booksmart is meant to be enjoyed by everyone and anyone. Molly and Amy are highly relatable, regardless of their gender or sexuality. They’re real humans; flesh and bone, full of insecurities and flaws. They also have some serious swag.
To say that only women can enjoy and relate to this film, because it centres on two young women, is simply untrue. For years and years, all audiences have been forced to identify with largely male leads and this has never been an issue and it shouldn’t be one now. The difficulties and issues Amy and Molly tackle in Booksmart are universal and we’ve all been there.
It’s hard to believe Booksmart is Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut. It’s confidently directed and although the plot doesn’t exactly offer any surprises, it executes its classic narrative with style and flair. It starts boldly, with swearing and in-your-face filmmaking choices, telling the audience exactly what they’re in for.
“The difficulties and issues Amy and Molly tackle in Booksmart are universal and we’ve all been there.”
The film is filled with pop culture references, but coming from the young cast, it never feels forced or intrusive. It’s not played for gimmicks, but to give us a sense of the time our characters live in. This might seem nonsensical, but just wait until you show your own kids Booksmart and have to explain to them who Cardi B is.
Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever excel at their roles. Both are familiar faces to most audiences, but both have also been supporting acts until now. Their turns at films like Lady Bird and Short Term 12 have already made their acting chops common knowledge. But Booksmart allows both actresses to fully showcase their talent and boy, are they talented. Their chemistry is almost visible and their interactions have a spontaneous feel to them. They react and bounce off each other with remarkable ease. Their performances are delightfully physical as well as emotional.
They struggle with a lot of things; sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll, but never with their identity or self-image and that feels like a breath of cinematic fresh air. The film focuses on the pain of knowing your life is inevitably changing and having to go with it, but not so much on the pain of finding yourself. These girls already know who they are and they’re more than comfortable with that.
The supporting cast is also a pleasant surprise. From Wilde’s real-life husband Jason Sudeikis as the school principal, to the positively bonkners Billie Lourd as Molly and Amy’s classmate – there are no weak links here.
“Booksmart is a near perfect film, and Feldstein and Dever are perfect in their roles.”
It would be easy to describe Booksmart as a feminist film. It would also be the lazy way out of analysing its true cultural significance. Booksmart aims to include everyone. Our two protagonists are a plus size straight girl and a lesbian. It doesn’t seem like much at first, but name another film that did that.
If there is anything we can criticise about Booksmart, it’s the lack of diversity. Although the cast is more diverse than most other comtemporary or classic coming-of-age films, it still largely focuses on the middle class, white girls experience. Booksmart is a near perfect film, and Feldstein and Dever are perfect in their roles. But we can only hope the next coming-of-age film is from the perspective of POC.
Overall, Booksmart is an A+ film. It’s funny, engaging, touching and above all, relatable. It will make you howl with laughter, cry and ultimately cringe too. It’s an emotional rollercoaster of the best kind. If it’s raunchy humour won’t win you over, maybe it’s sex positivity will.
Remember how awkward your first time was? Prepare to experience it all over again with Booksmart. Or perhaps it’s sincere and genuine heart will win you over, like it did me. The film perfectly captures the confusion of being young, the sense of being pulled into two different direction by your old self and your future self.
