and drug-coated strawberries among other moments, was one of the most intense, logistically-speaking. For other uses, see, 2019 Top 100-Grossing Narrative Feature Recipients, San Francisco International Film Festival, "Sorry Folks, 'Booksmart' Was Set Up For Box Office Disappointment & Politicizing It Isn't Helping", "Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Golden Globes: Full List of Nominations", "What It's Like Playing Mortal Enemies in 'Booksmart' for Three Real-Life Best Friends", "How 'Booksmart' went from a 2009 script collecting dust to this year's must-see movie of the summer", "Olivia Wilde to Make Feature Directing Debut With, "How 'Booksmart' Writer Katie Silberman Turned a Beloved Years-Old Script Into the Movie of the Moment", "How 'Booksmart' Writer Katie Silberman Captured The All-Out "War" That Is High School", "Booksmart's Screenwriter Katie Silberman May Be The New Rom-Com Queen", "Manhattan Beach's Skyler Gisondo from 'Santa Clarita Diet' to star in indie film", "Jason Sudeikis, Lisa Kudrow, Will Forte, Others Join Olivia Wilde's 'Booksmart' (EXCLUSIVE)", "Diana Silvers on Booksmart's Groundbreaking Sex Scene", "Why 'Booksmart' Stars Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever Moved In Together During Filming", "Olivia Wilde Jokes Her Relationship With Jason Sudeikis Was His 'Booksmart' Audition (Exclusive) | Entertainment Tonight", "Olivia Wilde on Directing Fianc Jason Sudeikis: 'It's Really Amazing to See Him Do His Thing', "The new movie 'Booksmart' was filmed in and around the San Fernando Valley. It stars Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever as two graduating high school girls who set out to finally break the rules and party on their last day of classes. Molly lives in the San Fernando Valley, but the house that Wilde and Byron chose for filming is actually in Pasadena because they fell in love with the retro peach color of this '50s apartment complex. Both Booksmart and Superbad come from a grand tradition of teen coming-of-age movies like Can't Hardly Wait and American Pie, in which kids who are on the verge of becoming adults have to face the prospect of moving on to college and leaving the status quo behind - friends included. Which kicks off one wild night. They leave George's house, but Gigi reveals Molly secretly likes Nick. [17] Wilde also urged Feldstein and Dever to live together to develop a rapport. Booksmart has drawn a lot of comparisons to Superbad, and its easy to see why. newsletter. Booksmart centers on two young, intelligent girls on their last day of high school. No enemies. Determined to figure out where the event is happening, Amy suggests, Lets do what we do best: homework! And its off to the library to find the address based on the available clues. It's never said explicitly, but viewers are meant to come to the understanding that Molly is raised by a single mother and moved apartments often (see: the relative sparse-ness of her bedroom in comparison to Amy's) whereas Amy's upbringing was, as Wilde puts it, more bucolic and suburban. Financial contributions from our readers are a critical part of supporting our resource-intensive work and help us keep our journalism free for all. There's some poignancy in the moment, but Superbad's ending is probably the least memorable part of the movie, and leaves much of the heavy lifting for Seth and Evan's relationship to their late-night confession in the previous scene. On the day before graduation, Molly learns to her horror that everyone in their class managed to get into a good college while also partying their way through high school. Thats whats so endearing about the films central pair: They use their intelligence to overcompensate for an assortment of other insecurities, rapid-firing the kind of useless trivia that would make them ideal Jeopardy! contestants, but confess ignorance when it comes to the basics like the birds and the bees, or what to wear to a house party. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. "The whole idea of the movie is that their characters assume they're being ostracized and then realize that they are the ones who have isolated themselves," Wilde says. Her sense of humor shines through every ridiculous situation, sharp quip or a visual gag, be it poking fun at a rich kids pimped out ride with a license plate reading FUK BOI or the existence of Gigi (Billie Lourd), a character best remembered for her unprompted wild antics, mysterious ability to pop up at all of the nights parties and her cool girl gone eccentric vibe. Booksmart and LGBTQ: New Movie Brings Diverse LGBTQ Representation by HRC Staff May 23, 2019 "Booksmart" is bringing diverse LGBTQ representation in a film enriched with LGBTQ youth navigating their identities. This article is about the film. Wildes film is a complete package delivered to theaters with a bow on