Between The Perks of Being A Wallflower and Love, Simon, Lady Bird and Boyhood, The Edge of Seventeen and Eighth Grade, the coming-of-age genre has found a new lease of life this decade. Olivia Wilde's directorial debut, Booksmart, hopes to capitalise on the goodwill the genre has accumulated, with an exploration of the timely themes and hot topics affecting a new generation. Does Booksmart pass with flying colours, or is it Fs across the board?
Molly and Amy have spent their school days with their heads in books and driven by revision, but when they realise that their more party-centric peers have made it into the same colleges with a fraction of the commitment, they decide to spend their final night fitting in all the antics they have otherwise missed out on. With a young cast, first-time director and screenplay that's been tinkered with for over a decade, is Booksmart up to the grade?
Booksmart deserves every piece of acclaim it has thus far received. A smart, sharp and searingly sincere piece of filmmaking, this profound and rip-roaringly hilarious coming-of-age picture has a heart of gold and dirty mind, hitting each emotional beat and nearly every joke in the process. Besides a slightly uneven but very quickly tightened opening ten minutes, and one middle-act sequence which sat completely uncomfortably for meon a personal level, Booksmart seldom puts a foot wrong across its 105 brilliantly-paced minutes, providing a laugh-a-minute alongside its more thoughtful ruminations on unbreakable teenage friendships.
Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel and Katie Silberman have done a tremendous job with Booksmart's screenplay. Beautifully evolving over the course of a decade, and partially rewritten by the performers to more accurately reflect natural, modern dialogue and discourse, Booksmart's script is shatteringly contemporary in its themes, further affirmed through the 'nasty woman' slogans and 2020 election stickers adorning our lead's bedroom walls and car bumpers. Unapologetically, this is a coming-of-age film for today's climate.
Very much focused on the gorgeously-written and deeply-felt central bond between Molly and Amy, but never taking its supporting characters - a sea of diverse, eccentric personalities - for granted either, every character populating Booksmart feels more than a generic stocktype: astutely circumventing cheap and easy stereotypes, hostilities and dynamics are not riddled by malicious bullying or personal attack, a refreshing change when it comes to depicting the high school setting. It's too smart for that though, and actually provides depth and nuance to its realistic and recognisable batch of characters, as well as their connections to the world and people around them.
Molly and Amy's friendship is extraordinarily depicted by two of the finest, most promising up-and-coming (comedic and otherwise) talents the industry has to offer. With convincing chemistry to spare, Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever so believably portray our lead's relationship, and you are left with no doubt that you are watching friends-for-life traverse a challenging time in any companionship; a tangible rapport is felt from hilarious opening to heartfelt close, with both performers more than ably selling the comedy and the drama in equally masterly measures. Feldstein's slight aloofness explores the way we present ourselves in our teenage years superbly, while Dever is responsible for one of the most emotionally raw and moving moments put to film this year. As magnetic apart as they are together, Booksmart puts both of them on the map; it would be a treat if this was the first in a string of collaborations.
Feldstein and Dever are not the only ones impressing. With a plethora of talent propping up the secondary cast, there are a number of MVPs thriving in their roles. Billie Lourd, in the most Billie Lourd role imaginable, is an utter hoot, with iconic line after iconic line, delivered with increasing hilarity. In any other setting, you may be tempted to call it overcooked -- but it absolutely suits the mood and tone of the film, and Lourde prospers.
Noah Galvin is a similar delight as George, with a most excellent karaoke rendition of Alanis Morissette's You Oughta Know following, for my money, the best of the three parties seen on screen. Partner in crime, Austin "I don't know a Nick, I only know SORROW and GRIEF" Crane is likewise hilarious and fabulous. It's a real testament that so many of these characters deserve to be afforded spin-off films, but Lisa Kudrow and Will Forte's Charmaine and Doug are probably most worthy; their handful of scenes are clear highlights in a film full of them.
That a director could balance such an abundance of talent, and still have it feel so perfectly authentic, is a real accomplishment; that someone can do it in their first time directing is even more astonishing. Olivia Wilde, in a way rather similar to Greta Gerwig - who went on to earn herself a Best Director nomination for Lady Bird - approaches the film with such confidence, and crafts a truly exceptional piece with style and personality aplenty. Somehow intensely personal but widely relatable, Wilde's handling of the main relationship between Molly and Amy - one that everyone will be able to recognise - takes real skill and her phenomenal control of Booksmart's tone and vision is a mighty achievement.
Tears and laughter come often in the subsequent breaths and Wilde's fine balance of emotion crafts an exceptionally-tight picture that works (almost without exception) beat-for-beat. From the profound, a shattering argument between friends, to the hilarious - what happened to the panda's eye? - Wilde's range is demonstrated in all its glory and whatever she does next, she has won herself a legion of fans - myself included. Jason McCormick's cinematography and Dan the Automator's score take it one step further, with impressive work from each helping affirm Wilde's clear vision and fantastically-varied tone further.
With absolutely no doubt in my mind, Booksmart is a masterpiece. Evolving the genre superbly, while still exploring the themes so profoundly important to its success, Booksmart will go down as a generational classic, ushering in a new wave of talent that will take the industry by storm. Olivia Wilde, Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever and co have skillfully developed a consistent hilarious, beautifully profound and thoroughly entertaining piece of filmmaking that continues the genre's hot streak exceptionally well. I laughed, I cried, then laughed some more. Be smart and see Booksmart!
