Anybody who thinks that this is just a female <i>Superbad</i> would be wrong, because it's so much more than that. This is a film about friendship, and in some respects it feels more of the same compared to other coming-of-age films, but it delivers past that expectation with the help of Olivia Wilde's excellent direction and the strength of Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein. This is a film about friendship, but it's also about a celebration of youth and empowerment of one’s own life. Dever and Feldstein are perfection but Billie Lourd is hilarious as well! But seriously, it’s also the hardest i’ve laughed in a long time and it'll sadly probably get snubbed come awards season but this deserves Best Picture and i will love and cherish this movie until I die.

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‘Booksmart’ is a fun, hilarious, and instantly and infinitely quotable film, making it a must-see for all ages and sexes. But most importantly, it’s exciting. Olivia Wilde has here proven herself to be a fantastic new voice in filmmaking, and she’s brought along screenwriters Susanna Fogel, Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins and Katie Silberman for the ride. One can only imagine the excellence they’ll produce in the future and if they keep discovering new onscreen talent as well, there’s no stopping them. Girl power! - Jess Fenton Read Jess' full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-booksmart-say-hello-to-the-next-great-voice-in-female-filmmaking Head to https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/sff for more Sydney Film Festival reviews.

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I like the leads but I **love** the supporting cast. _Booksmart_ had me dubious. In the past couple of years beforehand, I'd heard great (and virtually identical) things about three female-led coming of age films: _Edge of Seventeen, Lady Bird,_ and _Eighth Grade_. In my opinion, one of these movies is great, one of these movies is good, and one of these movies is... not. So when I started hearing the exact same chatter around _Booksmart_, I was not certain what I should expect. Now, having seen it, it might actually be the best of the bunch. Certainly the funniest. Might well end up being my only non-Action movie of the year I go in for a rewatch on. _Final rating:★★★½ - I really liked it. Would strongly recommend you give it your time._

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