of fun is headed by Billie Lorde's character Gigi who represents the best of the humor in the movie. Her sporadic appearances are gags that never fail to delight. The laughs aren't always delivered though, as I found myself laughing less than most people in the theater. The comedic moments are mostly shock value or borderline slapstick comedy. The film was pretty hit or miss in its entirety as there were many moments of silence in the theater when the movie was trying to be funny. If you've seen the trailer some of the best jokes are in it and they don't have the same impact when you have already heard them. The same mixed bag can be applied to the cinematography. There are some sequences that are superior to other entries in the genre but for the most part its all standard stuff. All of that unbridled enthusiasm accounts for a lot, but it doesn't wash the movie of all of its sins. The series of events that make up the plot feel compartmentalized, creating a jarring effect. The story never felt natural - it was always a set up for the next gag. By the whole thing happen in one night, the number of events that occur seem impossible to happen. Each segment was a playhouse to have jokes in, rather than used to create a compelling narrative. It's like someone got a blender and took the premise of 21 and Over and joined it with scenes from Eighth Grade and ideas from Lady Bird. How are you going to have a karaoke scene where a character bursts from their shell and a pool scene where they are searching to fit in; straight out of Eighth Grade. What about a strong friendship ruined by the pursuit of infatuation, in which a friend breaks a long-standing trust; Lady Bird. I've seen these story elements before and done better. It doesn't have the hard-hitting moments for me to take it seriously, it's too "fun" for that. Every chance Booksmart gets, it will try to make you laugh instead of having you feel something deeper. By no stretch of the imagination is this a bad movie, it's just not the immense success people are pretending it to be. Other than most of the characters feeling more like caricatures, undercutting one of the most powerful scenes by cutting audio, and the ending straight out of a fantasy, Booksmart is a comedy that happens to tell a story about young people transitioning into the greater world. This is a safe rental when it comes to streaming, and considering the fact that no one went to go see Eight Grade, a film that won for best original screenplay at the Writers Guild Awards, I'm guessing most people aren't going to see this in theaters either. 6/10
Honestly not much special with this movie
Comments
Vice isn't The Big Short, so it should not be edited that way. The use of a narrator is McKay's biggest crutch which holds this film back. When the narration goes away, the movie instantly gets better. This movie needed time to breathe, it needed to let the actors stretch their legs in scenes. The beginning of the film is the worst offender and best example of the problems I am highlighting. It jumps from three different time periods, each having their own filming style. The movie can look like a documentary, or it can cut to a shaky cam, to then settle on a stationary shot. It's jarring for the audience and the connection to each shot is nonexistent. Vice is a movie worth watching at some point. It's not something you have to rush to theaters to see. It might even be preferable to watch it at home since the theater experience might involve people yelling or talking throughout the movie. Vice is a weird film with some important things to say accompanied by some really good acting. I am interested to see if it can generate any wins from its awards nominations but only time can tell. 7/10
The "mid credits" scene wasn't funny
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