*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Rating: 8.5/10

The movie Bottoms, which was released in late August, is quickly gaining popularity amongst teenagers. The movie at its core is a satire that is genuinely funny. However, that does not mean that it doesn’t have its flaws. The characters, plot, and dialogue are all carefully and sophisticatedly placed along the movie’s hour-and-a-half runtime. The movie is supposed to be over-the-top, but how much is too much? The characters are delightfully hilarious and accurate, each with their own underlying issues. And the way that sexuality is portrayed, although graphic at times, speaks to many humors and sort of makes jokes on what feminism is and the intention behind it.

Emma Seligman, the talented director and co-writer behind Bottoms is steadily crafting a distinctive genre or style of comedy, showcased not only in this movie but also in her earlier work, Shiva Baby. In both films, there’s a notable abundance of clever and memorable one-liners that resonate with the audience. However, like any movie, there are moments where the humor doesn’t quite hit the mark. These instances usually are when the dialogue feels forced or doesn’t blend into the storyline. The humor in Bottoms is undeniably satire, reflecting a modern comedic sensibility. It pushes boundaries with its over-the-top, sarcastic, and audacious elements. In everyday life, such a level of exaggeration and sarcasm might be perceived as grating or off-putting by some. However, within the exaggerated and obviously unrealistic world that Bottoms creates, this style of humor finds its perfect fit.

It is also important to give props to the cast. Even if the characters themselves were written to be annoying or “evil”, they were portrayed perfectly. After doing some research and seeing interviews and the cast members in real life, it is obvious that the casting director, Maribeth Fox, is great at her job. The cast members are definitely not their characters, however, Rachel Sennott is funny and seems down to earth in real life. In the movie, PJ is the underlying villain, she is selfish and arrogant. It makes one wonder if PJ and Josie have ever had some really big fights. It was honestly nice to see her not get what she wanted in the end. Additionally, Nicholas Galiztin was great as Jeff, perfectly over the top and expressive. Even though he is supposed to be the antagonist of the movie, he has a nice scene at the end that makes you forget all about it, but he is still a jerk. Ultimately, Hazel and Josie are the main stars of this movie. Josie has the most impeccable comedic timing out of everyone in the movie and the way she is written is too relatable; you just fall in love with her. Hazel is completely underrated. It seems as if she just wants other people’s validation which motivates a lot of her actions. The putrid hatred that PJ has towards her is extremely unwarranted and it makes you mad. In the long run, the cast brought this movie to life through these hilarious characters.

Undoubtedly, the movie is at the least entertaining. Although it is more geared towards teenagers, if watching with an open mind, all ages can enjoy this. Everything works well together and makes it seem as if this movie was fun to make. The scenes may be very gory, or maybe even too gory for some, however, don’t let that stop you from getting a good hour-and-a-half laughing session in. Grab your popcorn and best friends and give Bottoms a try.