Kino Lorber
PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edibiri) are high school “losers” who want to be more popular and get the girls they love from afar.
A rumor starts that they spent time in juvie and they lean into it and start, more or less, a high school fight club for girls. Both the objects of their affection, Brittany (Kaia Gerber) and Isabel (Havana Rose Liu) join the club.
With the help of their faculty advisor, Mr. G (Marshawn Lynch!?!?!?!) hilarity ensues.
Thankfully, that’s not an ironic statement.
Too many things billed as comedies aren’t funny. Bottoms is funny, full stop. The characters are all different and interesting. There are plenty of high school movie tropes, but the cliches are all dealt with in an amusing and entertaining way.
There is even a subplot with an explosive led by the adorably funny Hazel (Ruby Cruz). In an era of active shooter drills traumatizing children and parents living in fear until their children come home every day, this could have easily gone wrong. Instead it was really funny.
Miles Fowler and Nicholas Galitzine (Tim & Jeff) play a pair of football players that the plot orbits in a silly and over the top way as the school prepares for a homecoming game against a hated rival. Their characters are one dimensional by design and they play them with perfect obtuse humor, bringing to life the caricature of a high school football star perfectly.
The rest of the fight club is a conglomeration of high school caricatures, all of whom are well executed. The best one is played by Zamani Wilder (Annie) who has one of the funnier lines early in the film.
Annie: The prep club worked hard on those, they’re property of the school.
PJ: So’s your vagina
Annie: My vagina is property of the government
It’s quick, but it is so biting and delivered so perfectly it just punches you in the gut in a funny/not funny way. There are a lot of moments like this in Bottoms.
I saw an interview with the cast and they were all asked a question about who the funniest person was on set.
They all gave the same answer; Marshawn Lynch. The entire cast gushed about him. Director Emma Seligman said that Marshawn’s contributions were almost 100% improvised. She also said that they had so much extra footage of him being hilarious they “cheated” and included it during the credits. As someone who just watched it, I couldn’t agree more. It’s very clever and funny. The cast also universally commented on how sweet a person Marshawn is. Apparently, Beast Mode is an uproariously funny kitten post football.
I could write 5000 words about the subtle excellence of Ayo Edibiri. Her ability to convey emotion through expression is unmatched. If you haven’t watched her stealing scenes in The Bear… well, there’s not a lot I can do for you. It’s been one of the top episodic series for the last few years. Check it out. She’s one of the best things about one of the best shows on TV. She’s one of the best things about the funniest movie I’ve seen in years.
Rachel Sennott is a throwback.
She reminds so much of the classic SNL women. Maya Rudolph can be sexless and cold in one scene and sexy and demure in another. She’s one in a long history of comedic women with incredible range and I haven’t seen a ton of Rachel Sennott, but she gives me that vibe every time I see her. She’s super talented. In addition to being one of the stars of Bottoms, she also wrote it.
One of the things I love about this generation of stars/writers/directors is that the LGBTQ+ themes are just part of the plot without being the plot. The main characters in the film are gay, but it isn’t anything more than just part of their identities. I’m sure there are other films that execute this well, but this is the definition of inclusion as far as I’m concerned and this film executes it lovingly and well. I’m a cisgendered hetero white dude so I am sure there are other, more qualified writers to critique this part of the film with a more authentic eye, but as an ally, I appreciated it a lot.
So, as a comedy, Bottoms has it all. There are funny lines, funny situations, funny visuals, well executed foils, absurdity, and silliness. The over the top parts are supposed to be, including a genetically correct mascot costume that will make you laugh, then haunt you. The cast is wonderful, and it seemed clear to me as I watched and then in some of the interviews I perused, they had a blast making this film. Their fun translates into ours, as viewers.
Extras include audio commentaries, deleted scenes, outtakes, making of, and trailer.
If you haven’t seen Bottoms, give it a go. It’s absolutely worth the time.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login