Some of the best films out there are the smaller independent ones, especially those that take a real life look at the youth of today. The latest Booksmart features a great cast including Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Jessica Williams, Will Forte and Jason Sudekis with Olivia Wilde at the helm making her film directing debut, but does it have that something special to make the grade or does it deserve and F?

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Booksmart follows high school best friends and the bonds we create that last a lifetime. Capturing the spirit of our times, the film is a coming of age story for a new generation told from a wildly original, fresh and modern perspective. I really enjoyed getting to know Beanie Feldstein, who some may know as Jonah Hill’s sister.  At one point I was thinking, ‘is she going to be as funny as him’?  But once the movie was in full swing, I wasn’t even thinking about who she was related to because she is seriously funny in her own way.  So, forget her as ‘Jonah Hill’s sister’; I present to you the awesome and talented Beanie!  In this film, she presents a fun and quirky persona that is super serious but a little bit over the top which makes her laugh at loud hilarious! This is such a great performance; you do not want to miss it.

 

I also enjoyed getting to see more of Kaitlyn Dever.  I have been a fan hers on Last Man Standing and it’s been fun seeing her grow up before our eyes.  And now, wow, we see her completely grown up dealing with some crazy young adult issues that I won’t even say is ‘something we all deal with’, because all these crazy things that happen to these girls in just one night is completely unbelievable. You know how sometimes a movie is just so over the top and unbelievable that it becomes ridiculous?  Guess what, that doesn’t happen here.  It is over the top and crazy, but in a totally believable and fun way.  The movie ends and you are still wondering ‘did that just happen?’  And guess what my friends, yes it did!  And you know you liked it!

 

Other things of note are the amazing and funny costumes, plus the performances of the other main young cast members were great (Skyler Gisondo, Billie Lourd, Noah Galvin and Austin Crute). This is a true and honest coming of age, high school, what it’s currently like to be a teenager, type movie that is not to be missed.  Please note that the movie is Rated R and does include drug use, crude language, sex of all sorts (you can decipher that how you will) and although I think its okay for older teens to watch it, you may want to keep your younger kids at home.