Why It Ranks
Booksmart is the most critically acclaimed teen comedy since Superbad. Wilde's direction is confident and stylish. Feldstein and Dever are a generational comedy duo. The film treats every character — including the 'cool kids' — as a full human. It flopped theatrically and became a streaming classic. Justice will come.
The Film
Booksmart is the Superbad for a new generation — two overachieving best friends realize on the last night before graduation that they should have partied more, and embark on an odyssey to make up for four years of responsible behavior. Olivia Wilde's directorial debut has the visual energy of Edgar Wright and the emotional honesty of the best Apatow productions. Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever have the most natural best-friend chemistry since Rogen and Hill. The film flopped at the box office and will be rediscovered every year forever.
Fun Facts
The film has a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes — one of the highest-rated comedies of the decade.
Billie Lourd's unhinged party girl Gigi was largely improvised — her commitment to the chaos stole every scene.
Olivia Wilde screened Superbad, Lady Bird, and Dazed and Confused for the cast to establish the film's tone.
The underwater sequence was filmed in a real pool with the actors holding their breath — no CGI was used.
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