Supergood: "Booksmart" fresh, funny, and wise with delightful chemistry and scene-stealing supporting cast

Booksmart (2019)

105 min.

Release Date: May 24, 2019 (Wide)

Olivia Wilde finds a freshness, sweetness, and comedic anarchy in one of the oldest comedy subgenres—the high school teen comedy—for her feature directorial debut, “Booksmart.” Bawdy and raucous but whip-smart and frequently hilarious, this is a one-crazy-night high school comedy that deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as 2007’s “Superbad.” While it is initially hard not to make comparisons to that contemporary classic, particularly with star Beanie Feldstein being Jonah Hill’s sister, the results speak for themselves rather than just being a distaff version of material that’s come before. Considering Wilde directs a script written by Emily Halpern & Sarah Haskins and Susanna Fogel (2018’s “The Spy Who Dumped Me”) and Katie Silberman (2019’s “Isn’t It Romantic”), there’s just no mistaking a genuine female perspective is all over this project that always rings wise and true.

Sharing an energy that is delightful and beyond infectious, Beanie Feldstein (2017’s “Lady Bird”) and Kaitlyn Dever (2014’s “Men, Women & Children”) play inseparable best friends Molly, the type-A class president, and Amy, the inexperienced lesbian. Both have always cared about studying hard and working hard to get into good colleges, and on the weekends, they would watch a Ken Burns documentary instead of attend a wild house party. Molly got into Yale (or New Haven, as she puts it as not to rub it in where she’s going to college) and Amy plans to spend her summer in Botswana to help women make their own tampons. On the last day of school before graduation, Molly comes to the shocking discovery that most of her peers, even the deadbeats, are going to prestigious schools do, even though she’s worked so hard and always put school first. After Molly convinces Amy, they decide to make up for lost time in search of finding the address of a big house party where both of their crushes will be.

Even with the trappings of any ribald, R-rated high school comedy, “Booksmart” refreshingly presents a very relatable observation: dedicated students shouldn’t judge their peers when they have not taken time to actually get to know them. High school characters whom are placed in stereotypical boxes reveal to have more nuance than they initially let on, and those are just the supporting characters. Our two protagonists are specifically and affectionately drawn, too; Molly is dedicated and confident but bossy and sometimes judgmental, and Amy is an openly gay feminist not struggling with her sexuality but nervously harboring a crush on a skater girl. They are never afraid to be themselves, and that’s just part of what makes them so lovable and root-worthy. When the third act drives a wedge between Molly and Amy that leads to a public argument, it does feel like a script contrivance, but the way the two leads play makes it come off more painfully honest. 

Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever have a natural ease and gangbusters chemistry with each other, as well as ace comedic delivery and enough presence to burn on their own. Individually, Feldstein and Dever deserve to be household names, and together, their interplay feels authentic without the film ever grinding its pace to a halt with ad-libbing. The supporting cast doesn’t get lost in the shuffle, either, as each one of them gets their time to shine. Skyler Gisondo (Netflix’s “Santa Clarita Diet”) is adorably funny as classmate Jared, who tries too hard to be cool but is actually a sensitive guy underneath; Billie Lourd (TV’s canceled-too-soon “Scream Queens”) is a scream as the eccentric, ubiquitous Gigi; Diana Silvers (2019’s “Ma”) is acerbic yet unsuspectingly sweet as sarcastic classmate Hope; and Molly Gordon (2018’s “Life of the Party”) brings surprising depth to “Triple A,” the supposed class slut who’s known for giving guys “roadside assistance.” Lisa Kudrow and Will Forte even make their brief moments count as Amy’s slightly out-of-touch parents Charmaine and Doug, who think Amy and Molly are a couple. If that weren’t enough, Jessica Williams (TV’s “The Daily Show”), as cool teacher Miss Fine; Jason Sudeikis (director Wilde’s real-life partner), as moonlighting Principal Brown; and Noah Galvin (2018’s “Assassination Nation”) and relative newcomer Austin Crute, as theater brats George and Alan, round out the killer cast. 

In her first time behind the camera, Olivia Wilde directs with a snappy assuredness and jots of inspiration within the standard visual style of a comedy, including a beautifully shot sequence underwater in the pool at the big party that silently builds to a palpable sense of rejection. As any R-rated comedy must have, there is a requisite psychotropic gag, but the one here is sidesplittingly inspired and staged with stop-motion animation, involving an Asian Ayahuasca high at a murder-mystery party. There’s also a “now” vibe to the film that certainly makes it stand out from other films of its brethren, like gender-neutral bathrooms in a public high school. A gas from start to finish, “Booksmart” is very, very funny and wildly entertaining, and not unlike “Superbad” or “American Pie,” there is a heart and an honesty. As of now, it’s one of the brightest mainstream comedies and firmly stands as one of those films that could define a generation.

Grade: B +