If you’re looking for a lighthearted comedy about lesbians in high school that doesn’t take itself too seriously, Bottoms is for you. The film was limitedly released on August 25th and widely released across the United States on September 1st. I was one of the lucky people who was able to watch the film during its limited release, and I loved it. The film follows Josie, played by Ayo Edebiri (The Bear), and PJ, played by Rachel Sennott (Shiva Baby, Bodies Bodies Bodies) who are high school lesbians who are trying to lose their virginity before college. In an absurd turn of events, they end up starting a fight club, supposedly a self-defense club, to impress the girls they like.Â
First of all, Bottoms was nothing like I expected it to be. I went in imagining a fun typical high school sort of vibe, like Booksmart or Superbad, but it was much different than that. The film does not take itself seriously in the slightest, but it still works. Just in the opening scene, things are absurd. Jeff, played by Nicholas Galitzine (Red, White, and Royal Blue, Purple Hearts), is a complete caricature of a high school jock, and it’s hilarious! He gets a huge blowout introduction and is later cradled, like a baby, by his teammates when he is hit, more like lightly grazed, by a car. The film also sort of makes fun of high school movies, for example, when PJ and Josie are in class, the bell rings about three minutes after it starts and PJ says, “That’s it? That’s class?” The football players are treated like royalty, and never change out of their uniforms. The only normal-acting people are the main characters, PJ and Josie. This works well for the movie because it makes us as the viewer feel like a part of their friendship. We see the world as they do and it’s as if the world of Bottoms is a big inside joke for us all to enjoy.
The film is not only a comedy though. There is a strain on PJ and Josie’s relationship after the news got out that they only started the club to get girls. Their fight is really relatable, and even their make-up is! They go from hating each other to being best friends again without a second thought. I think this is unique as compared to other films that feature female relationships because typically it seems like girls have to have a big blowout apology and hugs before being friends again. Bottoms subverts this when Josie and PJ apologize to each other and then immediately go fight a bunch of football players. There is also a more human moment between Josie and Isabel when Isabel, played by Havana Rose Liu, finds out about the origin of the club. But these more emotional moments are still interspersed with comedic ones. The film becomes a perfect blend of comedy and emotion.
Other cast members include Ruby Cruz, Kaia Gerber, Marshawn Lynch, and more. All of the actors mesh really well together and bring something different to the table. Expectations are subverted and it makes for a hilarious movie. Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri have amazing comedic chemistry together as well. They bounce off of each other so seamlessly and you can feel the connection that they have with each other, both in the film and in real life. Sennott and Edebiri both show the range they are capable of with their work so far. Sennott has a strong emotional range from Shiva Baby to movies like Bottoms and Bodies, Bodies, Bodies. Edebiri also shows her range from The Bear to Bottoms. Personally, I cannot wait to see what these actresses work on next.
Emma Seligman, director of Bottoms, is another phenomenal person in the film industry. I really enjoyed Shiva Baby and was excited to see what Bottoms had in store. Seligman has become a new favorite director of mine. Bottoms truly did not disappoint. Bottoms is a crazy ride from start to finish and you never know what will happen next. Edebiri and Sennott are hilarious together and bring their characters to life in a world that is obscure. I highly recommend seeing it whenever you can, because you will not be disappointed.
