When we think of underrated comedies or sleeper hits, we typically think of films like Napoleon Dynamite or Long Shot. And yet over the last few months, I have not heard a peep about this over-the-top violent comedy, despite getting a sensible marketing campaign. Heck they even scored underappreciated names such as Ayo Edebiri of The Bear, Ruby Cruz of Willow fame, and surprisingly NFL running back Marshawn Lynch! So why didn’t people watch this movie?
Josie (played by Ayo Edebiri) and P.J. (played by Rachel Sennott) are two high school friends trying way too hard to get laid, specifically by their cheerleader crushes Isabel (played by Havana Rose Liu) and Brittany (played by Kaia Jordan Gerber). After barely tapping the obnoxious quarterback Jeff on the knee (played by Nicholas Galitzine) who continuously plays the victim card, Josie and P.J. start an all-girl fight club to woo their crushes. With the help of loner, Hazel (played by Ruby Cruz), they may have just put together a friend group that could take on their entire high school.
I think it’s safe to say that most jokes in comedies are very hit or miss, even in today’s more sensitive world. Bottoms certainly tows the line between both knowing exactly when to be slightly diabolical and when to be relentlessly unhinged with its humor. Every joke lands flawlessly and leaves you rolling on the floor laughing. Even the physical and situational comedy is pure gold! But one of the standout moments of using an offensive joke to your advantage has to be when Marshawn Lynch goes to berate our two protagonists for lying before going off on a side tangent about his character’s divorce. It’s an out-of-nowhere monologue that also feels genuine since we’ve all had a friend that loses focus of the topic from time to time. And Edibiri’s response to saying how inappropriate the conversation is at that time is just the icing on the cake.
Despite its humor, Bottoms is still self aware enough to never lose sight of its themes of friendship and social commentary on empowerment. It seamlessly weaves both its humor, while also calling out the overuse of the victim card in today’s society by those who aren’t victims. The film also does a great job calling out those who refuse to take accountability for their actions while others suffer silently or are brushed aside; for example, Jeff’s drama as he constantly cheats on his girlfriend with Hazel’s mother. All of this helps bring the girl’s fight club together to literally murder a rival football team (I’m not kidding, that actually happened).
Unlike fights involving girls in other comedies and even action films, the violence is wildly cartoonish as we see less “girl-fights” and more bare knuckle brawls. The choreography itself is pretty realistic, given the girls’ limited knowledge on fighting. They swing their fists at each other with some of the most amateur forms imaginable, probably breaking more bones in their hands than on each other's faces. But that’s a breath of fresh air as most fights these days are highly stylized and choreographed, thus lacking realism. And similar to David Fincher’s iconic film Fight Club, these characters use their fighting to come closer together. At the same time, their violence also plays into their situational comedy. For example, Ruby Cruz’s Hazel committing domestic terrorism for the sake of helping a friend (thanks Hazel?).
I’ve been so engrossed in the humor, themes and fights for so long that I almost forgot to mention the performances, which are just as over-the-top and poignant as the comedy and violence. Ayo Edebiri clearly is a rising star as she breaks past her stellar work on The Bear to bring this awkward yet quirky character to life, balancing cringe with a relatable shy demeanor. Then you have Ruby Cruz as the forgotten friend who just wants to be included, yet at the same time is more unhinged than the rest as she innocently knows how to commit domestic terrorism with a smile. Despite this, she remains lovable as we understand her desire to be included, almost as if she were an adopted puppy. Rachel Sennott understands how to be a jerk while remaining charismatic, perfectly balancing the two as her character and Ayo’s Josie friendship dynamic comes to a head. And whoever cast Marshawn Lynch deserves a raise. That man is funny and knows how to make a small supporting role highly memorable!
Bottoms is another perfect example that revamps the stereotypical high school comedy tropes for a different generation. Even though I believe Booksmart is a better representation of Gen Z and their culture along with it being an impressive homage to Superbad, Bottoms is a very close second. It devles deep into both physical and cringe comedy as each joke lands harder than the last, especially with its sidesplitting and bloody climax. The performances are extremely memorable as Edebiri, Cruz, Sennot, and Lynch put their charisma front and center to bring sincerity to their characters. Bottoms was 2023’s movie that no one saw for some reason, which is depressing as its over-the-top and outrageous nature makes it both extremely hilarious and simultaneously rewatchable!
Written by: Noah Kloss
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