Review: Bottoms
Above: BOTTOMS: The official movie poster for the 2023 film “Bottoms” features the main characters posing together. The film was a great quick-watch with underlying messages that will keep viewers engaged. “Emma Seligman’s movie “Bottoms” received critical acclaim: it has deservingly already been awarded the Sidewalk Programmer’s Feature Film Award and was nominated for the South by Southwest Film Festival Audience Award,” iliad Social Media Coordinator Garland wrote.
Orion Pictures Brownstone Productions debuted “Bottoms,” a teen comedy, in theaters on Sept. 1.
The comedy “Bottoms,” released on Sept. 1 is an over-the-top, witty film and an enjoyable watch that’s worth seeing on the big screen.
The plot feels similar to early 2000s teen comedies like “SuperBad” as the story moves along. With help from heavy satire, it illustrates typical stereotypes found in high school, though it has its own amusing twist that sets it apart.
The movie is just over an hour and a half and follows two best friends, PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri), who are navigating high school as queer outcasts. In an attempt to impress their crushes, they start a self-defense club at their school despite not having any knowledge of self-defense. During the course of the film, the organization evolved into a fight club that many girls at their school saw as a safe place to escape from their realities.
As the film progresses, the club goes through conflict and there’s division among the members, but they come together in the end to use their fighting skills to save the day during their rival football game.
While the film’s overdramatized action is a unique take on a classic film format, its sexual content and dramatized violence give it an R-rating that viewers should be aware of before watching. The look into high school reality was important to include. Though, at times, it felt overly modernized trying to connect with teenagers given they are the target audience, but it made the film more cringe at moments than ironic.
In terms of on-screen chemistry, Sennott and Edebiri create an authentic and familiar dynamic enhanced by the fact that the duo were real-life roommates in college. The extreme stereotypes the characters were portrayed as gave insight into those perspectives. Specifically focusing on girls, both queer and straight in high school struggling with dating pressure, fitting into cliques, and not knowing how to protect themselves from others.
Although the film’s twists are funny, the mood changes frequently, jumping from heavy topics to hit-or-miss jokes that include some dark humor. The film’s tone might not appeal to everyone, but it will suffice for those who appreciate exaggeration and comical aspects.
Overall, the film opens up and accurately represents teenage queer girls and their perspectives while making the audience laugh.
Review by Victoria Garland
Victoria Garland is a junior at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia and serves as the Social Media Coordinator for the iliad Literary-Art Magazine. Garland’s passionate about sharing students creativity, and hopes to provide more of an outlet through social media. Outside of school Garland is on a competitive cheerleading team, plays piano, and enjoys hanging out with friends.