The latest Hollywood high school comedy, BOTTOMS, asks an unexpected question. What happens when two lesbians start a fight club at their high school?
The answer: A whole lot of laughs, due in large part to stars Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri.
Director Emma Seligman and star Rachel Sennott are collaborating once more (following their success on Shiva Baby) on the rambunctious, joyful comedic experience: BOTTOMS.
Sennott and co-lead Ayo Edebiri have previously worked together on the Comedy Central mini-series, Rachel and Ayo Are Single. This long-standing personal and creative relationship lends authenticity to the comedic friendship of characters PJ and Josie.
One of the most distinctive traits of the film’s writing and comedic voice is its satirical perspective. Much of the references to American high school culture employ some sort of hyperbole or absurdity. One of the shots in the film’s red-band trailer shows a ‘cheerleading routine’ that only consists of one cheerleader provocatively pouring water on herself.
One of the threats in the story is a rival football team who has a long-standing history of enacting severe violence against people from the school. It’s not a stretch to interpret the authorial intent as declaring sports culture to be absurdly violent with a propensity for hyper-sexualising women, even in a high school setting where all parties involved are underage.
Through it all, the film’s greatest strength is its ensemble of characters. Though it’s no surprise that Sennott and Edebiri are the main driving force, the roster of supporting characters also get their moments to comedically shine.
There are plenty of laughs to be had, but also enough vulnerability thrown into the mix to get the viewers emotionally invested in the main characters. Whether you’re after comedy, romance, action, or all of the above, this film cannot be missed!
BOTTOMS will premiere in cinemas 25 August.
Watch my extended BOTTOMS review in video form here: