Movie Reviews - Booksmart

Director: Olivia Wilde
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 103 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Jessica Williams, Jason Sudeikis, Lisa Kudrow, Will Forte, Diana Silvers, Billy Lourd

Description: On the eve of their high school graduation, two academic superstars and best friends realize they should have worked less and played more. Determined not to fall short of their peers, the girls try to cram four years of fun into one night.

Review: Molly and Amy are not popular at their high school, but they really don’t care about that. The two girls can be found in libraries in the weekends and never at their classmates’ parties. But that’s okay, because in the end they will be the ones going to prestige colleges. When Molly finds out that even their classmates, that don’t care about school at all and party all the time, also managed to get into those schools. And they have let high school pass by like that, without having all the fun. Their plan is to catch up on what they missed out on all those years, but they only have one night to do it in.
“Booksmart” is the directorial debut of Olivia Wilde and it’s an interesting choice for the actress to start with this kind of movie. The genre of high school comedy has, since “Superbad”, not brought us a lot of refreshing movies. And looking at just the plot, “Booksmart” looks like another one of these unforgettable films. But luckily for us, it’s a wonderful film that measures up to “Superbad”. “Booksmart” is clever, innovative, funny and a film with a lot of heart. We don’t only have Olivia Wilde to thank for that, but also the screenplay and cast.
To start with the first: the excellent writing brings dynamic between the two main characters and make it look natural and credible. The dialogues are smart, fast and hilarious. And it constantly avoids expectations and conventions.
The stars f the film are the duo Amy and Molly, portrayed by Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein. Their chemistry is strong, sympathetic and believable. It’s fun to take the trip with them on this crazy night.
Within the genre of the teen comedy, “Booksmart” is a true gem. A hilarious cast and great writing make sure for a film that will speak to a broader audience. An excellent debut for director Olivia Wilde.

Rating: 4,5/ 5