How Booksmart Subverts Teen Stereotypes | Video Essay
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 ก.ค. 2024
- Booksmart, the directorial debut of Olivia Wilde, tells the story of two nerdy teenage girls living it up on their last day of high school. There's a lot more than meets the eye with the film, and I feel like it's overlooked. Today I analyze how Booksmart stays surprisingly fresh through subverting teen stereotypes.
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Dude, This video is genius and I wish more movie directors made movies like these. The ones that don't make teens seem so generic
I always loved how Booksmart represented the popular kids. Some of them are mean but in actuality some of them are genuinely likable people. In my school the popular kids were also academically smart and were active in clubs, activities, etc. It’s refreshing to not see the same old hyper sexualized mean girl, or completely dumb jock that’s used to show how cool the nerd characters are. Sometimes people are just people
Same....though my school was full of immigrants and first generations so whether they were popular or unpopular, everyone had to work hard...otherwise our parents would beat our ass. Lol
yeah but we aren't just people were more than that, we have personality.
@@wwehulk8798 people have personalities lol. having a personality doesn't make you 'more', it makes you a normal human being
@@lucyolia3104 I know I think that's how meant to put it but it probably sounded confusing out of context. my bad 😂
So true
Another thing I applaud about the movie is how Amy is gay but it's not this huge plot point or anything. It shows how LGBT storylines fit totally fine into the larger plot. I think it's the right step towards acceptance and normalization.
Hell yeah
YES, and how Molly being a bigger girl isn’t a plot point at all of her being insecure or making jokes about her weight. Like how they make Rebel Wilson and Meghan McCarthy constantly joke about eating in movies.
Literally that’s ALL I want in representation. That’s one of the reasons why I love the new Saved by the Bell reboot, there’s a trans character but her character isn’t about being trans, obviously it gets brought up, but her character is more than just a trans character. I love it when tv shows and movies do that because like you said, it normalizes it better.
I also appreciated Amy’s comment about Ryan. Making a point to say that she doesn’t even know if she’s gay and correcting her friend for assumptions. And that at the end when Ryan is hooking up with a guy it’s never this big thing other than breaking both Amy and Molly’s hearts that their respective crushes aren’t interested in them but other people. It’s way more realistic to our world today.
This
I also really really love how Molly was never degraded or disliked because of her weight just her personality, she even says it herself when she talks about why Nick would never like her, it was because of her 'butter personality' and never her weight/looks, this is emphasised by how Nick actually flirts with her at his party and how close they get before he hooks up with the other girl. She's also rather fashionable in the sense that she wears co-ordinated outfits rather than a stereotypical nerd fit picked out by her mother or something. Just a really great way of letting a fat person just exist in media 💗
@@user-mb9nm7bq5e people deff got bullied in my school for being on the chubby side
@@user-mb9nm7bq5e same with me-and even if overweight people do get bullied for their size, it’s also nice to see a character where their weight isn’t their main flaw or thing they have to come to terms with. it often feels like the gay, plus size or poc’s characters arc just surrounds the obvious, so it’s really refreshing to see more depth and better writing:)
Lmao fat people
The fact that she's called a "butter personality" in the first place is a great subversion to typical tropes as well. The typical trope is, of course, a "butter face" meaning a girl who has a great body but an ugly face--in Booksmart, Molly is considered _attractive,_ and in a completely acceptable manner, but it's her personality that drives people away. The movie didn't ONLY avoid making jokes at the expense of her appearance, it ACTIVELY portrayed those around her as finding her attractive and not caring about her weight. Which, considering how fat characters are treated...is amazing.
When they are turned into barbies she also miss her body shape cause she's comfortable with it
Booksmart is the first teen movie that actually felt like high school, the popular kids are often smart, and popular kids are usually not the bullies.
Tbh, the popular kids that do bully will most likely be looked down upon by others and their popularity doesn't last because nobody likes them ore wants to be around them
Check out Dazed and Confused it's very different from this but it's still a great high school kids movie.
@DJHart ooh, that’s the take I was looking for. Yes
Palo Alto its cool too
@@thatgirlwhoplaysviolin6365 Define bully. I'm sorry, not liking someone doesn't mean they're a bully.
I totally would have worn Jared's shirt.
absolutely
totallyyyy
a guy at my sister's high school wrote his name on a white t-shirt and someone joked that they also wanted a 'chad shirt' so he did it again and sold it to them for $20. then someone else asked for one. then someone else. he sold more than 100 of those stupid white t-shirts with his name written across them in sharpie 😂
SAME
Everyone in my old tiny povo hs would have worn it and complimented him on the shirt, but in an ironic and mean way.
I didn't think I'd see a video essay about Booksmart. It's so much fun, but also a genuinely good movie. It's so refreshing to see a fat girl like Molly who isn't shy and self-loathing, and even gets two romantic interests to pick from.
I feel like Booksmart deserves more video essays, tbh. I've seen a couple of mentions in other essays over the years.
Just searched and found quite a number of evaluations of the movie. I haven't watched them but they look potentially insightful.
Not just that molly never pulled punches or made herself smaller. Confident loud fat women exist irl with more purpose than a punchline and we deserve more of that rep in media.
