“Booksmart”: Female Friendship and Growth in Modern Cinema

Monica Castillo’s Review: Key Claims and Evidence

The main characters in the Booksmart film have a strong connection and mutual understanding. Castillo’s statement about the perfectly matched actresses and their reflection of each other’s characters is genuine. The specifics of the script and the crew’s approach to expressing themselves through this work largely determine this.

As evidence, the dynamic and chemistry between Molly and Amy are reflected in shared secrets, emotional moments, and witty banter. An example is the conversation about Amy being in love with another man, which does not affect the development of events and isolates the playful interaction between the characters during their outing, emphasizing the strong bond and ebullience of the relationship.

Insights from Olivia Wilde: Director’s Vision and Film Reflections

Some interesting quotes include the role of growing up and movies in the director’s life. Olivia Wilde mentions the films of her childhood, which contextualized her adolescent experience (Kelly 3). In her film, she reflected these feelings in the characters’ journey of self-awareness, acceptance of individuality, and the discovery of friendship. In keeping with the director’s opinion, the movie reflects all the problems and anxieties of today’s youth, which parallels the classics mentioned above and makes it understandable for young audiences given the peculiarities of the current times.

Discoveries in Dave Itzkoff’s Profile: Wilde’s Evolution and Influence

As for the interview with Dave Itzkoff, Wilde’s quote advises us to forget the myth of cherishing youth and perceiving this time as optimal for a career. According to Olivia, “It only gets more interesting when you’re too old to play dumb,” and new complexities are introduced in life and careers, with new interests accompanying them (Itzkoff 4). It is evident in the specifics of finding common ground with her film’s characters, and the director brings a fresh and insightful perspective to the genre of such films about growing up. She demonstrates the characters’ growth and emotional development, reflecting Wilde’s understanding of life’s evolving patterns beyond adolescent naiveté.

Progress and Consistency: Comparing Booksmart to Early American Cinema

Booksmart exemplifies evolution and permanence in American filmmaking, providing insight into how far the industry has come since Charlie Chaplin’s time. As emphasized in the director’s general interview, the diversity of characters and the modernity of feeling paralleled by appropriate storytelling methods are of the utmost importance to every contemporary (BBC Radio). That said, the film’s focus on female friendship and empowerment helps to reinforce an inclusive perception of society, highlighting the required progress in addressing the social issues raised on screen.

Works Cited

BBC Radio. Olivia Wilde on Directing Booksmart, Shooting Underwater and Pronouncing Barcelona. YouTube, 2019. Web.

Castillo, Monica. Booksmart Movie Review & Film Summary (2019) | Roger Ebert. Web.

Itzkoff, Dave. “Olivia Wilde, Director: ‘Too Old to Play Dumb Anymore’”. The New York Times, The New York Times, 2019. Web.

Kelly, Mary Louise. “‘Booksmart’ Director Olivia Wilde: Teen Movies ‘Made Me Excited to Be Young.’NPR, 2019. Web.

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StudyCorgi. "“Booksmart”: Female Friendship and Growth in Modern Cinema." January 26, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/booksmart-female-friendship-and-growth-in-modern-cinema/.

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StudyCorgi. 2025. "“Booksmart”: Female Friendship and Growth in Modern Cinema." January 26, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/booksmart-female-friendship-and-growth-in-modern-cinema/.

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