9/10
Summary: Booksmart is a generational coming-of-age masterpiece. Debut director Olivia Wilde has crafted a glorious film as side-splittingly funny and it is emotionally sincere and profound while cementing Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever are two of the most promising actors of their generation. An utter, utter delight, be smart and see Booksmart.
Molly and Amy have spent their school days with their heads in books and driven by revision, but when they realise that their more party-centric peers have made it into the same colleges with a fraction of the commitment, they decide to spend their final night fitting in all the antics they have otherwise missed out on. With a young cast, first-time director and screenplay that's been tinkered with for over a decade, is Booksmart up to the grade?
Booksmart deserves every piece of acclaim it has thus far received. A smart, sharp and searingly sincere piece of filmmaking, this profound and rip-roaringly hilarious coming-of-age picture has a heart of gold and dirty mind, hitting each emotional beat and nearly every joke in the process. Besides a slightly uneven but very quickly tightened opening ten minutes, and one middle-act sequence which sat completely uncomfortably for meon a personal level, Booksmart seldom puts a foot wrong across its 105 brilliantly-paced minutes, providing a laugh-a-minute alongside its more thoughtful ruminations on unbreakable teenage friendships.
Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel and Katie Silberman have done a tremendous job with Booksmart's screenplay. Beautifully evolving over the course of a decade, and partially rewritten by the performers to more accurately reflect natural, modern dialogue and discourse, Booksmart's script is shatteringly contemporary in its themes, further affirmed through the 'nasty woman' slogans and 2020 election stickers adorning our lead's bedroom walls and car bumpers. Unapologetically, this is a coming-of-age film for today's climate.
Very much focused on the gorgeously-written and deeply-felt central bond between Molly and Amy, but never taking its supporting characters - a sea of diverse, eccentric personalities - for granted either, every character populating Booksmart feels more than a generic stocktype: astutely circumventing cheap and easy stereotypes, hostilities and dynamics are not riddled by malicious bullying or personal attack, a refreshing change when it comes to depicting the high school setting. It's too smart for that though, and actually provides depth and nuance to its realistic and recognisable batch of characters, as well as their connections to the world and people around them.
Molly and Amy's friendship is extraordinarily depicted by two of the finest, most promising up-and-coming (comedic and otherwise) talents the industry has to offer. With convincing chemistry to spare, Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever so believably portray our lead's relationship, and you are left with no doubt that you are watching friends-for-life traverse a challenging time in any companionship; a tangible rapport is felt from hilarious opening to heartfelt close, with both performers more than ably selling the comedy and the drama in equally masterly measures. Feldstein's slight aloofness explores the way we present ourselves in our teenage years superbly, while Dever is responsible for one of the most emotionally raw and moving moments put to film this year. As magnetic apart as they are together, Booksmart puts both of them on the map; it would be a treat if this was the first in a string of collaborations.
Feldstein and Dever are not the only ones impressing. With a plethora of talent propping up the secondary cast, there are a number of MVPs thriving in their roles. Billie Lourd, in the most Billie Lourd role imaginable, is an utter hoot, with iconic line after iconic line, delivered with increasing hilarity. In any other setting, you may be tempted to call it overcooked -- but it absolutely suits the mood and tone of the film, and Lourde prospers.
Noah Galvin is a similar delight as George, with a most excellent karaoke rendition of Alanis Morissette's You Oughta Know following, for my money, the best of the three parties seen on screen. Partner in crime, Austin "I don't know a Nick, I only know SORROW and GRIEF" Crane is likewise hilarious and fabulous. It's a real testament that so many of these characters deserve to be afforded spin-off films, but Lisa Kudrow and Will Forte's Charmaine and Doug are probably most worthy; their handful of scenes are clear highlights in a film full of them.
That a director could balance such an abundance of talent, and still have it feel so perfectly authentic, is a real accomplishment; that someone can do it in their first time directing is even more astonishing. Olivia Wilde, in a way rather similar to Greta Gerwig - who went on to earn herself a Best Director nomination for Lady Bird - approaches the film with such confidence, and crafts a truly exceptional piece with style and personality aplenty. Somehow intensely personal but widely relatable, Wilde's handling of the main relationship between Molly and Amy - one that everyone will be able to recognise - takes real skill and her phenomenal control of Booksmart's tone and vision is a mighty achievement.
Tears and laughter come often in the subsequent breaths and Wilde's fine balance of emotion crafts an exceptionally-tight picture that works (almost without exception) beat-for-beat. From the profound, a shattering argument between friends, to the hilarious - what happened to the panda's eye? - Wilde's range is demonstrated in all its glory and whatever she does next, she has won herself a legion of fans - myself included. Jason McCormick's cinematography and Dan the Automator's score take it one step further, with impressive work from each helping affirm Wilde's clear vision and fantastically-varied tone further.
With absolutely no doubt in my mind, Booksmart is a masterpiece. Evolving the genre superbly, while still exploring the themes so profoundly important to its success, Booksmart will go down as a generational classic, ushering in a new wave of talent that will take the industry by storm. Olivia Wilde, Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever and co have skillfully developed a consistent hilarious, beautifully profound and thoroughly entertaining piece of filmmaking that continues the genre's hot streak exceptionally well. I laughed, I cried, then laughed some more. Be smart and see Booksmart!
9/10
Summary: Booksmart is a generational coming-of-age masterpiece. Debut director Olivia Wilde has crafted a glorious film as side-splittingly funny and it is emotionally sincere and profound while cementing Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever are two of the most promising actors of their generation. An utter, utter delight, be smart and see Booksmart.