I stand by the fact that Olivia Wilde’s Booksmart is not only the best high school comedy ever but the most authentic portrayal of Gen Z and the landscape of the current world. Do Revenge is an attempt at taking down the affluent and the powerful while harkening back to blasts from the past such as Clueless, Mean Girls and a dash of Promising Young Woman. Is it always firing on all cylinders? No, but the film is a blast and deserves credit for not being like other high school movies.
Do Revenge opens with Drea (Camila Mendes), who is currently sitting pretty atop the illustrious high school food chain, giving a Cher Horowitz-like monologue about the measurement of success in high school. Off rip, we are brought into the 21st century and “PC culture” at one of these enormously lavish house parties. Indeed Do Revenge is one of those high school movies. For all of the genre tropes the film tries to surpass — or, at the very least, acknowledge in a tongue-in-cheek manner — it can’t escape them all (more on this below).
But Drea’s (very expensive) bubble is burst when a video sent to and meant for her boyfriend Max (Austin Abrams) is leaked to the entire school. This leads to Drea becoming an outcast of sorts and she meets Eleanor (Maya Hawke), a fellow outcast, and the two do revenge. Furthermore, it’s nice that unlike a film such as Spider-Man: No Way Home, which had a college admissions plot that’s laughable at best, there’s weight to why what college you attend matters — at least at the beginning of the film. The plot of Do Revenge revolves around the fact that neither of the main characters can go out and seek justice on their own. Drea is on especially thin ice with her admission to Yale being put on the line. The dilemma she faces is something the live-action Spider-Man films — or comic book films with high school characters in general — but luckily, Drea doesn’t manipulate the whole world to get her way (just her entire high school!).
When dealing with such wealthy characters, it requires a suspension of disbelief from viewers (unless you are that wealthy) that watching enough Disney Channel shows will give you. That didn’t completely stop my mind from wondering: Why are the parents never around? and: How did these kids get all of this alcohol? Furthermore, there is an absurd number of kids at the various house parties. There’s more at the parties than at the school’s assemblies. You have to see the sheer juxtaposition in order to really understand what I’m saying.
Without going into detail, the second half of the film — while messier — provides the actors a chance to shine. Hawke takes this opportunity and runs with it, delivering the perfect amount of camp needed for her ridiculous monologues. The same cannot be said of the rest of the class. Mendes is a steady 1A. and serves the role well, but there’s so much untapped potential (not to the fault of Mendes). The most complex part of her character is only lightly touched upon.
Alisha Boe of 13 Reasons Why — a series known for its extremely accurate representation of high school — commits the cardinal sin of dating Brea’s ex, Max. Boe was a highlight of the aforementioned 13 Reasons Why but I can think of 13 reasons why she should’ve been in Do Revenge more. Max, the crowd-pleasing class president of his school who’s going to peak in high school is by far the worst part of the film. Hats off to Celeste Ballard, who co-wrote the script, for attempting to make Max somewhat “layered” by showing he has more interests than the ones forced on him by his parents, but it’s completely out of Ballard’s hands once the film is shooting, and Abrams plays Max like Rumplestilskin in Shrek Forever After and is only more of a threat to the slightest degree (don’t underestimate the power of a smartphone). I appreciate the effort to make him the posturing high school “activist” that he is, though.
That’s also not the only occasion of Do Revenge attempting to say something bigger than the film it is. The film often seems like a surface-level dark comedy and I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether or not it’s successful in delivering its messages. The themes of race, class, identity crisis and misogyny are all sitting there for the taking, yet Do Revenge doesn’t do strong politics. And hey, who am I to judge? Politics and art don’t always have to be forced together but all I’m saying is if you can’t handle the heat, why are you in the kitchen?
The final twist occurs after what seems to be the resolution of the film feels like a desperate swing back to the anti-misogyny rhetoric that’s far too black-and-white to be taken seriously. Add to the fact that none of these characters are particularly likable (I doubt any of these characters would consider themselves a “particularly ethical person,” as Patrizia Reggiani said in House of Gucci) and it makes it hard to root for anyone. And yes, I know that the characters being unlikable is partly by design, but it doesn’t work for the same reason a heel vs. heel match in professional wrestling rarely works: Who do you root for? The charisma of Mendes and Hawke makes the film watchable; that doesn’t make their characters likable.