top. Booksmart Is the Perfect Coming-of-Age Story for Right Now. [31] Industry publications insisted that although the targeted young female demographic did turn out to the film, it should have begun with a limited release and expanded, similar to the R-rated, female-led high school comedy Lady Bird in 2017, and that Booksmart failed to stand out in the crowded marketplace. The movie is, like Booksmart, about teenage best friends, Nadine and Krista, who really only have each other. How Marvel went big with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. No one in Booksmart, as it turns out, is an archetype theyre just people, doing their best. Instead of reinforcing the same tired values that male directors have been peddling for years where boys obsess about losing their virginity, freely objectifying the girls in their class . Covering that last hurrah before graduation, in which two girls are determined to shed their booksmart ways and have a fun night, it seems destined to become a teen classic and to become a shining example of Good Teen Storytelling. In Booksmart, girls just want to have fun. "It kind of worked!" Everyone's trying to figure out how we protect the smaller films that aren't four-quadrant mega-releases. Rated R "What they learned by the end was to embrace the world around them.". She subtly plays out Amys mortification at her parents cutesy enthusiasm, her reluctance to be honest about her feelings and her protective loyalty to Molly, even when she feels overwhelmed by her friends bombastic personality. A little over a decade ago, Feldstein's older brother, Jonah Hill, made Superbad, the definitive boys-will-be-boys coming-of-age comedy.With Booksmart, first-time director Olivia Wilde puts a . High school seniors Amy and Molly, longtime best friends, are accomplished students but, with Molly being class president, not popular with their peers. Nick flirts with Molly but then leaves her to go out to the pool, where he makes out with Ryan - much to Amy's horror and disappointment. Something went wrong. Feldstein, who was one of the highlights of Lady Bird, shares older brother Jonahs gift for physical comedy. As wonderful as it was to watch a movie about strong and supportive female friendships, it was just as refreshing to see it set in a high school thats full of diverse students, different sexual orientations and gender expressions. The director has seen the social media evidence ofBooksmartfans making (likely late-night) pilgrimages to the pizza shop and marvels at their dedication to sleuthing out the movie's path. Instead of reinforcing the same tired values that male directors have been peddling for years where boys obsess about losing their virginity, freely objectifying the girls in their class Booksmart matter-of-factly introduces one of its leads as a lesbian while presenting a view of female sexuality in which men are incidental. Playing the best friend part in Lady Bird, Feldstein had limited screentime to show off her comic chops, but it was obvious that she already had great timing and hilarious exaggerated reactions. High school good girls Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever give 'Superbad' a run for its money in this uproarious nerds-night-out comedy from actress-turned-director Olivia Wilde. Booksmart fills in those gaps, and also gives the good girls a chance to act out. By Annie Rasmussen. Credit Wilde who quietly practiced on a couple of shorts prior to this for sustaining both the laughter and the energy throughout, and for pulling off several bold surprises along the way, including a stop-motion sequence that employs Barbie-like figurines to unexpectedly empowering effect. For starters, Booksmart arrived in theaters more than a decade after Superbad, and as suchits teen landscape has a very different feel to it. Booksmart isn't a copy of Superbad - they're just two halves of an excellent double-bill. To prepare Amy for possible sex with Ryan, Molly insists they watch pornography, which accidentally plays through the car speakers. And given that so many teen movies with female protagonists tend to revolve around a makeover plot or focus on romance, it's actually refreshing to have a teen movie that's about girls just trying to party and have fun. Ghost World. The snappy rhythm of Jamie Gross editing makes the girls' adventure feel like its flying by to the infectious beats of Gorillazs Dan the Automator. Near the end of the 2019 film "Booksmart," a tense bathroom kiss between Amy, the film's timid, justice-minded lead, and Hope, her high school's "basic hot girl," turns into more . Comedy is hard, and doesnt get a lot of respect within the industry, but Wilde saw that something was missing from the crowded field of R-rated end-of-innocence comedies: These high-scoring young ladies not only routinely ruin the curve for their fellow students, but they also pass the Bechdel Test with ease. Yet in Wildes hands and with a screenplay penned by four women, Booksmart feels like an evolution for the genre. They managed to party and have sex and do dumb teen things and also earn stellar grades, ace the SATs, and get into Ivy League schools. Looks like all those late nights at the library paid off! You can follow her on Twitter @HSW3K. Once there, they are surprised to find they are warmly welcomed. [43] Vulture's Emily Yoshida also favorably wrote that it "manages to be inclusive and progressive, without being precious about anything or sacrificing an ounce of humor". this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. The twist, in Booksmart, is that Molly and Amy are two hopeless nerds who've labored mightily over the last four years at their San Fernando Valley high school to get themselves into top-tier colleges (Yale and Columbia, respectively).Then they discover, on the final day of class, that all of their harder-partying classmates are off to equally prestigious destinations like Georgetown and . It's a movie about friendship and being a good person, finally. [11] Wilde also envisioned "a drug trip where the girls turned into Barbie dolls" and gave Silberman the responsibility of where to incorporate it into the story. Devers past credits have been more dramatic in nature (Short Term 12, Detroit), but her more introverted performance offsets Feldsteins energy nicely. The supporting cast is just as wonderfully funny as the stars and is given something more to do than be the token high school stereotypes. "Booksmart" is an incredibly entertaining movie, complete with hilarious set pieces and filled to the brim with memorable characters. Booksmart's plot is incredibly similar to Superbad's, but which coming-of-age teen movie is better - and how do the two endings compare? Like Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, or any other pair of wisecracking BFFs, these two young women totally have each others back and good thing, too, since most of their classmates find their brainier-than-thou attitude insufferable. There's just one problem: they forgot to get the address of the party. Back in 2009 (when "Booksmart" was "Book Smart"), it would have been difficult to get the movie released in a significant way. "What I have set out to do is work with women in front and behind the . Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Before Booksmart, there was Ghost World, a movie based on the iconic graphic novel about two recent graduates and best friends navigating adulthood for the very first . Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from Coffy to Jackie Brown. An early version of the children's book, Kate and Mona in the Jungle by Amy Aitken, was circulated in 2009 and appeared on the 2009 Black List;[7] in 2014 Susanna Fogel revised the screenplay, rewriting one lead character as a lesbian and revising the story so the girls are not seeking boyfriends for the prom, but are going to an after-prom party. tradicne jedla na vychodnom slovensku Millions turn to Vox to educate themselves, their family, and their friends about whats happening in the world around them, and to learn about things that spark their curiosity. Though there's some good-natured teasing between them, like Molly demanding to know which of Amy's stuffed toys is more than just a friend, it doesn't take a night of partying and a lot of alcohol for them to be able to say "I love you" to each other. Booksmart doesn't play into that idea and takes a better look at the so-called slut character. [10] Silberman particularly credited the complementary language the characters use to Feldstein, who frequently posted "I have no breath" to Instagram. Amy finds Ryan making out with Nick. [38] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, while those at PostTrak gave it an overall positive score of 80%. Yes, Scream VI Marketing Is Behind the Creepy Ghostface Sightings Causing Scares Across the U.S. David Oyelowo, Taylor Sheridan's 'Bass Reeves' Series at Paramount+ Casts King Richard Star Demi Singleton (EXCLUSIVE), Star Trek: Discovery to End With Season 5, Paramount+ Pushes Premiere to 2024. Theo, played by Eduardo Franco, toes the line between trope, anti-stereotype, and just plain clueless. [12], The animated dolls sequence was created over five months by a team of thirty people. But Booksmart and other recent movies like it prove it can be done. Cops arrive at the party and everyone scatters. In both Booksmart and Superbad there's a party to get to, and a complication in getting to that party. An extremely drunk Seth carries Evan away to safety, while Molly shows up the next day to get Amy out of jail so that she can make it to graduation. [24], The score for Booksmart was composed by Dan the Automator. You guys dont even care about school! To which the more popular