Bottoms

People were hyping this movie up like it was the second coming of Brian. But not only did it fail to evoke any response mildly resembling a laugh, it in fact made me wonder what people even consider to be funny these days.

It's over-the-top satire, sure, I get that, and I even get what this movie tries to poke fun at, but I just found myself being unable to enjoy or even connect with this particular style of annoying teenage humour. I don't know if this is a generational thing or a cultural thing... it could be both. All I know is that it just wasn't for me.

I don't think I'll ever recommend this to anyone, but neither would I recommend against it. Because humour is extremely subjective, and maybe this might be the funniest movie you'd have seen.

I really can't score this movie any lower than a nine. Not only was it my style of humor, it was able to stay entertaining all the way to the end. No third act deflation! And on top of being funny for the entire runtime, I enjoyed the story. I actually thought it had a plot that drew me in and gave me a highly satisfying resolution. I appreciated the fact that there were so many ridiculous details that it was almost like this movie was set in an alternate universe. For me, it kept the balance exactly right. Wild, but with some grounded elements to keep me caring about the characters. I think this could become one of my favorite comedies of all time. I don't know how many other people I would show it to, because I think the humor was extremely subjective, but I treasured it.

When 'Bottoms' started I thought to myself, okay this is 'Superbad' but with women. And it kind of was for a time. Then it somehow became 'Fight Club' with women, and finished up as a film I had never seen before. This was a journey.

The film is done in quite a bizarre way. It's set in the present but everyone dresses like the 70s and there are no smart phones. Also there are almost no adults in the film and the few that there are are absolute monsters. If there's a school assembly the students are just running it, for example. You get used to it after a while but I can't remember another film like it in that sense.

The film is at its best when it is just trying to be wacky and funny. There's a period in the middle where some conflict arrises and the film gets bogged down briefly. Which is a shame because when the film is trying to be funny it is genuinely funny. There is some great dialogue in this film. I had a good time. 8/10.

Now here's a high school, that you'd love to go to, as anything goes - nothing's taboo, where two single girls, who aren't looking for pearls, start a club to find love, that gets quite misconstrued. There is punching and kicking, a shove with a push, the dialogues quite racy and might make you blush (if you're of a certain age and demographic), a battle of sexes, as pairs become exes, the romance is there, but it just isn't mush. Growing up can be tough if you're different from others, once being a woman kept you under the covers, now the rules of engagement, don't lead to enragement, and a progressive world - just will not be smothered.

Bottoms tells the story of two friend deeply in love with the school's top cheerleader. During a chance meeting, they discovered how they were horribly treated by their boyfriends. With the increasing reports of attacks on woman, they hatched a plan to help their crushed or actually just have loving hugs with them by opening up a 'Fight Club'-inspired self-defense club.

I would say that I have some reservations with Bottoms BUT I think the clearest thing about this is that Seligman is a great fundamental director.

I think the script for this could definitely hit harder. The lesbian elements, and the crassness and quotability, for a film like this can definitely been higher. The overall flow of the story and the commentary is somewhat haphazard BUT definitely leans on that its self serving and can be annoying - which is rare for modern films like this. Who tends to glorify it for the sake of cookie points. The allotment of improv somewhat disrupts whatever it is trying to go for at times.

Acting-wise, no one is really noteworthy. Senott and Ayo were fine. They are acting but did not elevate the material particularly. Very disappointed with Galitzine, especially since he is one hit away from stardom. His role here is a foil BUT can definitely amped up in Austin Abrams in Do Revenge kind of way. He just rested in pretty, which was disappointing.

BUT, I see a director who has a vision in what product she wants to tell. Its an imperfect film but I think Seligman can course herself into something big if she turned up the writing.

Recommended. Will definitely seek Shiva Baby.