Bottoms

Just when you thought you’d seen every spin on the high school/coming of age film, Bottoms comes along as an utter blast of fresh air for the genre.

Imbued with that unmistakable sense of Producer Elizabeth Banks’ energy and filled with improv’, it’s a surreal, heightened comedy world that gleefully subverts a lot of the genre’s tropes and cliches whilst also still proving heartfelt and genuine.

Two ‘ugly, untalented gays’ (their words, and the schools which should give a clue as to the unfiltered humour) form a fight club to get out of being expelled (it doesn’t care too much for plot logic) and also to get close to the cheerleaders they have a crush on. That synopsis alone should not only draw you right in but also nail how gloriously strange this is.

Sharing a cast member (Ayo Edebiri, excellent) and an energy with another comedy from this year, Theater Camp, this is almost like that film’s term time cousin albeit without the ‘faux-documentary’ stylings.

An absolutely killer soundtrack (Charli XCX is on the original score and her tunes are shuffled with some classic bangers) and a slightly vague time period setting (following in the footsteps of Sex Education to seem at once entirely modern whilst also classic) elevates it further.

It’s borderline chaotic at points and certainly the comedy and tone won’t be for everybody. It also has a pretty unhinged ending which sticks the landing with regards the metaphor and message the film is trying to convey.

A bold, original and funny second film from Director Emma Seligman (her first: Shiva Baby is an essential watch and also stars co-lead Rachel Sennott) and a fresh new addition to the high school comedy pantheon.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️