girl snaps back, No, we just dont only care about school.. Billie Lourd got those stunnah shades in BOOKSMART. Here are a few of our favorites. [35], Director J. J. Abrams asked: "When you have a movie that's as entertaining, well-made, and well-received as Booksmart not doing the business it should have [the teen comedy underperforming at the box office despite critics' raves], it really makes you realize that the typical Darwinian fight to survive is completely lopsided now. But even the ability to satirize progressivism is a kind of privilege. Although he had assisted with the scores of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) and Money Monster (2016), Booksmart was the first full film score that Dan composed for a major US film. Unchained Melody. Date of experience: February 03, 2022. Booksmart stars Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever in the lead. says the actress. Once Molly and Amy commit to crashing the night-before-graduation party where all the cool kids are going, Booksmart takes off with the nitro boost of a Bad Boys sequel leaning on a hip-hop soundtrack thats infinitely cooler than its characters to supply much of its energy. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. As Molly (Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) search for their seminal fun anecdote they take audiences on a one-night odyssey of real-life locations, from their Burbank high school to a deserted pizza shop parking lot. (Incidentally, Feldstein who played Saoirse Ronans best friend in 2017s Lady Bird is Superbad star Jonah Hills younger sister.). "The yachts are docked overnight and usually they go out into the harbor for the weddings," explains Byron. "I'm from the East Coast so I didn't really understand the huge difference between, like, San Fernando [the stand-in for the school] and Burbank, two completely different school districts with their own culture," says Wilde. Race: 3/5. Though Booksmart may have the same basic plot structure as Superbad, it's a long way from being a rip-off and both movies are great in their own way. The team went in search of a quintessentially Angeleno complex, which would serve as a subtle set piece to explain the differences between the two best friend's lifestyles. Following the revisions, Annapurna Pictures purchased the screenplay and approached Gloria Sanchez Productions to produce it; Gloria Sanchez' Jessica Elbaum pitched the screenplay to Olivia Wilde, who read the screenplay and two days later expressed admiration for it. [22][23] As a working mother, Wilde found the night filming challenging, but in the morning after filming she would take the time to bring her children to school. [8][10] Silberman explored a new concept: What if the two friends realized that they did high school all wrong? [26] It was then released theatrically in the United States on May 24, 2019 by Annapurna Pictures under its United Artists label. Molly, Amy, and Gigi (Billie Lourd) get consensually bashed on a legit yacht in Marina del Rey, renting from a company whose fleet is typically used for weddings. By Megan Angelo May 24, 2019 Wilde exclaims. Best friends Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) spent all of high school buckling down, skipping parties, studying in the library, and participating in extracurriculars, determined to get into the colleges of their choice. Seth and Evan both fumble their chance at getting with their crushes at Jules' party, but end up meeting up with them at the mall the next day and going their separate ways. [30] The film made $2.5 million on its first day, including $875,000 from Thursday night previews. And for Booksmart, a tour through the city serves as perfect symbolism. Waking up on graduation day, Molly checks her phone and discovers her classmates praising Amy for creating a diversion at the party, allowing everyone to escape the police while getting herself arrested. It received critical acclaim and grossed $25 million against a $6 million budget. Amy has a crush on a girl named Ryan, which Molly urges her to pursue. Performed by Sam Spiegel (feat. Where to decompress after a night shoot? BookSmart is an all-in-one solution that provides thousands of free books, learning materials and activities in various languages for K-12 children. The giant old homes in the West Adams area were the perfect world for the [dinner party] space.". 