Dever and Feldstein have great chemistry and each are given substantial independent arcs, along with their journey as friends, which allow them to soar and show their dynamism both as comedians and actors. Feldstein gives the bigger, bolder performance which compliments the more internal Dever. Both are given equal opportunity at slapstick as well as catharsis. The supporting cast is stacked with talent particularly Billie Lourd as the rich seemingly vapid but almost oracular Gigi and Mike O'Brien as Pat the Pizza Guy in an excellent cameo. Some of Amy and Molly's classmates are played broadly to the brink of stereotype but they are effective and are contrasted with more down-to-earth portrayals that surround them.
A killer soundtrack, decent cinematography with a couple inspired sequences, a funny and inspiring narrative with a message, Olivia Wilde's directorial debut is not only a success in and of itself but shows substantial promise. The only real drawback to the film is it's relative tone-deafness when it comes to class. The clear and present economic privilege of virtually every member of the high school as well as the somewhat murky and bizarre fact they all seem to be going to premier universities ostensibly on straight merit is unexplored and unexplained. Booksmart is an exciting fast-paced hard R comedy, the fact they don't grapple with socio-economic inequality is forgivable.
See It.
No comments:
Post a Comment