“Bottoms:” The New Teen Comedy Everyone’s Buzzing About
Photo of popcorn on movie theater seat. Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko via Pexels
Recently, all I’ve been hearing about is this new teen sex comedy, “Bottoms.” Whatever marketing strategy the film’s promoting team used, worked, as everywhere I went, people were raving about this movie. After checking out what the fuss was about, I think I started to get the big picture. It’s wildly unique and was able to put a new spin on the genre with a raunchy twist.
The film follows lesbian teenagers — PJ played by Rachel Sannott, who co-wrote the film’s screenplay, and Josie, played by Ayo Edebiri. They’re two outcast high schoolers who are trying to lose their virginities, until they find themselves in a troubling situation with the school’s quarterback jock, Jeff. After Jeff’s knee gets injured (in an unexpectedly hilarious scene), the girls soon find themselves the victims of harsh rumors spread throughout the school. On the brink of being expelled, they falsely explained to the principal that the incident was a product of their self-defense fight club. After this last-ditch effort to avoid any further trouble, one thing leads to another, and they use the fight club to get with the cheerleaders. Wacky, right?
With a fantastic sense of direction and acknowledgment of tone thanks to director Emma Seligman, “Bottoms” truly delivers. Roaringly funny and weird, this is the film that will no doubt make you question what the heck you are watching.
At first, I didn’t see what the big deal was. As the film continued to progress though, I began to accept the bizarre nature the film devoted itself to. It’s a rough ride with tons of profanity, a surprising amount of gore and crazy action sequences. For some, it’s too much, but it’s a perfect balance for the target audience. “Bottoms” juggles themes of friendship, love, and finding your place in society with a dose of black comedy. The film gets really dark in some moments, but it’s part of the fun package you’ll open when viewing this quick film (it’s pretty short, with a runtime of just one hour and twenty-eight minutes). The acting performances are another hit as Sannott and Edebiri really let their characters resonate with the audience.
“Bottoms” is filled to the brim with nonstop comedic scenes, however, it’s not for everyone. If you’re not willing to accept a straight-up weird movie, then I wouldn’t recommend it. Similar movies with strange elements incorporated within them such as “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “Barbie” are amazing but surely aren’t for everyone. It has a distinctive taste that’ll either be a big success or an odd letdown to the audience member depending on who they are.
Overall, this coming-of-age, LGBTQ+ flick is catching all the buzz and shouldn’t be easily dismissed. It’s full of heart and laughs and should be a must-watch for any lover of a good teen movie. It’s purposefully chaotic and stuffed with content that only Gen-Z viewers can truly connect with. “Bottoms” is a fun movie that I had a blast reviewing and wholeheartedly recommend for anyone who is feeling in the mood for a teen comedy that shines on its own.