YES YES YES
I’m pretty sure it’s Molly
I love how they have to realize that sacrificing your social life to do well academically doesn't make you better than other people. I had a similar crisis when I realized that a lot of my peers who I considered "dumb" for one reason or another got into the same college as me. At first I was angry and blamed either their wealth or respective sports, but later I realized that the college admissions process is pretty mysterious and messed up regardless of how hard you work in high school, and it's difficult to say who "deserves" to be there. Like Amy and Molly, I came to regret that I worked so hard and missed out on so many experiences in high school (and resented my parents for making it seem like a social life and academic success were mutually exclusive). There's so much pressure on kids to take a million APs, be a part of academic clubs, do a sport, and volunteer in order to build a college resume- meanwhile college isn't even right for everyone, a lot of people enter jobs that don't use their degree, college puts a lot of people into insurmountable debt, and sometimes even with a "good" degree from a prestigious college you either can't find a job or are unhappy in the ones you find. Kids are pitted against one another in academic environments and taught to make certain judgements about their peers because of this narrative, and I definitely fell prey to that line of thinking.
In my last semester of college now, entering an economy devastated by the pandemic, I've realized that so much life is wasted thinking that if you follow society's blueprint for what will lead to success, you still aren't guaranteed to land that job you wanted and you more than likely won't be happy even if you do. Now I just want to graduate so I can move to the other side of the world and work as a landscaper or construction worker or something like that. I don't necessarily want to "use" my degree or follow the predetermined path, because I've realized that won't make me happy or better than others. I think that's a major reason why this movie resonated so much with me, and I think a lot of other people are in the same boat.
perfectly said! 👏
You said this so well.
Not me screenshotting the hell out of this comment 💀
Couldn't have put it any better - a social life and high grades are not mutually exclusive!
I hope you find fulfilment in whatever you move onto next :)
wow I wish I saw this comment before applying for college
You, sir, have officially ascended
What I love about gen z media is it depicts high school as being so much less cliquey than earlier generations. Yes there are still different groups with different traits/interests, but they kinda all get along and don’t take themselves that seriously.
Yes i totally agree☝️ well said
yess
Yes I agree. It’s always really weird to hear my dad’s stories about high school, because those strict boundaries between cliques apparently were a real thing back then. It was even considered “weird” to go to prom without a date lmao
Was there really like a popular kid hierarchy like movies depict? like when did people have time to establish that in just 4 years?
@@silvercrystal2009 Yeah apparently, but I don’t think those hierarchies exist anymore in modern schools
i really hope booksmart becomes a classic for our generation like how the goonies is for the 80s and mean girls for the 2000s
Mean Girls was great but did not portray the teenage experience well compared to Booksmart (or maybe it did for girls, but I didn't feel my school was anything like it (even disregarding the fact that I'm European)) so I'd say it's even better than Mean Girls. High School for me was much more about kids being awkward in different ways, highly emotional, or trying to come of cooler than they were. I'd say the show Inbetweeners (the original UK version. Also, not the movie based on the show) was kinda more accurate to me, though it never got as famous as films like mean girls. Also, Veronica Mars had some moments that portrayed teenagers well, even though it was mainly a neo-noir with High School set-dressing.
@@KarlSnarks then again mean girls was satirized and exhagerrated on purpose but still managed to portray the truth of many teenage experiences
@@killme5630 yeah i agree im just saying that i hope it becomes a classic
@@KarlSnarks yeah i agree with that completely im just saying that i hope it becomes a classic like mean girls has
Seconded.
Jared is just depressingly hilarious
1k likes with no replies hmm
Molly: [Nick] is going to get arrested the night before graduation.
Also Molly: Gets arrested the night before graduation
No Amy gets arrested, not Molly
@@laraduff4949 oh fuck right i forgot xD
I think it subverts expectations well because most teen/high school stereotypes are outdated. There were about 1000 kids in my graduating HS class. Almost all the popular kids (well as popular as you could be in a class of 1000 and school of 3800) were in the top 10% academically and most smoked weed, partied on the weekends, and took straight AP classes. That to me is an accurate representation of teenagers now. Teens that are teens but also have their shit together academically. That may be why I like Booksmart so much. I finally saw a teen high school movie and was like "this is accurate!"
And the popular kids aren't all bullies and mean. People in my school got along very well. I'm glad a lot of these tropes were challenged in this movie. It is very very realistic that some of the kids who party a lot also have good grades as well.
@@Ray03595 or maybe you wouldn’t considered a freak ... I was bullied for being the gay fat goth , punk, grunge guy ... the look depended on the year and season. But maybe Texas high school was hell for me and it felt just like the 80s and 90s teen film
I think it aslo differs from school to school and also with the perspective that you have of different people. At my school some of the people who would be considered popular where kind of bullies but a lot of people maybe would not think of them that way because the kids getting bullied were the 'weird' kids no one cared about.
@@razminfox1787 key words: texas high school, that place is brutal dude hope you got through it with minimal emotional scarring
@@tinkersdinkers I wish I could say I did . But formative years of social rejection and homophobia bullying really did a number on my mind . Middle school was a rough start the bullying made me suicidal by 11 far to younge to be dreaming of dying so realizing I was actually gay in 6th grade kinda broke my persecution of myself because now everything they called me was true ... high school was slightly better but that’s like comparing torture methods sure the stretch better then being boiled alive but both were horrible . Gay jokes homophobic slurs the common method of bullying from elementary to high school asking me out as a prank ... or saying a guy liked me ... but that’s just The homophobic bullying . The general bullying happened to making fun of my overbite and speech impediment . In elementary they started a game about me . Called it the Eric touch . It was like the cheese touch in dairy of a wimpy kid ... but I was the cheese a living disease I could only spread but never shed . I passed on to more but never got rid of it . The game followed me from elementary to high school... imagine having the school make a game about excluding you from human contact .
