Ah, the high school film. Making high school seem like it was some sort of over-the-top, zany, rollercoaster ride full of wall to wall adventures when in reality it was probably either disappointing, boring, or both. You could argue that if anyone attempted to make a realistic film about high school it would be the stupidest, dullest thing to ever see the light of day. But last year's Eighth Grade was fairly realistic, albeit about, well, middle school, and that wasn't stupid or dull or monotonous, it was perhaps the most awkward and cringe worthy film I've ever seen...it was also glorious. But the newest high school film, Booksmart, is out, and it's back in the typical, Hollywood high school realm. Starring two actresses in their twenties, featuring ridiculous, unrealistic parties, misadventures, and just-for-laughs antics that'd never happen in real life anywhere ever. I remember an actress from England mentioning that the high school "experience" that it so prominently featured in the endless amount of Hollywood films and TV shows doesn't really exist outside of the United States. It's ours. We own it. And is that a good thing? Because after being the football star that wins the big game, deflowering the prom queen or inadvertently driving your car into the principal's pool during a hazy, wild night of debauchery...is their anything left that's exciting in life? Is that a good thing to teach our kids?
The best high school films will probably always be Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Dazed & Confused. These days, it's hard to fathom something real and serious like the abortion plot even showing up in a teenage comedy like it did in Fast Times. These days the best high school films are mostly like Superbad; they're superfluous, funny films that aren't completely bonkers or silly but still edgy and riotous. And Booksmart seems to either want to be Superbad or just copies it because they're all the same. Jonah Hill's sister, Beanie Feldstein, is one of the stars in Booksmart, so it's not difficult to call this a female Superbad. The plot is basically the last night of high school before graduation featuring two nerds that decide to have fun for once and go to some parties. Um...what could go wrong? Early on, the script is whip-smart and features some very clever lines like the one where a tough bro in the bathroom laments that, "I'd fuck her...but I'd have to put a bag over her personality." Hilarious! Unfortunately, the witty one-liners seem to go deserted once we enter the party and night life section of the film. Sure, the film is fun and entertaining, but what it doesn't have is any great, classic, memorable set pieces. We also get a lot of disappointing scenes like the party on the boat with no people and just about every scene featuring an adult. The principal, played by Jason Sudeikis (who is director Olivia Wilde's husband in real life), is given an atrociously unfunny storyline. And Amy's (Kaitlyn Dever, who's a total, bonafide star) parents, played by Will Forte and Lisa Kudrow, are groan inducingly awful. The Barbie doll drug scene doesn't entirely work, although it's at least an attempt and trying something different.
What does elevate the film from being just a forgettable, lame, random teen flick is probably the fact that this is a film written by women, directed by a woman, with two main characters that are women, one being a character that is a lesbian. I suppose that would be enough to shout for joy in male dominated Hollywood, but there are some excellent things about the film beyond that. Olivia Wilde, forever known as the hot, blonde bartender from The O.C., does a terrific job directing her first film. The film looks great, has a great flow and feel, a kinetic vibe with non-stop music, and is super enjoyable throughout even though it never does move into great film territory. If anything, you can blame the script. While there are parties, sex scenes, drugs, drinking, laughs, and even a serial killer...there needed to be at least one truly, gut-busting, hilarious sequence. Just give me one! And honestly, for a comedy romp, the greatest scene in the entire film is a poetic, melancholy one. Amy is pining for a skater chick that she finally meets up with at a party. They go swimming at the party and Amy is underwater with bodies swimming all around her and she's alive and this is her night and she's young and beautiful and it's a gorgeously shot, very moving sequence. Then of course we get conflict and a sex scene and a gross-out, as per usual high school films.
The two main characters, played by Feldstein and Dever, do have great chemistry together and play the type of characters that are a nice buddy comedy team that you could probably watch do any type of movie together and it'd be a lot of fun. While the other, assorted high school chums are a mixed bag in terms of enjoyment (the drama kids are unfortunately unwatchable...the long-haired kid that fucks a teacher plot seems out of place and goes nowhere), the one highlight is Billie Lourde (Carrie Fisher's daughter), who lately has been stealing the show every season on American Horror Story. Lourde, playing a drugged out, fur-coat wearing, space cadet blonde that keeps popping up everywhere out of nowhere is actually probably the funniest thing in the whole movie. In real life, Lourde is 26. So the funniest thing in this high school film is a 26 year old that plays a character that is literally the most unrealistic high school character ever. I suppose that tells you something about the high school film genre. You've gotta push the boundaries to their breaking point until they're completely nothing like real high school for it to be entertaining. Go figure. **1/2