'Booksmart' is an American coming-of age -comedy movie that tells the story of two girls who decide to finally break the rules after a lifetime of following them. ", "How Will Movies Survive the Next 10 Years? instyle.io/uCFYQZV. ), Its another film in the grand tradition of right-around-graduation movies (Cant Hardly Wait, Dazed and Confused, Pretty in Pink, 10 Things I Hate About You), but Booksmart gives off especially distinct Superbad vibes, both in story structure and its general theme of growing up. All ages From 3 to 5 From 6 to 8 From 9 to 12 Booksmart vs. Superbad: How Similar Are They & Which is Better? One other major difference between Booksmart and Superbad is how they end - specifically with respect to whether the protagonists "get the girl" (or in Molly's case, boy). After all, you dont stop growing up and learning to be a better person after you graduate. With Directorial Debut 'Booksmart', Olivia Wilde Addresses Underestimated Demographic Of Young Women. The engaging content has been carefully curated to support learning and socio-economic goals and promote reading development. Plenty of actors-turned-film-makers do that. "One thing that I loved about the friendship was that, in my mind, they were friends despite coming from very different backgrounds," says Wilde. All Rights Reserved. Olivia Wilde's directorial debut Booksmart has basically the same plot as Greg Mottola's 2007 movie Superbad - but it's also different enough that the two movies compliment one another instead of one being the definitive version. "They make amazing pizza, which I discovered," she adds. [20][21], Principal photography began in May 2018 around the San Fernando Valley. It's through this obstacle that the hijinks occur - whether it's poor Fogel getting punched during a liquor store robbery, or Molly and Amy attempting to muscle information from a shady pizza delivery guy. overlook. When Amy later decides to show up late to her flight so that she and Molly can go and get pancakes. 90. Please enter a valid email and try again. Learning the pizza delivery man is a serial killer, they trade information to free Amy, and take Jared's car to graduation. What makes it extra special is its fantastic side characters. But according to the cast and crew, everything aboutBooksmartwas total kismet (see stars Beanie Feldstein, Kaitlyn Dever, and the rest of the gang singing Wilde's praises) and the flick's current award season momentum is just the latest in a highly charmed run. Booksmart is a fun movie for anyone to watch, but I think it could be particularly helpful for anyone who is working on a comedy, a story set in high school, or a story that focuses on friendship . his report cards. On the eve of graduation, Molly confronts classmates insulting her bookishness, telling them she got into Yale, but they reveal that, despite their partying, they got into prestigious colleges or job recruitments. CROCKETT HIGH SCHOOL - DAY The courtyard BUZZES with LOUD, Everybody's shrieking or laughing or crying with their friends. But, be warned: Anyone who simply stops to snap a shot in the parking lot, without going in to sample the goods, is making a grave mistake. A scene from "Booksmart" in a later totally cleaned-up hallway of San Fernando High School. Booksmart manages to be inclusive and progressive, without being precious about anything or sacrificing an ounce of humor. Booksmart stars Beanie Feldstein (younger sister of Superbad's Jonah Hill) as Molly, an over-achieving school class president getting ready to head off to Yale, and Kaitlyn Dever as Amy, a similarly hard-working introvert who came out as a lesbian for two years, but can't muster up the courage to ask out her crush, Ryan (Victoria Ruesga). Now its all about Trump. Booksmart is a 2019 American comedy film directed by Olivia Wilde (in her feature directorial debut) and written by Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, and Katie Silberman.It stars Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever as two graduating high school girls who set out to finally break the rules and party on their last day of classes. [42], Linda Holmes of NPR gave an especially favorable review, calling the film "a humane and heartfelt film without a mean bone in its figurative body". Due to script rewrites, parts of the animated scene involving a Roomba and a scene showing glitter vomit were cut from the film. What results is a furiously modern look at young people, as every kid in Booksmart stands on their own personality and preferences. We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Support our mission, and make a gift today. You can also contribute via. Wildes acting background helped lead the cast to give both wonderfully deranged and emotionally moving performances. From Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett to a potential Best Supporting Actress toss-up, see who EW thinks will win at the 2023 Oscars. "At that point, emotionally, the characters are pretty stressed out, so we rolled with it. Choose a book and start reading today! Most importantly, its incredibly fun to watch again and again. Read Next: Michael B. 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They may follow the same formula, but they're about different genders, different generations, and ultimately have very different styles.