As someone who was very similar to Molly at school, Booksmart blew me away. Made me feel uncomfortably seen and emotional but also the message about not having to pigeonhole your identity was so comforting.
omg the pigeonhole thing! that's what o was looking for!
The opposite is true for me I guess in the sense that I felt like for the longest time (more in middle school, not as much in high school) that because I was smart and a little awkward classmates assumed I was like Molly's character at the start: arrogant and looking down on everyone. I have no clue why people thought I was looking down on them. I feel weird saying this about myself but I'm the type who has a good thing to say about everyone. I chalk it up to their own insecurities.
@@cgarcia3614 yeah im really humble in that way too ;)
@@cgarcia3614 Yeah I had a similar experience. I was the weird shy kid with really good grades and I think people thought I was like Molly, except that I hated talking about grades, it was always everyone else who brought them up and it was basically my defining feature. I will admit that because of my insecurities I've always been kinda sarcastic and maybe that's what was leading them that way. I'm much happier now in an adult world where grades aren't a thing anymore and my other features seem to be more visible. I'm more known now as a friendly clumpsy clown who makes terrible jokes. And.... yep, that's pretty much me, so I'm ok with that.
@@cgarcia3614 I totally get that. My secondary school arranged people in classes based on their grades and I'm always placed in the top class but my standing was always below average in that class however it didn't stop some people saying that I'm arrogant whereas I was just shy and didn't know how to talk to people. It was upsetting and to this day it is quite my insecurity to be seen as arrogant when I am not.
This film is so underrated :(
it rlly isn't lol
@@mikewazowksi7938 true, it actually got quite a lot of buzz, mainly because Olivia Wilde directed it.
Ikr most people in my fam haven’t seen in I had to show it to them!! It’s my fav movie!!
no it isn't lmfaoo... it has a 96% rotten tomatoes rating
I like this movie a lot. People who don't enjoy it tend to take it too serious as some indie coming of age instead of what it's intend to be: a teen comedy.
No, I just hate the dialogue. It’s cringe...
@@cantbelieveitsnotredacted1117 it’s made by adults for teens, it will always be cringe
It’s so weird because I see both in Molly and Amy, I’m a mix of both of them. It’s honestly refreshing to see
Omg same... I have similar life experiences to Molly, grew up gay, nerdy, and awkward but I'm much personality wise like Molly, arrogant, ambitious and obsessive over academic work
@@estherx4075 ME TOO
I think there was quite a lot of pressure for me to always be doing well academically and outside school so I developed this Molly personality since if I wasn't tough I would've crumbled.
But ever since I realised I am actually a lesbian and finally accepted that about myself, I could gradually let go of this Molly side to me (since I also put others down/into a box like Molly due to me feeling if I was lower than them I wasn't worth it?). Like I am finally not holding myself to such high standards
and now i am more Amy than anything!
One thing that I also loved is that they talk like real teenagers do. Not in the sense that they use "modern slang" or anything. More in the sense that the characters talk like they don't know exactly what they're going to say. I don't know how to articulate it, but specifically Jared talking about how he likes airplanes and musicals sounds natural because it feels like he's saying his thoughts as they come, rather than delivering a monologue.
yes !
i'm so tired of the "OMG SELFIE" troupe in coming of age movies, thats why i love booksmart it was so believable and relatable, no pulled out of thin air old man created teenage stereotypes
MOLLY IS SUCH A GOOD REPRESENTATION OF HIGHSCHOOLERS!!! I spent high school spreading myself soooooo thin by participating in sports that I didn't enjoy and taking AP classes that I didn't care about so my performance in both areas suffered. I ended up turning to self harm because it was like a physical representation of the pain I felt on the inside. Like Molly, I thought to myself that all this pain I'm going through would be worth it because at least I will get into a good college. I never went to any parties and barely hung out with my friends because I didnt have the time but as a result, I viewed myself as hardworking while characterizing my peers who showed up to school with full faces of make up and partied on the weekends as students who would 'peak in highschool'. That was until I overheard a group of these 'popular kids' talking about their grades one day and they were much more successful than I was. At that point. I developed a HUGE victim complex because I didn't have the grades that I tried so hard for and didn't have any fun in highschool at all. I felt like Molly to a certain extent because in her mind, she had to follow a certain path to reach her goal and anyone who wasn't like her, wasn't working hard enough in her eyes. College decisions recently came back too and I got rejected or waitlisted from all the schools I wanted to go to and its like BRUHHH ALL THIS TORTURE WAS FOR NOTHING!! I'm a senior now so it feels like any opportunity I had to make up for lost time is gone due to COVID-19. I really wish I could have that one night where I just let loose with my friends/classmates and just enjoy highschool before its over (I'm not losing hope yet tho). Either way, I'm glad I learned this lesson early on in life because NEVER AGAIN will I overestimate how hard I'm working compared to others and I also won't sacrifice having fun and building relationships because I think it will lead to success in the long run. Enough focusing on the future, LIVE IN THE NOW!!! (bye that was so cheesy but you get my point)
p.s. This was an AMAZING video essay that really opened up my eyes to key points that I originally missed while watching the movie!!
