"Bottoms:" It Should Be Next on Your Watchlist

Sophia Kang

Are you gay and untalented? Maybe you’re straight and untalented. No matter who you are, what you identify as or how untalented you may be, the movie “Bottoms” is for you.  

Co-written by Rachel Sennott and Emma Seligman, “Bottoms” tells the tale of two unpopular queer best friends, PJ and Josie, who decide to start a fight club to pick up girls. “Bottoms” is the coming-of-age story that rom-com and raunchy comedy lovers alike have been yearning for. It parodies the ridiculousness of straight and queer culture while also portraying accurate, nuanced characters. Riley Ros (ACT ‘24) explained, “While positive representation is important, I feel that gay characters [...] should be allowed to have nuance and be a little off the rails sometimes. I hate that we must be ‘palatable’ to all audiences in order to be included. Gay people are crazy, and we deserved [...] to commemorate that.” 

If that doesn’t convince you, the cast list definitely will. Ayo Edebiri (The Bear, Abbott Elementary, Big Mouth) and Rachel Sennott (Bodies Bodies Bodies, Shiva Baby) play our lesbian heroines, and they are undoubtedly one of the best comedy duos of the 21st century. To put it simply, “Rachel Sennott & Ayo Edebiri could do Fight Club but Brad Pitt & Edward Norton couldn’t do Bottoms” as said by a user on Letterboxd. Edebiri’s awkward quips, paired with Sennott’s hilarious nonchalance, create the perfect blend of in-your-face and subtle comedy. Nicholas Galitzine does an impressive 180 after starring in “Red, White, and Royal Blue” to straight-football-player-menace Jeff, who will have you crying with laughter and questioning the exaggeration of his character. Additional performances from talents like Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu, and Kaia Gerber make this already funny film even funnier. 

The cherry on top that should motivate you to watch this movie is the writing. “I really loved how the dialogue was exactly how me and my friends speak. I don’t think I’ve laughed harder at a movie,” said Siena Stark (ACT ‘24). The script doesn’t sacrifice heartfelt moments for the punchline and still showcases the trials and tribulations of navigating high school relationships. “Queer comedies and rom-coms represent queer people in a way that doesn’t just make them about sex and sadness. Queer people deserve to see themselves represented in all forms of media,” stated Sophie Bradecich (IA ‘24). 

By this point, you may be thinking, “But, Sophia! I’m not gay! This has nothing to do with me!” You go to OCSA. It has everything to do with you. This movie has anything for anyone: bombs, Charli XCX, a literal battle to the death (I’m not kidding), Stella-Rebecca, who models at car conventions in Chicago on the weekends–you name it. Even if you’re not gay or untalented, it’s an honest and hilarious story that makes for the perfect breather from tests, college applications and tech week. So, take a break and go watch “Bottoms!” (Available to rent on Apple, Amazon Prime, or Vudu). (Or Soap2day.tf but I didn’t say that).