booksmart – The Comedy Bureau

Both JoJo Rabbit and Booksmart Score Writers Guild Awards Nominations

January 7, 2020

booksmart, jojo rabbit, nominations, writers guild awards

Both JoJo Rabbit and Booksmart Score Writers Guild Awards Nominations

Thus far this award season, it appeared as though, yet again, comedy films weren’t going to get much of a nod (as is always sort of the case).

JoJo Rabbit might be an exception to this notion for how much critical acclaim on all fronts that it has been getting, but Booksmart garnering a Writers Guild nomination is a very pleasant surprise. Booksmart should have been a bigger hit and we can only hope that it lives on to be enjoyed again and again over the years for how sincerely refreshing and satisfying and hopeful it was.

Truly, we love both films (they both made our 100 Best of 2019 list) and hope that they fare as well as they can against the likes of Parasite, Joker, Knives Out, and more.

Enjoy the First Six Minutes of Booksmart Before Seeing It This Weekend

May 25, 2019

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beanie feldstein, booksmart, kaitlyn dever, olivia wilde

We already said our peace about the wonderful feature debut from Olivia Wilde, Booksmart. In short, it’s a high school buddy comedy that’s not only timely, but hopeful for the future (and gives star making turns for Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever).

Booksmart is now in theaters nationwide and, again, you absolutely should go see it. If you need more goading, then get into the first six minutes that Annapurna has been nice enough to put up on YouTube.

Booksmart Is the Coming-of-Age Comedy of the Summer

May 17, 2019

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annapurna, beanie feldstein, booksmart, kaitlyn dever, olivia wilde

Sure, this Summer hasn’t every officially kicked off yet, but we’re so charmed by Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut with Booksmart to say that it should reign in the coming-of-age comedy sub genre in 2019 like Blockers did in 2018.

First off, we want to say that Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever’s performances really are the sparks that get this movie cooking. Their performances, for our money, should put Hollywood on notice of their arrival.

Overall, there’s a certain hope that we get from how Gen Z is depicted throughout the movie in a way that avoids being disingenuous. It’s refreshing to see a teen comedy that has hope for the future as its two leads are both high achievers, but are also fully realized as teens clawing for their first taste of freedom. The framework for the classic high school buddy comedy is there without pandering to any generation in particular.

One could very easily say that it’s a “woke Superbad”, but that is being too reductive of our tastes and ignores the nuances that Wilde and writers Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, Katherine Silberman, Emily Halpern crafted into the film. Booksmart truly manages a delicate balance of being a broad comedy, but still having lot of heart and warmth without forcing it.

Booksmart comes out nationwide on May 24th, but there are special advanced screenings that start tomorrow. Get all the details here.

Olivia Wilde’s Directorial Debut “Booksmart” Could Be This Year’s Blockers

March 13, 2019

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beanie feldstein, booksmart, kaitlyn dever, olivia wilde, red band trailer, trailer

Blockers was a pleasant surprise last year as a heartfelt, yet still widely appealing teen comedy for these times.

Enter Olivia Wilde’s first feature as a director Booksmart with a script written by Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, Katherine Silberman, Emily Halpern, which very well could be that kind of film for 2019. It has overtones of Blockers and Superbad, and, from the looks of this red band trailer, a lot of promise like those predecessors. The duo of stars Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein seem have a very charming, yet grounded chemistry and the trailer doesn’t seem to be giving all the best set pieces and jokes away (unlike so many teen comedies these days).

If you’re into it, look for Booksmart to start rolling out in theaters at the end of May on Memorial Day Weekend.