Reading this made me so sad, but I'm honestly so relieved to know I'm not the only one who feels like this. Even though I'm not exactly the same: I never tried hard in school, mostly because I had so much going on outside of it and also because I was the biggest perfectionist and was WAY too afraid to apply myself, give something my all and then end up failing (I actually got first place in a bridge-building competition, got accepted for the lead in a musical, had my teacher ask to submit one of my short stories to the local newspaper, etc. but I turned down every opportunity to keep going with it because I was too afraid of failure)
I can DEFINITELY relate to the victim complex though. I always thought that the reason people didn't like me is because I was poor (my family and I lived in a trailer), or because I had eclectic interests, had to thrift all my clothes, or because I was "misunderstood", but honestly I probably had so much trouble making friends because I was angsty, anxious, anorexic and had terrible social skills 😂 Most of my time was spent drawing, riding my bike around town, contemplating life, and crying.
It wasn't until my senior year that I decided I wanted to actually try to "live it up" and REALLY applied myself.. Too much. I ended up getting straight A's, joined the cross country team, took night classes at the college, got my first job (and spent a bit on cute clothes lol), gained some weight which helped with my confidence, ended up making quite a few friends (and met my best friend at homecoming!), AND ended up getting into my first relationship. Yeah, needless to say I was running on fumes for an entire year. I still don't know how I managed to do it all, but trust me when I say that the things you think are going to fix everything and finally make you happy with yourself/your life? I got to experience them all, and it NEVER lasts. I focused too much on my high school grades so my relationship started to suffer and then I focused too much on my relationship and my college grades started to suffer, all the friends I made in my senior year seemed to disappear after we graduated, and my best friend moved away after a year or so, my job ended up being a big source of stress and I was constantly overextending myself because I didn't know how to say no when they asked if I could cover their shifts and do more than I was paid to. Then I decided I couldn't live in the trailer with my family anymore because I was honestly embarrassed of it at the time, so I moved in with my boyfriend! 🤦♀️ unfortunately he ended up being emotionally abusive and took advantage of all my underlying insecurities (they were all still there, just hiding. I learned A LOT about myself during this time), and you know what? I think you get the picture lol.
Anyways, eventually it all got to be too much, and I hated what my life had become, and I had started to compare myself to other people for the first time in my life and realized how ""behind"" I was (what a dumb concept) and I thought I had already made too many mistakes and was never gonna get to become the person I wanted to be (I wanted to work with animals, travel the world, love and be loved, etc.) so I tried to end it. Luckily I was unsuccessful and I realized that once and for all I had to stop trying to live the life I thought I was "supposed" to, and start living the life I wanted to. So I did! I broke up with my boyfriend and used my savings from working like crazy to travel to 10 different countries, and when I came back home I started volunteering at my local animal shelter ❤ I'm still working on making friends (bit hard with the pandemic) but I'm also learning to be content with being alone, and knowing that I don't need anyone to make me feel worthy of love and happiness. Honestly, I wish I knew THAT when I was in high school, I would've been so much happier if I didn't FEEL like I was missing out on so many things.
I honestly didn't mean for this comment to get so long so I'm so sorry if you do decide to read this haha, I guess I just hope I could show you a bit of a different perspective. I definitely felt like I wasted my high school experience as well, and regretted all the time I had wasted thinking I knew better - that I was doing everything right when honestly I was just an insecure dumbass trying to make myself feel better about not being happy with my life and having all the typical high school experiences that everyone else was having, but when I did try to change all of that, it showed me that none of those things will ever "fix" anything. My real problem was being too afraid to be myself, to fail and learn from my mistakes, to be content with being a flawed human being who doesn't always know what's best for herself, etc. I can't be mad at my younger self for not knowing better because I really thought I did! Best lesson you can learn from that is to never take yourself too seriously, or sort of pigeonhole yourself into always thinking and acting a certain way because your ego tells you that that's who you are, end of story.
Okay I definitely need to stop writing and go to bed now lmao. Just know that you're doing great and I'm so proud of you for all of your accomplishments, even if they didn't turn out to benefit you in exactly the way that you thought they would - they definitely have/will teach you some of the most important lessons about yourself, including learning what's important to YOU and what YOU want out of your life, and not measuring your success using anyone else's ruler. As you said: LIVE IN THE NOW! High school definitely is not/should not be the best time of your life, that'd just be sad haha. Enjoy yourself as much as you can right now. Best of luck ❤
@@applesnow1038 Oh my goodness, thank you so much for taking the time to write such a detailed response and share your story with me! I didn't think anyone would actually read my comment or care about what I had to say but, thankfully, you've proven me wrong.
Honestly, after reading this, I can imagine your life being a book/movie because of how many obstacles you had to face yet still came out strong on the other end. It must have taken a lot of courage to pack up your life and start traveling but WOW it seems to have paid off!! I know you said this exact same thing to me (and it meant a lot) but I'm so proud of YOU for all that you've accomplished and I hope you are proud of yourself too.
I've never heard that saying before -- "don't measure yours success using anyone else's ruler" -- but i REALLY needed to hear it. I always compare myself to others and worry so much about how other people view me. I know I know that "comparison is the thief of happiness" and bla bla bla but its so much easier said than done. However, your words have given me a new outlook considering success looks different for everyone. I'm tired of living life in the past and only focusing on the things I could've done different because theres literally no point in doing that at ALL. I need to remember that I am in control of my life and it's my job to prioritize my happiness.
I wish I had more to write but just know that your words will stick with me (I've already written down some of what you said into my journal lol). Anyways, I hope you are doing good and thanks again for reaching out.
