Booksmart

I hate when movies are described as "Other Movie but for girls!" Bridesmaids is Hangover for girls! Booksmart is Superbad for girls! Now & Then is Stand By Me for girls!

That being said, anyone who is a fan of Superbad would have a hard time not noticing similarities. They were released twelve years apart, so it's not la Friends With Benefits/No Strings Attached or Paul Blart Mall Cop/Observe & Report situation, but they both star one half of the same sibling pair, so it's a little weird. Also, the press for Booksmart was really focused on saying it's NOT like Superbad. It definitely IS, and it's fine that it is, just be honest about it. It doesn't have to be Superbad for girls. It can be Superbad for the new generation. Superbad for Gen Z or something. I won't say anything else about Superbad now.

Booksmart is a pretty good mix of realistic (core friendship, actors that look like teens, the dialogue, the wardrobe) and exaggerated (Billie Lourd's whole role but I love her so it's okay, everyone is going to an Ivy League school, the principal is Jason Sudeikis with long hair, the girls can't find an address via social media, the whole part with dolls). It shows a lot of real aspects of teen female friendships that are not often portrayed as well as they are here.

Jessica Williams is pure magic but I can't sign off on her sleeping with a student even if it's the day before graduation and he's 20 years old.

4+ Star Reevals (2024)

Favorite Teen Comedies

Booksmart2019

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