Two girls, one night, and a lifetime of regrets to catch up on. “Booksmart” is a coming-of-age comedy about two high school seniors who realize, on the eve of graduation, that they should have worked less and played more. The film, directed by Olivia Wilde in her feature directorial debut, follows Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) as they cram four years of fun into one wild evening.
The premise is simple. Molly is class president and bound for Yale. Amy has a crush on Ryan. Both are accomplished, unpopular, and convinced that everyone else has been partying while they studied. Then they learn that their classmates, despite their debauchery, also got into prestigious colleges or landed job recruitments. Furious, Molly decides they need to make up for lost time. Amy reluctantly agrees, and the night begins.
Trailer, via ANNAPURNA.
The Party Circuit
The girls start at a graduation party hosted by Nick, but they don’t know the address. So they call Jared, a wealthy classmate who likes Molly, and he takes them to his own party aboard a yacht. There, they meet Gigi, a drug-crazed friend who feeds them strawberries laced with hallucinogens. Amy suggests leaving, but Molly calls a “Malala,” their code for unconditional support. They call a rideshare car and get picked up by their principal, Jordan Brown, played by Jason Sudeikis.
Brown drops them off at what they think is Nick’s party, but it’s actually George’s house, hosting a murder mystery party. They find pizza boxes in an online video of Nick’s party and threaten the pizza delivery guy to get the real address. The night moves from yacht to house to street, each stop bringing new chaos.
The Writing and the Cast
The film was written by Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, and Katie Silberman. The writers were careful about authenticity. Wilde asked the cast to read the screenplay and signal if they found dialogue that felt inauthentic, rewriting it in their own voice. Silberman continued to write after casting, finding it easy to come up with dialogue to fit Feldstein and Dever.
Feldstein and Dever were roommates in Los Angeles for ten weeks before filming began. Wilde urged them to live together to develop a rapport. The chemistry shows. The two leads play off each other with a natural ease that carries the film’s emotional weight.
The Supporting Players
The supporting cast is strong. Jessica Williams plays Miss Fine, the girls’ teacher. Lisa Kudrow plays Charmaine, a parent at the graduation party. Will Forte plays Doug, a friend of Jared’s. Mason Gooding plays Nick, the object of Molly’s affection. Skyler Gisondo plays Jared, who takes the girls to his yacht. Diana Silvers plays Hope, one of the girls’ friends. Molly Gordon plays Triple A. Billie Lourd plays Gigi.
The casting was announced in stages. In February 2018, Dever and Feldstein joined the cast. In May 2018, Lourd and Gisondo joined. That same month, Sudeikis, Kudrow, Williams, Forte, Mike O’Brien, Gooding, Noah Galvin, Silvers, Austin Crute, Eduardo Franco, Gordon, and Nico Hiraga joined the cast. Silvers was initially asked to audition for Ryan but felt her appearance was not ideal for the character and auditioned for Hope instead.
Wilde joked that her relationship with Sudeikis was his audition. The joke speaks to the film’s tone: playful, confident, and unafraid to poke fun at itself.
The Night’s Timeline
The night unfolds across several stops, each with its own chaos. Here’s how it breaks down:
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| Eve of graduation | Molly learns her classmates also succeeded |
| Early night | Yacht party with Gigi, strawberries, hallucinogens |
| Middle night | Murder mystery party at George’s house |
| Late night | Nick’s actual party, where the girls finally arrive |
The film runs 102 minutes, which is just enough to keep the pace tight without rushing the jokes. The humor is sharp and often physical, leaning on the absurdity of Molly and Amy’s attempts to catch up with a lifetime of missed parties.
The Verdict
“Booksmart” is a confident, funny, and surprisingly tender film about two girls who finally let loose. It doesn’t talk down to its audience, and it doesn’t settle for easy jokes. The film trusts its characters to be smart and its audience to follow along.
Feldstein is nominated for Best Actress – Comedy or Musical at the 77th Golden Globe Awards for her performance. The film grossed $25 million against a $6 million budget. It premiered at South by Southwest on March 10, 2019, and was released in the United States on May 24 by United Artists Releasing.
This is a film about friendship, about missing out, and about finally saying yes. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it’s exactly right.
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