I didn't have much choice in it but same homie, it's tough
I think it's also important to realize that YOUR high school experience is not the country-wide experience. I grew up in a pretty multicultural area and my High School was a lot like Booksmart's, but when I went to college I met a bunch of people from small white towns, and their high schools were honestly pretty damn stereotypical. "Big dumb jocks and mean girls" still definitely exist.
I think Molly finding out about the other kids going to good schools too is important because it shows that her chosen life-style wasn't the ONLY path to the reward she wanted.
She assumed that her path to a good college was the ONLY path, and didn't consider the possibility that everyone else was trying hard as well but not having such a zero-sum approach to fun vs work.
If the other kids weren't going to good schools, it wouldn't phase Molly as a character because she would still be vindicated in believing her path was the only one that mattered since it led to her highest priority. Upon finding out other students are also going to similarly good schools, it forces her to consider OTHER priorities a student might have beyond just academic or professional performance
also, i think she kinda asses that she sacrifices a lot to be academically good as the lesson she learned in the first sequence. she sacrifices having extra curricular activities and partying for her to have a discipline in achieving her goals. and she realized that those things are not she (technically) need to sacrifice on.
I love Jared, he’s so sweet.
And the guy who plays him was also Eric in Santa Clarita diet, another sweetheart character
nerdy people really are the meanest at school most of the time
I agree sometimes they’re arrogant, but I wouldn’t say they’re the meanest most of the times. At least for me, a lot of them keep to themselves. I don’t they actively go and be “mean” to people.
I can relate to that: I'm also the "smart" guy that is really good at maths and wears glasses but for like 6 years of school i was also this arrogant student who thought his classmates/schoolmates are fucking morons and i'm better than them just because i have higher marks than they do and i go math contests unlike them. However, when i was like in the 6th grade (Note: I'm not from US nor UK) i realised that although being the nerd i was a fucking asshole and then i started to correct my attitude and became friend with all my collegues and the guys i considered stupid back then, have become some of my best friends.
The funny part is, now, some of the other collegues (mostly the girls) are only staying inside studying for the Exam (in my country, there is a really important exam at the end of the 8th grade) and the sad part is they gave up their connections with the others only to study but they are still not doing an amazing job
Eh that’s a reach... also I think you completely missed the point but it’s ok lol 😭
Um I wouldn’t say meanest. Anyone can be an A-hole tbh. Some are arrogant, some aren’t. I say this as a nerd 😅.
most times we fear we won't be accepted for who we are so we keep our guard up :)
Its like the fact that janis is also a mean girl the difference is one is popular the other is not
Yes. I remember in highschool that popular people were generally nice. One of the most popular girls were so pretty and nice and never said a mean word. But the meaner people talking down and shit about people were a lot of times stereotypical nerds. It just didn’t make sense why I never saw it anywhere.
@@mystiquevue3541 fr cause people wouldn’t wanna hang out with you if you were always mean to everyone 😆
Yeah!
the thing abt these kids is that they legitimately act like real kids and feel like real people (except for gigi she is from another universe and i love her)
I really related to Molly in it. I think being labelled a nerdy and unpopular kid sometimes almost forces you to see yourself above others and pretend your above their social lives, to avoid feeling left out and alone. This was definitely my experience, though i’d always want to look down on more popular kids i actually just wanted to be them. I wouldn’t say my personality is similar to hers but I know girls who are and they’re really just insecure and lonely, getting their self worth from grades because they have nothing else.
This film, much like your commentary is amazing! Booksmart is a realistic representation of high school and doesn't fall into the stereotypical tropes which overlook individuality. Plus it doesn't try too hard to be 'cool' much like other modern day teen films which over use internet slang and on screen texting.
HONESTLY, like the valedictorian in my graduating class, won a hige scholarship, got the most awards at the academic assembly was also the biggest stoner in school 😭 everyone knew if you wanted weed go to her she'd hook you up
The most stereotypically nerdy guy was also the most hated cause he was a jerk who would make people cry and basically pushed everyone away: always talking how when he was successful he'd put all the stupid people behind him 😒
In his own mind he was the main character of his own coming of age story I'm sure and then was surprised that when he called everyone stupid no one wanted to be friends with him
this is what is going to makes it a classic. The use of slang in movies often makes it dated when you look at it in 5 years or something
@@annushankar3032 yes! can you imagine in 5 years you were watching a film and they were using slang like "Sheeeesh" and "sus"? omg it would be so cringy!
It's so cool to grow up with Superbad ft. Jonah Hill, and see Booksmart later on ft. his younger sister Beanie Feldstein as a fresher take on my generation's coming-of-age teen movie.
Wait they are related?! Woah
“Amy supports her with unconditional support as a friend.”
**amy slaps her**
Booksmart better become the new Mean Girls in terms of popularity and quotability in like 10-12 years
as a senior in high school who is stuck at home for over a year due to complications while all my classmates lead normal lives, getting highschool experiences, this movie makes me sad that i never will have these experiences
Live it up man there's still time
@@cmccorquodale2003 there’s also covid
@@qrcd Tru but I feel if you truly want to experience it while u can work around it and have a great time
I went to high school and somehow didn’t have those experiences. I had my own version of life as a teenager, and I am glad for it. That time was spent with my family or learning about myself. And yes, I look forward to college because I want to surround myself more and have real connections, but it will happen in the right time when the world and myself are ready. Though, how you feel is very valid and I don’t mean to say there is a silver lining, it will be really cool to see how your own unique adventures down the line turn out.
