Booksmart
Booksmart is a 2019 American coming-of-age comedy film directed by Olivia Wilde. It follows two academically brilliant high school seniors, Molly and Amy, who, on the eve of graduation, realize they've spent their entire high school careers focused solely on academics and missed out on social experiences. Determined to make up for lost time, they embark on a chaotic and wild night to attend the biggest graduation party. The film explores themes of female friendship, self-discovery, and challenging preconceptions about peers. It is intended for mature audiences due to its explicit language, sexual content, and portrayal of substance use.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighThe movie features a prominent lesbian lead character, Amy Antsler, whose journey of sexual exploration is a central plot point. The film also includes other gay characters and explicit discussions about same-sex relationships, aiming to normalize LGBTQ+ representation.
Amy Antsler (Kaitlyn Dever), one of the two protagonists, is openly lesbian and the film depicts her pursuing a romantic interest in Ryan and later engaging in a sexual encounter with another girl, Hope (Diana Silvers), in a bathroom at a party. Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy engage in explicit discussions about lesbian sex acts, including 'scissoring,' early in the film during a lunch conversation. The character George, a flamboyant theater enthusiast, was originally written as a straight woman but was changed to be a gay male character, further enhancing LGBTQ+ diversity.
Romance and Sexual Content
HighThe film contains extensive and explicit sexual content, including detailed discussions of various sexual acts, strong sexual innuendo, and the depiction of a same-sex sexual encounter. Pornography is also featured.
Amy engages in a passionate sexual encounter with Hope in a bathroom at a house party, depicted with kissing and sensual music. Molly insists that she and Amy watch pornography to prepare Amy for potential sexual experiences, which then accidentally plays through the car speakers while their principal is driving them. The movie features abundant explicit and lewd talk among teenagers, including jokes and discussions about self-abuse, oral sex, ejaculation, and sexual anatomy.
Profanity
HighThe film contains pervasive strong and crude language throughout, including frequent use of expletives and misuses of religious terms.
The movie includes over 70 instances of the F-word and nearly 20 S-words, along with multiple uses of 'bitch,' 'ass,' 'damn,' and 'dick'. God's name is misused more than 10 times, sometimes paired with 'darn it,' and Jesus' name is abused seven times. The Catholic News Service described the film as having 'pervasive profane and crude language'.
Substance Use
HighThe film heavily features underage drinking and drug use, portraying teenagers consuming alcohol to the point of drunkenness and using hallucinogenic drugs and marijuana.
Teenagers are frequently shown drinking alcohol and becoming drunk at various party scenes throughout the film. Molly and Amy consume strawberries laced with hallucinogens, given to them by the character Gigi, leading to an extended and comically surreal drug trip where they visualize themselves as plastic dolls. Marijuana smoking is also depicted multiple times at parties attended by teenagers.
Disrespect & Rebellion
HighThe central premise involves the protagonists rebelling against their past academic focus by engaging in a night of rule-breaking and partying. The film also depicts instances of defiance towards authority figures and questions traditional values.
Molly and Amy consciously decide to 'make up for lost time' by engaging in a night of 'bad behavior' and attending parties, directly challenging their previous studious and rule-abiding identities. Amy is arrested while creating a diversion to help other teenagers escape a party that is being raided by the police. The film also controversially depicts a teacher, Miss Fine, joining a party and engaging in an inappropriate romantic encounter with a student.
Anti-Christian Themes
HighSome Christian reviewers identify 'Booksmart' as having a strong pagan and anti-Christian worldview, promoting politically correct, feminist, and pro-homosexual elements. It portrays Christian parents as fully accepting of their lesbian daughter's choices.
Movieguide categorizes 'Booksmart' as having a 'very strong pagan worldview with very strong Anti-Christian elements, and very strong politically correct, feminist and pro-homosexual elements'. The film depicts Amy's parents, described as Christian, explicitly going out of their way to show approval and support for their lesbian daughter's relationship and sexual identity. The Catholic News Service classified the film as 'O – morally offensive,' indicating significant thematic concerns for Christian audiences.
Violence
LowViolence in 'Booksmart' is minimal, comedic, and non-graphic, primarily involving slapstick situations or comedic peril without resulting in serious injury or gore.
Molly and Amy accidentally douse themselves with pepper spray while watching self-defense videos online in preparation for their night out, a brief comedic incident. The two main characters are shown driving recklessly and swerving a hot rod car at high speed while trying to reach their graduation ceremony, but this scene does not result in any injuries or property damage.
Witchcraft & Occult
LowThere are no significant elements of witchcraft, sorcery, or explicit occult themes. A single, brief, and non-thematic reference to 'spirits' is made.
A character casually mentions that 'spirits live inside of me' after describing losing her virginity in a graveyard, but this is an isolated comment and not indicative of any occult themes within the narrative.
Scary & Intense Content
LowThe film is a comedy and lacks any genuinely scary elements. While there are emotionally intense arguments and a surreal drug trip, these are not intended to be frightening or horrifying.
During a hallucinogenic drug trip, Amy and Molly experience a bizarre sequence where they transform into plastic fashion dolls. This scene is visually striking and surreal but played for dark comedy rather than horror. An intense argument between Molly and Amy occurs at a party, where Amy expresses resentment over Molly's controlling nature and reveals her plans for a gap year, creating significant emotional tension but not fear.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Not recommended for children or younger teens. Due to pervasive strong language, explicit sexual content (including LGBTQ+ themes), extensive substance abuse, and rebellious behavior, this film is best suited for mature young adults (17+) with parental guidance and discretion, aligning with its R-rating.
Additional Notes
The movie's R-rating is consistently justified by its strong content across multiple categories. There are no known sequels or adaptations that intensify or shift these concerns; 'Booksmart' is a standalone film. The movie has received critical acclaim for its fresh take on the coming-of-age genre and its representation of diverse characters.
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