There are also quite a few twists and turns that come into motion in the second half. Not to be that guy, but it’s about as obvious as the twist of Don’t Worry Darling and I figured it out from the first conversation between a certain two characters (you can check my notes if you don’t believe me). And I’m no genius, it just requires the slightest bit of attention in the first 20 minutes of the film. And while I’m not expecting the true-to-life realism of a documentary with a film like Do Revenge, the film goes to Promising Young Woman-levels of ridiculous contingency plans.
It’s clear that Do Revenge owes a lot to high school films that have come before such as Clueless and Mean Girls. On top of the voiceover dialogue that is sprinkled throughout, the soundtrack filled with modern pop is aided by newer artists that fit the themes of the film. There is some crossover — both Clueless and Do Revenge use “Kids in America,” but I think we could retire this one — but Do Revenge features the likes of modern-day bangers like Olivia Rodrigo’s “brutal” and MUNA’s (feat. Phoebe Bridgers) “Silk Chiffon” also make an appearance in the film (tempting me to give the film an automatic five stars). The song choices are perfect for the overly-dramatic and very sensitive Gen Z population.
To end on a positive note, Do Revenge far exceeds Bodies Bodies Bodies‘ usage of Gen Z verbiage. I love the latter even more than this film, but the duo of Jennifer Kaytin Robinson — who also directed the film — and Ballard make the dialogue work for the most part. It’s balanced and not too on the nose. Best of all, they don’t throw the word “triggered” into random sentences, and when terms like that are used, it has a cheekiness to it that you can feel — slightly healing the inevitable cringe caused by hearing Gen Z’ers speak.
I don’t want this review to sound overly negative because don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Do Revenge. I’m willing to let a lot of nitpicks go but I almost wish the film committed to its best variable: Maya Hawke and if it was a tad bit shorter. The second half picks up the pace a bit but suffers from overstuffing and trying to be one step ahead of its audience. It fails on both ends but remains one of Netflix’s better original films and is exactly that: original.
Andrew is an entertainment journalist and film "critic" who has written for the likes of Above the Line, Below the Line, Collider, Film Focus Online, /Film and The Hollywood Handle among others.
Leader of the Kaitlyn Dever Fanclub.
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Wish” is an all-new musical-comedy welcoming audiences to the magical kingdom of Rosas, where Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe—the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico—to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.
Ariana Debose as Asha in Wish (Disney)
Movie Review (no spoilers)
The film is inspired by Disney’s centennial, which ties together a central theme across most of the Disney-related stories — of wishes and dreams coming true. One can view it as the origin story for the wishing star, albeit a funny star. Disney delivers a feel good story filled with humor and the occasional teases and links to other Disney-related works. Ariana DeBose braces the big screen as the hero, Asha who discovers a sinister secret about King Magnifico and his use of the wishes.
Ariana’s performance performance is amazing and I enjoyed listening to the songs she performed. I foresee “This Wish” topping the charts at Spotify soon.
This Wish by Ariana DeBose (Spotify)
Chris Pine plays the part of King Magnifico and delivers a good performance as the villain. We hear him sing a song alongside Ariana, At All Costs.
At All Costs by Chris Pine & Ariana DeBose (Spotify)
The story delivers the usual fun characters that Disney brings along in all stories, amazing graphics of a magical world, and an amazing song library for everyone to listen to. This movie is excellent for young and old, delivering a feel-good movie for all. Wish is yet another treasure in the world of Disney.
I’m really excited for the next 100 years of Disney magic. The movie Wish has the potential to become a sequel, or even provide potential spin-offs exploring the wishes and dreams of others in the magical Disney Universe.
My wish is for more many more years of movie magic from Disney. What is yours?
My rating is a 4 out of 5 for Disney’s Wish. Watch at a cinema near you and join in the Disney centennial celebrations!
Paul Giamatti and Dominic Sessa in 'The Holdovers' (Focus Features)
“They don’t make them like that anymore” is one sentence that we hear a lot when it comes to cinematic brilliance. Most of the times, it is used for titles that might be considered a classic. Sadly, this sentence is being used too often these days and even for those projects, that might not even qualify. However, Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers is undoubtedly one of the movies that deserves to be called an instant classic and I can wholeheartedly say: “They don’t make them like that anymore.”
The holiday season has arrived and audiences want to see movies that makes them feel that holiday spirit. Although it is very rare to see both these qualities in the movies these days, ‘The Holdovers’ has quietly gained popularity among cinephiles this holiday season, emerging as one of the year’s best films among audiences.