@@mariareeves1343 Tru I always thought how come I didn't get to do what everyone else did until I realized no one did what I did. I created short films with superheros,lightsabers and werewolfs, I've flone drones through the school. No one else would of done that but I did and I am gonna truly miss it.
Algorithm is crazy. YT recommended this video to me and 90% of all the comments posted on this dude's videos are from the past week. I'm subbing.
Sameeee
Same
same
I think Mr Interweb has been snooping on me because I literally just watched the film yesterday and here this is in my recommendations!
I was hoping there were more videos about booksmart when I watched it, but i was disappointed at how little video essays were there about it becuase i loved it so much. I felt so in touch with it. but im glad youve done a video on it, hoping to your channel's growth!
same!
The nerdy kids in my high school where actually the worst. They thought that because of my menatl illness I would never be able to make it and everyone talked shit about me being scary and horrible because I listened to my abusive ex boyfriend as a teen. But we both ended up going to the exact same University and the exact same major. Still thinking they are some how superior in a university with thousands of people.
That’s so terrible to hear :( I am one of those nerdy kids, but I also suffer from social anxiety. Even if someone has a mental illness, you should always try to give it your all.
@Eve Lyn , @Kristin Wu I agree with you. I've suffered from depression since middle school and was a nerdy kid as well. I used to be pretentious and arrogant because of my grades, but because of how my depression started to influence my grades, i had to re-evaluate what I viewed as valuable in life when I started to fail. I honestly pity the girl (me) from years ago that thought she was better because 1) she was socially pressured to be like that and had to cope with the pain it brought through arrogance, 2) when she failed in grades (her source of identity) she thought she was worthless and tried to push that belief on to others.
After all I've gone through, I can finally say and believe wholeheartedly that you can still be a nerdy respectful kid with mental illness that understands that my academic life has little to nothing to do with my worth.
@@Mariana16562 I was a smart kid with learning disabilities. I hated my class mates because I thought I was better then them . I paid attention and got good grades ... never asked for help ... but really I was just the best of the worst . We all had leaning problems but because my behavioral problems was with peers instead of teachers I thought I was better ... because instead of screaming at teacher . I yelled at students who hurt me . The behavioral issue started later on . After years of bullying by the same students ever year in the not special Ed classes but also not the normal classes. The co teacher assisted classes . I was an easy target especially because the boys somehow figured out I was gay before I did . Probably why I wanted to feel like I was better then them . But being the best of the worst eventually I moved up to normal classes where I went from smart to average . Tho my smart kid identity was destroyed before that when my grades hit a low in middle school when I was dealing with realizing I was gay . A&B went to C&D grades wise . I was too depressed to focus
@@razminfox1787 I'm so sorry you went through all that. I hope you are better now and even you don't feel like you are, I admire the bravery you have for going through that and still being here. I can't imagine it being easy and can relate to you in having lower and lower grades. It sure sucks but there is peace in humility. Have a nice day 😊
@@Mariana16562 I’m better now . Grades went closer to before but I rarely got As after that . It took all of high school to fully accept myself. I just wish been able to be honest with the few people who were supportive ... when the rumors started about me being gay I had one kid ask me if they were true and they said it was ok but I still said no out of embarrassment and shame and self hate
i love how mature the comment section is and just how kind everyone is. thank yall for sharing ur experiences, u might not care but these comments help a lot :)) xx
Really? There are a lot of generic negative comments
this movie resonated so much with me and I think it's because I too look back at my life between the ages of 12 and 16 and can only picture myself sitting at my desk studying all day long, and I too feel like I missed out on a lot of stuff
i’m starting to feel this way too :( and i’m 17 years old..
21 here. Feeling the same way :(
i loved the part where you said of how mean people allow themselves to be mean because "they are being realistic and want to suck it up"
Yeah, I never trust anyone who says anything along the lines of "I'm just keeping it real.", "I'm not fake like everyone else.", and/or "I hate drama. I'm the most drama-free person."
i'm only like 4 minutes into the video so i may be wrong about this but it seems like the video is oversimplifying Molly's motives -- her pretension and condescension are not just because she's smart and doesn't get the others; it's a coping mechanism because she doesn't fit in and makes herself feel better by assuming everyone else is lazy
yeah and additionally she's not shoving down her crush because she views him as beneath her; she's shoving it down because she thinks she will just be automatically rejected
additionally, i never thought Jared came off as having an ego -- from the get go it seemed like he was insecure and trying really hard to get people to like him. did other people perceive him this way?
Booksmart is such a great film. I love coming of age films. We've had so many iconic ones throughout the years that define each generation (Breakfast Club, 10 Things I Hate About You, Mean Girls) but this is definitely by far the defining teen film of this generation.
For me, who watched this on Netflix in the middle of lockdown as a teenager much like everyone in booksmart, this film was uncomfortably real and elicited more emotion than I would like to admit. Truly wonderful experience, made me want to see my friends again.
Every student in this movie has better fashion than anyone at my hs lmao
as part of the nerd group of kids on my school but not being one of the smart kids, I can confirm that yeah, its pretty much like this movie, some of us are very proud and petty about being the smartes and the other ones are just their shy friend.
"See ya Molly" gets me every time
I really enjoyed that booksmart didn’t focus on Amy’s sexuality and didn’t make “coming out” a part of her storyline and instead normalized her being a NORMAL human being who doesn’t have to deal with homophobia. As someone who is lgbt myself, I appreciate it.
