Title: Senior Year
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Alex Hardcastle
Starring: Rebel Wilson, Angourie Rice, Mary Holland
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins
What It Is: Stephanie Conway (Rice) was a weird, awkward young lady from Australia. One who changed her entire high school fortune. She went from not popular to potential prom queen. When an accident while cheerleading sends her into a coma it isn’t until 20 years later that she wakes up to a woman over thirty that she doesn’t know. Now Stephanie (Wilson) is going back to the high school she once ruled…but like as a woman who’s almost 40…nothing could possibly go wrong.
What We Think: It’s always nice to see Rebel Wilson in some roles. Sadly this is a film archetype that’s well-worn. There are some moments in this that are genuinely funny, genuinely heartfelt, and genuine to the characters. Something here isn’t quite as good as it could be. Frankly, I think it’s the script. The performances are fine but the material doesn’t require much. Zoe Chao is a standout here. She’s devilishly delightful as the reformed mean girl who never actually reformed herself. Personally, there’s enough here to like and throughout this, you’ll certainly get a chuckle out of a few of the jokes.
Our Grade: C, A totally fine experience for a Netflix comedy. Rebel Wilson is as charming as usual but unlike something like Isn’t It Romantic this script isn’t up to the snuff of that picture. Still, it’s worth checking out if you want something mildly mindless to laugh at. The soundtrack is a nice mix of 2000’s hits and features a throwback for this old guy on what it was like to be in high school in the early 2000’s. A slightly missed opportunity that had a rehashed idea that wasn’t put together too well. Nonetheless it’s fine and enjoyable.