Two academic teenage superstars realize, on the eve of their high school graduation, that they should have worked less and played more. Determined to never fall short of their peers, the girls set out on a mission to cram four years of fun into one night.
Olivia Wilde's directorial debut earned some of the most rapturous reviews a teen comedy has received in years, with critics consistently singling out Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever's chemistry as the engine that makes the film work. The source material — overachievers cramming a lifetime of adolescent chaos into one night — sounds familiar, but nearly every critic found the execution sharper and warmer than the premise suggests. Audience scores trail critic enthusiasm noticeably, hinting that the near-universal press love didn't fully translate to mainstream viewers.
“sharp but not mean, warm without feeling too soft or timid”
A. O. Scott·The New York Times
“manages to be inclusive and progressive, without being precious about anything or sacrificing an ounce of humor”
Emily Yoshida·Vulture
“a humane and heartfelt film without a mean bone in its figurative body”
Linda Holmes·NPR
“funnier, smarter, quicker or more joyous has graced the big screen in a long time”
Joe Morgenstern·The Wall Street Journal
Comedy
Two academic teenage superstars realize, on the eve of their high school graduation, that they should have worked less and played more. Determined to never fall short of their peers, the girls set out on a mission to cram four years of fun into one night.
Olivia Wilde's directorial debut earned some of the most rapturous reviews a teen comedy has received in years, with critics consistently singling out Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever's chemistry as the engine that makes the film work. The source material — overachievers cramming a lifetime of adolescent chaos into one night — sounds familiar, but nearly every critic found the execution sharper and warmer than the premise suggests. Audience scores trail critic enthusiasm noticeably, hinting that the near-universal press love didn't fully translate to mainstream viewers.
“sharp but not mean, warm without feeling too soft or timid”
A. O. Scott·The New York Times
“manages to be inclusive and progressive, without being precious about anything or sacrificing an ounce of humor”
Emily Yoshida·Vulture
“a humane and heartfelt film without a mean bone in its figurative body”
Linda Holmes·NPR
“funnier, smarter, quicker or more joyous has graced the big screen in a long time”
Joe Morgenstern·The Wall Street Journal
Comedy