The Power Behind Booksmart from an Aspiring Filmmaker

 Booksmart Poster with Kaitlyn Dever as Amy and Beanie Feldstein as Molly

Towards the end of my senior year of high school, I found out about this film called Booksmart directed by Olivia Wilde. From the trailer alone I knew it was going to be great. But after watching it, I didn't think this film would impact me the way it did.  

Booksmart is about two studious best friends who are high school seniors that find out that the popular students in their class also got into top universities. Since these girls devoted most of their academic careers to their studies instead of balancing it with their social lives, they decide to live it up the night before their graduation. From the premise alone my friends and I can kind of relate. Truth be told I was kind of a nerdy student who put my all towards my studies and occasionally would have a social life. Although I can recount a lot of fun and exciting memories with my friends, most of the high school revolved around my terrible sleep schedule and me constantly worrying about my grades or the future( aka where will I go for college? Will I even get into college?) While the "popular kids" were out partying on a Friday night, I was either at home trying to finish homework, involved with an extracurricular like cheerleading or yearbook; or simply trying to catch up on sleep. 

                              Kaitlyn Dever as Amy and Beanie Feldstein as Molly In Booksmart

My best friends and I got to see the movie together (a few days after our graduation in fact) and instantly had a blast. From the story to the performances, to the soundtrack; this movie will forever be our movie thanks to Olivia Wilde.  Booksmart instantly felt like a classic coming of age film that I will rewatch till I croak! 

Other than this film creating a special bond with the story between my friends and I, this film impacted me in terms of inspiration towards forging my future as an aspiring filmmaker. After watching this film and exploring the internet for more information about the film, I discovered that this was Olivia Wilde's debut as a film director. Since the pool for female filmmakers in Hollywood is small, I instantly felt inspired and hopeful for more representation of women in the industry. After watching Booksmart, it has inspired me to keep chasing my dreams of becoming a filmmaker. In addition, the film has even encouraged me to only aspire to direct, it has ignited my passion for learning different elements that create a film: cinematography, screenwriting, producing, and editing. 

                       Beanie Feldstein as Molly In Booksmart with director Olivia Wilde on set

The cinematography in this movie is just phenomenal especially during the party scene with Molly and her crush doing the dance number. During this scene, the two are dancing around a house with dramatic theater-type lighting accompanied by a tracking long shot. This film utilizes the application of its writing, cinematography, and actors to enhance the essence of the script. Capturing this essence is very important especially in this film because of the nostalgic feeling coming of age films produce.

Booksmart is a film that I think will impact the way we look at and create a coming of age film, for instance, its portrayal of the hierarchy in high school. Typically in many other comings of age films, stereotypes and cliques are distinctively divided into the jocks, popular kids, nerds, and theater kids(just to name a few). Booksmart breaks this mold by staying away from the cliques which seems more realistic since (at least for me) my high school was not structured this way, it was nowhere near the cliques from Mean Girls. The performances from the cast and the writing are what really set this film apart from its predecessors. The casting was impeccable and each actor really individualized and shined through their roles. The cast just makes this film extra fun to watch!! All of these components that create a film are vital to the success of a film. Despite the independent film being shot in under 30 days, the 6 million dollar project was a highly collaborative project within the cast and crew which enhanced the dynamic of the film as a whole. 

    Kaitlyn Dever as Amy Beanie Feldstein as Molly In Booksmart with director Olivia Wilde on set

I have aspired to be a filmmaker since the beginning of my freshman year of high school. But after watching Booksmart towards the end of my senior year, it certainly solidified my desire to work in the industry. Thanks to the brilliant direction from Olivia Wilde, she and this film have also inspired me to absorb as much information as I can to fully enhance the movie-watching experience (through writing, cinematography, editing, and more) I hope to one day create the same feeling of happiness and inspiration that I felt after watching this film, to someone in my shoes right now.

Booksmart is such a great film and I recommend you watch it asap! It is available on Hulu, Prime Video, and Apple Tv

Sources:

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/booksmart-reviewed-olivia-wildes-toothless-teen-comedy

https://variety.com/2020/voices/in-contention/olivia-wilde-directing-booksmart-1203475050/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1489887/

https://onset.shotonwhat.com/gallery/on-set-of-booksmart-2019/