Classic Icarus: I flew too close to the sun, so my boyfriend leaked my sex tape. How is that for an elevator pitch?
Do Revenge directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
That is precisely what happens to Drea Torres, played by Riverdale's Camila Mendes, a scholarship student who DIYs herself into a group of elite phonies at the snobby Yvy gateway Rosehill High school. She was flying high until a fake woke guy clipped her wings. Now she is stewing, and in walks the magnificent Eleneor, Stranger Things' Maya Hawke, who has a similar chip on her shoulder. I knew I loved Eleanor when she was introduced wearing A Women in Music Part three tshirt, as I am deep into a Haim rabbit hole now. She also makes her way into her hearts with Olivia Rodrigo's Brutal as her soundtrack, making quips about tennis legend Billy Jean; the girl is awesome.
As Spring and Summer pass, Fall means Eleanor is making her introduction at her new school, Rosehill, and once the friendship between Drea and Eleanor is in full swing, they swap stories and then go all Stranger on a Train on their bullies.
This movie is a blast; not only does every scene has an entirely different setting, the decor and set pieces are eccentric and inspiring; and not only is there, in Riverdale vein, on point casting with Buffy, Mrs. Sarah Michelle Gellar herself, as the headmaster behind a badass desk, and not only is Eleanor casually mentioning she is about to watch a Godard flick like she knew the Master just departed, and not only is Austin Abrams playing the usual charming douchebag ( he was severely miscast in Dash & Lily where he only had to play one side of that equation). And not only are the quips hilarious and memorable, and is Sophie Turner killing it as a deranged British tennis camp bitch, but more importantly, these two revenge-obsessed girls are so damn likable.
They might see the great Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction as their example; Gleneregy, if you know, you know, but Glenn was never that appreciated; she was genuinely hated for her role of a woman wielding the revenge rabbit. And halfway through the movie, we are also led to believe that these two are terrible individuals, which is just so damn hard to believe; it doesn't matter who they destroy. I was worried at a certain point that Eleanor, who is gay, was made to be the bad guy, but this movie is much too much in the know to do something that silly.
We can only root for Drea and Eleneoar as they trample all over this lavender and mint ( the school uniforms) frothy mess of pretentiousness, privilege, and douchebaggery. ( Eleanor, turning the uniform into a pastel Annie Hall deliciousness at one point!).
This one is not only a delight; it's a keeper!