*"Jarred you are not my student"*
I really loved all of the subversions - even down to Ryan hooking up with Nick. Really shows the fluidity of the newest generation. This and 21 Jump Street and great representations of the different between micro generations
This film is definitely a classic!!! I loved your video, especially when you talked about the 'hero's journey' and how Molly and Amy are each others 'foils'. It was refreshing to hear all that film terminology used to describe one of my favorite films. Also, you helped me learn a bit more about the film. So, thanks !!!
Glad I can spread deeper appreciation about this gem!
This is the first thing I noticed when watching this movie like the stereotypes in other movies were not there and I loved it. I was holding out on watching it because I thought it was stereotypical and it wasn't. The best friend didn't fall in love with her best friend, the rich guy was unpopular and really sweet, the fat girl wasn't insecure about her weight and it never came up in the movie and the popular kids had fun and had no problem with the kids that were not popular also she didn't give up her dreams to be with who she liked she just agreed to stay in contact and went on about her life after high-school.
Booksmart is one of my favorite movies ever. It came out 3 years after I graduated high school, and I just wish it had come out while I was still in high school so I could have gotten those messages -- that people who have fun, who want to party and hook up, etc, aren't worse or simpler people, and that it's important to take risks and reach out to those around you, regardless of what stereotypes you assign to them.
My best friend and I were just like Molly and Amy in high school. I'm almost afraid to show my best friend this movie, because she's a pre-med right now and still has Molly's tunnel-vision of achievement. I think it might hit too close to home, and she'll brush it off as "unrealistic" to protect herself from having to come to terms with the message.
I knew a guy in high school who was just like Molly. He asked me what I got on the ACT after a lot of us took it and got genuinely upset when I told him I got a 28 because he tried so much harder than me, so I obviously didn't deserve my score. It was so weird because I was always so proud of my classmates who scored higher than me, and even lower than me. I love booksmart so much bc I think everyone can find a character that they actually relate to and seeing the other characters perspectives in the film helps us understand each other better. It's just such a good movie
Can definitely see this film becoming a classic! I enjoyed this movie for sure, it was fun, but it was also insightful
I think Amy is a character I relate to deeply, lucky for me I changed my friend group to people who aren't as bossy and much more open-minded, even though high school is over forever in 2 months, I genuinely loved a lot of it. But yes I'm much more excited for college
Seeing the popular kids not be the dumb jock and classic stereotypes was really refreshing and made more sense. There are totally popular kids that actually have lives and interests. Sure some popular kids fit the stereotype but some don't and even ones i know are in higher level classes. They also don't bully Molly like we see in normal movies, they make fun of her behind her back for kind of genuine reasons. Try hard bossy smart kids can be really frustrating to be around and i sometimes make fun of them behind their back, i admit it. There should be a healthy balance between the two sides
This movie is a gem. I nearly peed myself laughing but also felt so uplifted by the message.
Molly is so close to fitting the not like other girls archetype. Just change her motivation from her academic goals to male validation and you're there.
Making that comparison is pretty interesting to say the least. She isn't a 'not like the other girls' character at all and yet you try to draw a comparison. She's a character that can be insecure at times and she uses the thing that she excels at to elevate herself above her peers to justify her behavior and social standing. She does the same with her crush on Nick. She acts like it doesn't exist and tries to cover it up in her head with justifications to hide the fact that it stems from underlying insecurities.
@@OpheliaNL im just giving my personal perspective lol i do agree that she definitely isnt a pick me girl and thats why i like her as a character, in my personal experience she reminds me of girls who are in some of her qualities. Really interesting film, the characters are very well written and its fun to have discussions about them.😁
@@OpheliaNL I see where you are coming from... but I do agree with Lexi. Molly's whole personality banks on her being superior and different than the others. That's where Lexi would get the "not like other girls" mentality. Molly doesn't listen to any one else or value their perspectives, thus making her not like the others. Just because she is not directly motivated by men or exactly shown as a "pick me girl", doesn't mean she can't exhibit that behavior. But I guess it depends on your own world view and outlook on society. Each person is allowed to think differently.
@@ann_onym Would you call a male character who exhibits the same behaviors as Molly as ''not like the other boys?''. There are enough characters who shit on others because of their social status or supposed intellectual superiority. I mean, teen ''outcasts'/loners'' who shit on the in-crowd are pretty much a teen movie trope. Tying that in with a ''not like the other girls'' makes no sense, because even though that mindset can take on many forms, usually it comes from internalized or projected misogyny. So yeah, she doesn't view herself as being like the other teens around her and you could compare that behavior to the 'nltog' mentality, but it's not the same and shouldn't be used in the same context.
'nltog' is a lot more complicated and nuanced than some people make it out to be nowadays. Hell, I've even seen women shit on other woman because of it and when guys use it as an excuse to shit on women it's even worse.
@@OpheliaNL I would most likely. Without using your same level of profanity I'll explain my reasoning. My issue with her character mainly comes from the fact thats shes so arrogant. She won't listen to any one else (for the most part). I would only use this stereotype to help people equate her personality to something easily recognizable. Stereotypes aren't the best or always accurate, but they are mainly used as examples to help convey ideas.
