Bottoms Review
The teen sex comedy is a genre that has seemingly disappeared from Hollywood for some time. Now in 2023 alone, we have had two, Jennifer Lawrence’s big screen return in No Hard Feelings and Bottoms.
Bottoms is Emma Seligman’s sophomore effort after her first film Shiva Baby in 2020. A panic-inducing comedy film starring Rachel Sennott in a breakout role. Sennott is back with Emma this time co-writing Bottoms.
Sennott is one of the stars of Emma’s new film along with Ayo Edebiri who is having one of the best years in 2023. The Bear season two, Theater Camp, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Bottoms. These two are new comedic forces in Hollywood.
Rachel and Ayo play PJ and Josie, two lesbian loser best friends at the “bottom” of their high school social rung. They want to lose their virginity before heading to college and start a female fight club to get closer to their crushes.
It’s a similar formula to the teen comedies of the 90s and 2000s, most notably compared to Superbad, which is the best comparison to Emma’s new film. PJ and Josie are just Seth and Evan for a new generation of teenagers.
Superbad had the progressive upgrade from films like American Pie with Evan knowing that what they were doing was weird, and it touches on the subject of consent, unlike its predecessors.
Where Bottoms is an upgrade for a new generation is making its leads female, gender flipping the story, separating it from all the predecessors. Unsurprisingly this is a new trend in our modern progressive era and it has led to mixed results.
It is not enough to gender or race flip a story trope, or even a remake with these changes. It needs to feel fresh. Which Bottoms does. In all this talk people will be screaming Booksmart, which came out a few years ago.
But, this is a better comedy, because the universe in Bottoms is completely absurd. Rather than in Booksmart where only Billie Lourd’s character is absurd, it constantly takes the audience out of the film. If your entire film universe is absurd, the rules are established early immersing the audience early in that universe.
Emma and Rachel’s script never wavers from their tone and they have a full understanding of the vision of the story. Emma’s direction is perfect across the board. Every actor understands the assignment, knowing the tone of the film and acting accordingly.
Emma even gets a great performance out of first-time actor Marshawn Lynch. Lynch is hilarious and Emma knows just how much screen time to give him so he doesn’t have too much burden of carrying the movie.
The script is superb with every joke landing, There were only four of us in the theater but we were all roaring with laughter and every joke. I only wish I could’ve seen this with a bigger crowd.
Sennott continues to be a comedic genius, if you have not seen Shiva Baby or Bodies, Bodies, Bodies you should watch them both and this film. Ayo is perfect as her more soft-spoken friend just trying to exist, but is just as funny while being less outspoken.
If you’re a fan of this genre or a fan of comedies definitely check this one out. If you’re a guy who sees two women helming a teen sex comedic and roll your eyes I implore you to check this one out because you will be laughing.
It is destined to become a comedy classic, if not a success in theaters then as a cult classic on streaming.
4/5 Stars
