Emma Seligman (Shiva Baby) directs and co-writes with star Rachel Sennott this raunchy teen black comedy about two besties and lesbians—PJ (Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri)—who are at the bottom of their high school’s social pecking order. When a rumor goes around that they spent the summer in juvenile hall, they gain a little street cred and devise a plan to sleep with two cheerleaders—Isabel (Havana Rose Liu) and Brittany (Kaia Gerber)—by starting a female self-defense club. (91 min.)
Glen Here it is: the campy, outrageous, horny, queer comedy you didn’t know you needed. It skewers toxic masculinity while simultaneously flipping the gender switch on the now incredibly inappropriate teen comedies of the ’80s where rape was, you know, hilarious. PJ and Josie don’t lower themselves to taking advantage of intoxicated girls, but they’re not above spinning a web of lies to get into a cheerleader’s miniskirt. Their high school is a cartoonish cliché of what we think of high school where the football players wear their uniforms to class every day right down to their pads and cleats, and the cliques are well defined. Everyone knows their place. The star of the high school is Jeff (Nicholas Galitzine), the obtuse and cocky quarterback who’s dating Isabel when he’s not porking overzealous lesbian fight club member Hazel Callahan’s (Ruby Cruz) mom (Dagmara Dominczyk). This isn’t meant to be realistic. Heck, stars Sennott and Edebiri are both 27 years old—hardly high school age. But I laughed hard throughout. Rude and crude and violent, it’s slapstick turned up to 11.
Anna What a treat this film was. Both Sennott and Edebiri pull off teenage girl to a T. PJ and Josie are both pining and whining to get laid by two popular girls who barely know they exist. Josie is more cautious and reserved, while PJ is all action, consequences be damned. When Josie comes up with a quick excuse to save them from expulsion by starting a female self-defense club, PJ is off and running with it. When word gets around that the rival high school is going to pulverize the weaklings and weirdos at Josie and PJ’s school, a group of misfits join the fake-now-real club. Unfortunately, they haven’t found a way to hook the hotties yet, and PJ is especially determined to lure in Brittany and Isabel. It is raucous and bloody, and the club members all start sporting split lips and black eyes. When Annie (Zamani Wilder) points out they’ll need a teacher to sanction their club, PJ and Josie go to Mr. G (Marshawn Lynch), a teacher so disconnected they don’t think he’ll even attend a meeting. Surprise, surprise—Mr. G needs a new focus while going through his divorce and he shows up to watch these ladies duke it out. It’s all ridiculous, hilarious, and just plain fun.
Glen This is absurdist comedy that will appeal to people who like humor by Monty Python, Broken Lizard, and the makers of South Park, as well as ’80s fare such as Revenge of the Nerds, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. By the end of the story, the wheels have come off, and I loved it.
Anna The ending chaos is so over the top, so hilarious, and the perfect cherry on top to this film. Edebiri has been killing it lately with roles in The Bear, Theater Camp, and now Bottoms. With choices like those, her career is on a great trajectory. If you don’t mind a bit of blood and some crass moments, this movie is an absolute delight. Don’t miss out on this one! Δ
Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Student Guide 2023.