Smart Fun

Movie Reviewed: Booksmart

Director: Olivia Wilde

Date: 6 June 2019

jamesintexas Rating: ***1/2



Booksmart has a visual style and palpable energy that propels it all the way to the finish line.  Set on the eve of graduation, Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) are top students at their high school who discover a terrible truth: they've been working too hard and eschewing fun while their peers have enjoyed themselves.  Instead of receiving their coveted reward of college acceptances over their hedonistic peers, Amy and Molly realize that many of their classmates earned spots at the same schools as them, without sacrificing as much.  This epiphany leads to a last-ditch effort to go to a party to show their peers and themselves that they can be both smart and fun.  They go off in search of the legendary party, and chaos predictably ensues.  Essentially, this is an all-in-one-night type of movie, and Wilde quickly and effectively establishes a comic, memorable, distinct series of personalities within their class to keep circling back to and enjoying.

The film is so enjoyable because of its winning lead performances, its fun use of music and editing, and its quick-moving plot.  Wilde's directorial debut is astounding in its confidence.  The supporting performances of Lisa Kudrow and Will Forte as Amy's loving parents are standouts, but nearly every supporting character in the HS senior class given screen time delivers a memorable performance, with Noah Galvin's legendary karaoke session winning out overall.  I think that one subplot involving a student and teacher is superfluous, but the fun of the rest of the film overcomes that flaw.  Dever and Feldstein are wonderful together with a shorthand that makes the film work.  I think of this film primarily as a comedy, and I applaud its marvelous cast for going to great lengths to make an R-rated comedy, a thing that feels increasingly rare to me.  I think that is probably what elevates it from just three stars for me.  It has heart for these characters, and Wilde's work here is sure and steady.  From animation to slow-motion sequences, her storytelling is compelling and dynamic and fun.  I think that Booksmart deserves to find a bigger audience, and I look forward to more films from Wilde and her stars Dever and Feldstein.