Genuinely felt this got snubbed for the Best Original Screenplay nomination that year for what it centred on narratively and thematically. It deconstructed whilst redefining the modern teen experience that for the most part grounded the comedic elements whilst having a warm, sweet centre in its story
this movie made me feel seen and known just because I see myself in almost every aspect of amy's character. I was the girl who fell for a straight girl and I was the girl who let my type A friends boss me around and I was the girl who didn't have fun in high school because I was so wrapped up in trying to be the best at school I could be and trying to meet my parents' staggeringly high standards they set for me after my older brother almost failed out of high school. also, the sex scene during the party? I was so relieved that not knowing what the hell I was supposed to do didn't invalidate my sexuality in any way. I know every facet of straight sex and even gay sex but lesbian sex? no idea. I really wish they would have taught us that in health class.
11:48 I have to disagree. She is deeply self conscious about her body but over confident with her intellect and mind. She wants to wait to go to Yale so she can be around people who see her as an equal and appreciate her for the brilliant and beautiful woman she is
I just loved how these kids are almost exactly like the kids I went to school with. I recognized so many people I knew.
I love this film, pple think that often the more work and care u put into getting into a a good college the better school u can get into, but u can get into a great uni even if u r not desperate for it
one of my favourite lines "someone's fashion taste/style/the way they dress does not correlate to their sexuality"
This movie came out right when I graduated high school, and it made me realize so many things. It's so depressingly and hilariously accurate. There are some things I definitely would have changed if I could go back in time. At least I can always go back to this movie lol
''El Presidente!'' And everyone juts happy that Molly and Amy being there was honestly my favorite scene, this movie shows that everyone is not what they seem, it's honestly nice to see characters that is not just One Dimensional
Moral of booksmart: success revolves on who you know, not how well you do in school.
I personally interpret it differently. I think success revolves on if you experience what you want to. Some kids want grades, popularity, drugs, and whatever else.
The film did all the POC dirty tho
Legit, they made miss fine a creep
@@user-mb9nm7bq5e too be fair homie was 20
i also thought it subverts the coming of age classic narrative when i saw it, loved to hear your take on this! nice vid
I have loved this movie since it came out and I never fully understood why until I watched this
this needs way more views!!!! your video was so gooddd
I can't believe this doesn't have millions of views... keep it up! loved the video essay
this is such a good analysis omg. i didn't think i could sit thru any 20 min youtube video but here i am!
Okay this is the best video essay I saw on Booksmart. Can’t wait for more people to discover your channel man!!
Loved this analysis! I saw Booksmart with my group of friends on our last day of senior year and it still makes me so nostalgic for that time :-)
Really loved Booksmart! I hope more people watch it as time goes by bc it deserves all the love!
I love this movie by the sound of it. I think we’ve all been Molly at some point since we’ve all been insecure. It’s good to acknowledge our own hard work, but when we start degrading others it’s wrong.
I’ve never really been a big fan of teen movies when I actually became teen and then finally Booksmart came out. I might have been in the end of my teen years but it was nice to actually find a teen movie where I could sense what the *feeling* other people my age got watching them.
Excellent character analysis and analysis of the film. Loved your video! Keep it up man:)
this video is like really well made im shocked it doesn’t have more views
This just got recommended to me and I’m so happy to see a video essay on one of my favourite movies of all time!!
This is so thoughtful, I already loved this movie but you gave me a better understanding of what was so great about it
Booksmart is one of the best teen movies I've seen.
Your video is really great as well! Hope it gains some traction~
Loved every bit of this!
But also loved how it showed how much empathy and compassion you have towards other people. The fact that you could pick up on these messages shows you have a great understanding of people.
Which videos like this help give others further insight!
I love this movie and I think it needs to be talked about more.Thank you for talking about it and stressing on the points the film is trying to make.
Omg I didn't even notice all of this, such a great video. I feel like every single one of us make these stereotypical assumptions about the kids at our school, work whatever it is. This movie really shows how human we all are, and to broaden our perspectives. This video made me love the movie even more, need to rewatch it ASAP.
YES! FINALLY SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS MY LOVE FOR THIS MOVIE!! This was a fantastic analysis, I agreed with every single word you said. Incredible production value, great editing, awesome delivery, 10/10. I cannot believe you've only got 1.8k subs!!! You just earned another one
i loved this film cause every time a new character was introduced i could immediately think of someone just like that in my school.. i enjoyed it so much and how well you explained everything!
I'm watching and constantly turning the volume up and down to make it more even - 100 for the movie clips and 40 for the narration - Other than that, loved it :)
Pause the talk about book smart for a second though- how in the world does this channel only have this little subscribers? This is prime content right here!
7:25 Best introduction in years
Fantastic analysis! I really enjoyed the nuanced layers in this movie, speaking as someone who’s high school experience was similar to Molly’s I genuinely love how this movie portrays teen life and subverts these common Hollywood stereotypes. It felt like a breath of fresh air. I’m glad to see a well articulated analysis of those very things here. Phenomenal job!
best booksmart analysis video ive seen. great work
one of my favorite movies! loved your video essay on it!
Congratulations, you have been chosen by the TH-cam algorithm keep it upp!!
Only 17 subs?? Crazy!! This was a good video, man!
Already at 1k 2 weeks later
Hey I've just seen how old your videos are! Please keep making more! I need to hear more of your amazing mind! Great video!
I’m glad yt suggested your channel! I love this
This is a great video, deserves more views :) Keep it up!
this is a film that resonated with me because I see a lot of my high school self in Molly and the more that I have grown up the more I realize that the way I acted was wrong and its nice to see my growth
Dope video man! Keep it up!
Omg less than a 1,000 subs? I’ve never been this early to such an amazing channel