The movie is set in a boy’s boarding school in New England in 1970. Paul Hunham is a stern yet brilliant professor who refuses to give passing grades to rich students just because their parents are some of the school’s biggest donors. He is firm and doesn’t let these brats take advantage of him. On the other hand, we have Angus Tully, who is the son of wealthy parents attending the school who tends to ready the students for top universities. It’s Christmas time and everyone is going home, but things take a wild turn for Hunham when he is forced to babysit for children whose parents are unable to let them return home for the holidays. Eventually, Tully ends up being the only child in Hunham’s supervision. As the two begin to spend time with each other, they slowly begin to know much more about each other and understand why they are how they are.
Dominic Sessa, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Paul Giamatti in ‘The Holdovers’ (Focus Features)
There is no doubt that Paul Giamatti’s role as Paul Hunham is one of his most compelling roles. Make no mistake, Giamatti has given several amazing performances, but Hunham turns out to be a role that makes audiences realise how truly amazing he is as an actor. The way he insults people in this movie is hilariously brilliant. It seems Giamatti had a lot of fun while shooting this film and went down the memory lane to prepare for the role. Giamatti is just breath-taking in this role. On the other hand, Dominic Sessa is truly a revelation here and delivers a performance that touches everyone’s heart. In the beginning, you might not like his character but as the story moves forward, you understand why he is like this and Sessa completely nails it.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph delivers a deeply heartbreaking performance as a grieving mother in the film. Randolph gives a detailed performance showing both deep sadness and moments of happiness. It’s a portrayal of grief that feels very genuine and touching.
Even though there are moments that makes the film touching, ‘The Holdovers’ is hardly a serious drama. It’s a very welcoming holiday movie that doesn’t shy away from being funny and absurd. These characters have faced sadness, loss, and pain. However, the movie bravely allows us to laugh alongside them, as their humorous shortcomings transform a typical holiday stay at home into unexpected hospital visits and adventurous trips spanning multiple cities. For many people, it will be nostalgic to see this old-school sweet holiday movie that they must have seen in their youth and takes them to a time where people cared about feelings.
All in all, THE HOLDOVERS is a moving, bittersweet comedy drama that instantly becomes a Holiday classic. A story where you’d think how emotions don’t change even though life has.
Official poster of 'Nightingales in the Cocoon' (Unchained Pictures)
Nightingales in the Cocoon is a vivid and heartwarming portrait of transformation and connection in a bustling city. The short beautifully captures the essence of hope, resilience, and the power of shared experiences. In just five minutes, this story carries a profound message that transcends its simplicity. Dharavi, often characterized by its challenging environment, serves as the backdrop for the story’s beginning. It sets the stage for two children’s life-altering decision to break free from their past. This decision, in itself, is a testament to the human spirit’s resilience and the pursuit of a better life.
The symbolism of leaving behind what is perceived as “trash” is a powerful metaphor for shedding the burdens of the past. The discarded keyboard, seemingly insignificant, becomes a symbol of forgotten dreams and overlooked opportunities. As fate would have it, two young kids in Navi Mumbai stumble upon this abandoned keyboard, which becomes the catalyst for a heartwarming journey. The excitement and curiosity the keyboard sparks in them are relatable and heartening. It reminds us of the pure joy that simple discoveries can bring, especially to young minds eager for new experiences.
A still from ‘Nightingales in the Cocoon’ (MUBI)
The act of acquiring batteries to breathe new life into the neglected instrument is a moment of resourcefulness and determination. It’s a reminder that even in the face of challenges, a little effort can rekindle lost passions and unlock new possibilities. The transformation of the once-silent keys into a source of melodies that fill the air is a beautiful metaphor for the transformative power of art and creativity. The kids’ dance to these newfound tunes is a celebration of life’s simple pleasures and the joy of shared experiences.
This story serves as a reminder that shared moments of happiness can bridge the gaps between individuals and communities. In the bustling city where stark contrasts exist, the shared joy and rekindled dreams bring people together. It’s a testament to the universal language of music and the ability of the human spirit to find connections even in the most unexpected places.
Nightingales in the Cocoon beautifully captures the essence of hope, resilience, and the universal desire for connection and joy. It’s a brilliant and simple narrative that reminds us of the beauty in the everyday moments of life and the power of transformation and human connection.