Distribution Studio: Orion Pictures Director: Emma Seligman

What do you get when Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri join forces on the big screen? Comedy genius in the form of the film Bottoms. Combine that with Emma Seligman’s writing and directing prowess, and you get the funniest film of 2023.

With writer/director Emma Seligman coming off of her excellent directorial debut in 2020, Shiva Baby, we were eager to see what her next project would bring. To try to find that magic again, Seligman teamed up with the star of Shiva Baby, Rachel Sennott. Not only does Sennott star (I’d argue co-stars with Edebiri) in Seligman’s Bottoms, but the two teamed up to write the film together. The common denominator in both of these acting and writing duos is Rachel Sennott, who is quickly becoming one of today’s very best and most exciting comedic actors.

Bottoms was one of SXSW’s most talked about films, and garnered glowing reviews from the festival. With the reviews and praise rapidly spreading, the excitement for Bottoms built up throughout the year and nearly put the film at a disadvantage with moviegoers. How can a movie live up to being called “an instant classic?” 

The premise is simple, PJ (Sennott) and Josie (Edebiri) are high school best friends who are looking to get laid before graduation. According to PJ and Josie, they have several obstacles in their way: they’re queer, ugly, and untalented. To add to their struggles, they’re seeking out the attention of two of their schools most popular students, Isabel and Brittany. PJ and Josie come up with the genius idea of creating an all girls fight club under the guise of a “self-defense” club. They hope that with the word of their club spreading, they’ll earn the respect of Isabel and Brittany.

What might be the film’s greatest feat is the world Seligman created. In an ode to all of the teenager and high school comedies before it, Bottoms is full of exaggerated characters and takes place in brightly colored school hallways. Seligman leans into these tropes and delivers them satirically rather than giving us the same teenage comedy we’re so used to seeing. The film isn’t interested in simply using satire to deliver a biting commentary. Instead, it’s used to elevate the comedy and to increase our care and investment in the characters.

Bottoms takes place in what seems like an alternate reality. Even though it’s likely present day, it’s not confirmed or obvious until later in the film. Almost no cellphones are used, and the one cell phone we do see was popular in the mid-2000’s. None of the cars are obviously new or obviously old, and the movie doesn’t rely on current pop culture references. There’s also a lack of “background” characters. For a supposedly large school, only a few dozen students are seen at one time, and there are only three adults at the school: a principle, one janitor, and one teacher. We even get a football game in the climax of the film that only involves a few handfuls of players (not nearly enough for a full football team). Seligman and Sennott were very intentional with these decisions. 

It gives the audience the ability to suspend disbelief so they can enjoy the over-the-top humor, violence, and plot. The world of Bottoms also gives the cast full freedom to take big swings. From top to bottom, everybody shines. Ayo Edebiri, who has been given recent praise for her outstanding performances in The Bear, shows a side to her that many fans may not know she had. Her back and forth with Sennott is a masterclass in comedic timing and is the heartbeat of the film. Edebiri is proving to be a star in the making with a full 2023 that included the aforementioned TV show The Bear, and voice performances in Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.

I’d be doing everybody a disservice if I didn’t mention Marshawn Lynch’s scene stealing role as Mr. G. If you needed more proof that this might not be your typical high school romp, Lynch, former NFL running back, delivers some of the movies most memorable moments. Ruby Cruz also gives a heartfelt performance as Hazel. Although we have several standouts, every cast member gets their moment to shine and add their special touch to Bottoms.

As I much as I wanted to avoid saying “they don’t make comedies like they used to,” Bottoms is more proof that we’re in an age of cinema that is begging for more true comedies. It struck me both because it was brilliant and because it shows us what films we’ve been missing out on. In a year that has had very few comedy releases, which has been the case for the last decade, Bottoms is not only my favorite comedy of 2023, but it’s also comfortably in my top 10 favorite films of the year so far. Based on its more stripped back theater release calendar, I’m hoping Bottoms find success on digital and streaming. It’s destined to become an instant classic for many.

9.4/10

Written by: Stefano Todaro