Dude

Only reviewing this because the other reviews were so polarised.

It starts off pretty badly with white girls talking like gangster rappers but it does pick up as it goes along and it was definitely reminiscent of my last few weeks of high school.

Seeing lots of complaints about the girls' behaviour and drug use but the movie is set in a hippie school, similar to where I went to school and yes, we were very mutlicultural, very promiscuous and very into marijuana. Anyone complaining about how this doesn't fit their idea of high school obv doesn't get it. Perhaps you went to a school more similar to the Mike character.

I find it a much welcome break from the usual BS cheerleader, jock, geek stereotype that everyone associates with american teen movies. The great thing about Netflix movies and shows is how they are breaking all the preconceived notions of how a movie should be made and we are seeing diverse storylines that the networks would never have risked airing.

Considering that the vast majority of teen movies play into the middle america scenarios of neatly defined social roles this is a great movie which appeals to those of us that didn't go to your average government school.

I don't know what everyone is so up in arms about (other than the rape scene) which to be fair to the movie does happen quite a lot, and in a similar way to which it was portrayed on screen. It happens to a lot of young girls where it doesn't feel as dramatic or traumatic in real life because you were already there, half-naked, making out with a guy, and then he just kinda slips it in, and you don't really know how to react at that point, and even if you do say stop (instead of just cry) he doesn't listen to whatever you're saying until he finishes, and then you feel really ashamed and taken advantage of, but you also know that you were there in bed consenting to whatever it happened before hand , so you kinda try to blow it off or you aren't feeling outraged enough at that point, while still feeling responsible or ashamed, and you end up not wanting to share about it to anyone (not even your closest best friends). We all know it's not the correct response, and that we shouldn't feel guilty or feel like it was our bad, but I thought that that was kind of accurate to some people's real life experience and reaction. So, unlike others, I could easily tell where she was coming from. Obviously I don't think the drug use and the sex was all that shocking. I know my friends and I did a hell of a lot worse while we were In high school, and that was back in the early 90's, so in 2018, when the film was made, it really doesn't have any true shock value anymore. I mean 'Skins' was way more shocking than this. I also don't think calling it terrible is exactly fair and there was some really genuine acting and experiences in there as well as some fun events. A lot of it didn't work, but when it did, it worked well. I didn't hate it and I didn't love it, but it deserves better than say a 2 or a 3.

I went into DUDE thinking it was yet another teen comedy about prom and how much high school life sucks. I was pleasantly surprise to find a small and lovely story about friendship, love and life. Lucy Hale is a force of nature! Not to mention Austin Butler's heartbreaking presence through out the film, moving the story forward.

It's the last few weeks of school before four best friends go off on their own. Lily (Lucy Hale) is student body president organizing prom. Chloe (Kathryn Prescott) is still struggling with the loss of her brother one year later but Lily may be worst. Lily is going to Columbia and expects Chloe to go to NYU. Along with Amelia (Alexandra Shipp) and Rebecca (Awkwafina), they party and smoke weed. Noah (Alex Wolff) has a crush on Lily.

I think this is trying to be a darker teen drama with humor for the modern girl. It's a struggle to get the mixture right. The comedy doesn't come off since there is the underlying sadness from the very beginning. Lily's dark abandonment issues need to be spelled out clearly and set up for later payoff. It seems to be the central issue but the movie struggles to bring it out. The good acting saves a lot of this but it's filmmaker Olivia Milch's first feature. There are good aspects and also ones that are lacking. If the audience is to care about Lily and Thomas, it would help to see their relationship. They could have a scene at the beginning with the couple talking about her losing her dad. It's a necessity. This is a valiant first attempt but it is undeniably a first attempt by a newbie.

To everyone saying this isn't how high school girls act, it definitely is... especially in Southern California (where it looks like this took place). All my friends smoked weed, drank, partied, and had sex in school. This obviously isn't the greatest movie but it's a good indie film and realistic depiction of high school